St. Mary Catholic Church

St. Mary Catholic Church is a Catholic church building in the Mediterranean Revival style with Spanish Baroque elements, featuring high arched doorways, brick tile construction, and twin bell towers flanking the front facade. The structure combines these architectural approaches to create a distinctive appearance in the historic district.

Architect Rafael Guastavino designed the building in 1908 and completed construction in 1912 using his distinctive system of interlocking brick tile vaults. The completion marked an innovative approach to church construction of that era.

The church serves as a long-standing gathering place for the Catholic community and displays Spanish and Mediterranean cultural influences in its design. Visitors can experience these traditions in the decorative details and overall interior arrangement.

The building is located on South 4th Street and is easily accessible on foot, especially from the center of the historic district. Visitors should know this is an active place of worship, so respecting ongoing religious activities is important.

The entire structure was built without wooden beams, steel supports, or nails, instead using an innovative system of interlocking brick tiles. This construction method was extraordinary for its time and often goes unnoticed by visitors today.

Location: Wilmington

Inception: 1912

Architects: Rafael Guastavino

Architectural style: Mediterranean Revival architecture, Spanish Baroque architecture

Part of: Wilmington Historic District

Website: https://saintmarybasilica.org

GPS coordinates: 34.23220,-77.94330

Latest update: December 11, 2025 11:03