Crystal Cathedral, Glass cathedral in Garden Grove, US.
This church serves as the Catholic cathedral in Garden Grove, California, and functions as the diocesan seat for the Diocese of Orange. The construction rests on a white steel frame shaped like a four-pointed star and supports over ten thousand rectangular glass panes that enclose the space from all sides.
Architect Philip Johnson designed the building in 1977 for a Protestant congregation that opened it three years later and used it as a television church. In 2012 the Catholic Diocese of Orange acquired the church and renamed it to use as their new cathedral.
The earlier name refers to the glass façade that appears like crystal and gives the building its transparent look. Visitors today notice how light streams through the many panes and brightens the interior while services and events take place.
The church sits in an urban area southeast of Los Angeles and is surrounded by major roads accessible by car or public transit. Visitors should note that this is an active place of worship with regular Mass schedules, so touring outside service times is advisable.
Organ pipes from different periods combine into one of the largest instruments in North America and produce sounds that echo through the glass walls. The panes are mounted so that some can be opened when needed to let fresh air into the space, while others remain sealed.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
