St Mary’s Cathedral, Catholic cathedral in central Sydney, Australia.
St Mary's Cathedral is a Catholic cathedral built from pale limestone in central Sydney with two tall towers rising from its facade. The interior spaces show pointed arches and ribbed vaults following 19th-century European models.
The first building rose from 1838, but a fire destroyed the original structure in 1865. William Wardell then designed the current cathedral, with major works extending over several decades.
The cathedral carries the full name Cathedral of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and stands at the center of Sydney's Catholic community. Visitors today see people praying before the side altars and can admire the tall stained-glass windows depicting biblical scenes.
The cathedral opens its doors daily to visitors and worshippers, and guided tours provide insight into the building's design and the crypt. Those interested in church architecture will find good conditions for photographing and exploring the side chapels.
The crypt beneath the main nave preserves finely carved stone reliefs and documents tracing early Catholic history in Australia. Few people know that several early archbishops also found their final resting place here.
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