Saint Mary Cathedral Basilica, Galveston

Saint Mary Cathedral Basilica holds the distinction of being the mother church of the Catholic Diocese of Galveston-Houston. Established as the cathedral by Pope Pius IX in 1847 for the newly formed Diocese of Galveston鈥攚hich then encompassed the entire state of Texas鈥攖he church was led by its first bishop, Jean Marie Odin, a French missionary. Designed by architect Theodore E. Giraud in the Gothic Revival style and inspired by King's College Chapel in Cambridge, the cathedral follows a Latin cross floor plan. It was completed in 1848 using 500,000 bricks imported from Belgium and dedicated to the Blessed Virgin.

Over the years, the cathedral underwent notable enhancements. In 1876, prominent Galveston architect Nicholas J. Clayton added a transept tower crowned in 1878 by a cast-iron statue of Mary, Star of the Sea, whose illuminated crown once served as a guiding beacon for mariners approaching Galveston port. Clayton also elevated the cathedral鈥檚 front twin spires to eighty feet in 1886, topping them with crosses. The structure spans 130 feet in length and 75 feet in width, with the transepts stretching to 100 feet wide and 60 feet high. The cathedral鈥檚 sense of openness is achieved through a system of paired wooden columns and intricate wooden trusses, while its interior houses significant religious artworks, including a large crucifix, a Piet谩, and a 3,000-pipe organ.

Saint Mary Cathedral was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1968 and documented by the Historic American Buildings Survey the year prior. Its role in Texas Catholic history was further honored on August 2, 1979, when Pope John Paul II designated it a minor basilica鈥攁 recognition reserved for churches of exceptional historical and spiritual importance.

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Sight Name: Saint Mary Cathedral Basilica
Sight Location: Galveston, USA (See walking tours in Galveston)
Sight Type: Religious
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Galveston Introduction Walking Tour

Walking Tours in Galveston, Texas

Create Your Own Walk in Galveston

Creating your own self-guided walk in Galveston is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.

Galveston Introduction Walking Tour

Galveston, perched on a barrier island along the Gulf Coast, holds a unique place in Texas history. Its modern chapter began in the early 1800s, when the infamous pirate Jean Lafitte set up a short-lived base here鈥攄riven out by the U.S. Navy in 1821. The city itself was officially founded in 1836, soon after Texas won independence from Mexico, and was named in honor of Spanish colonial governor... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.5 Km or 2.2 Miles

Historic Houses Walking Tour

Galveston鈥檚 Broadway Avenue is a living corridor of architectural ambition, lined with grand homes that speak to the city鈥檚 Gilded Age past. Most of these stately mansions were built in the late 1800s and early 1900s, during a period when Galveston thrived as a key Gulf Coast port. Wealthy merchants, civic leaders, and industrialists commissioned elaborate residences here, hoping to place the... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.5 Km or 1.6 Miles

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