Saint Mary's Cathedral, Sydney (must see)

The mother church of Australian Catholicism, Saint Mary’s Cathedral, is the largest church in Australia. It is a functioning place of worship and an important landmark in Sydney.

The cathedral's foundation stone was laid in 1821 and the structure was completed in 1835, only to be destroyed by a fire in 1865. Father McEnroe, the then Archdeacon, commissioned the building of the present church designed by architect William Wardell in the Gothic Revivalist style. Although generally completed in 1882, work on the church continued after its dedication and improvements have been continually made to embellish the building. In 1930, the church was given the title of a minor basilica by Pope Pius XI and was the focus of World Youth Day in 2008, when it was visited by Pope Benedict XVI.

Saint Mary’s Cathedral’s exterior is clad with dressed Pyrmont stone. It has twin towers facing south and a cruciform design with a central tower where the nave and transepts meet. The interiors have windows with picturesque stained glass, intricate sculpture, and a poignant monument to fallen soldiers.

The impressive flight of stairs leading up to the entrance and the two slender spires pointing to the sky make this elegant minor basilica amazing, chiefly when the walls glitter in gold light in the sunbeams.

Tip:
The best view of the сathedral is probably from College Street. Pick your visiting time carefully because of the regular services and the irregular but very frequent weddings. NOTE: during the weddings, you can't walk in to see the сathedral inside.