Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine

St. Augustine Cathedral Basilica dates from the Second Spanish Period, though the parish traces its roots to the founding of St. Augustine in 1565. Previous churches had been destroyed during British attacks in 1586 and 1702. When Florida was ceded back to Spain from Britain in 1784, plans were made for a new parish church. The present church was opened in 1797 and has been expanded since. A bell tower and transepts were added in the 1880s following a fire and the cathedral was fully restored in 1966.

St. Augustine Cathedral was designed very much in the Spanish Colonial style. The facade reminds me very much of the California missions built at the same time. The bell tower is more Mediterranean Revival in style, mirroring the resort hotels that were built in that era. A mix of complimentary architectures.

The cathedral is open to visitors. The nave seems a bit smaller and more intimate than one might expect, its plaster walls and wooden beams and pews again reminding me of the missions. A mural over the rear of the nave tells the story of Catholicism in Florida. Stained glass windows tell the story of Saint Augustine.

The cathedral, a National Historic Landmark, is located on Cathedral Place in the heart of historic St. Augustine, facing the Plaza de la Constitution and at the end of St. George Street. Recommended!