The Cathedral of Saint John the Divine stands in the Morningside Heights neighborhood, less than half a mile from Central Park. For many tourists in New York City, it is a must-see, either for religious or architectural reasons or both. The Cathedral of Saint John the Divine in Manhattan is quite simply the largest cathedral in the world.
The land on which Saint John the Divine stands was acquired by the Diocese of New York in 1887. At the time, it was 47,000 square feet, covering the area currently bounded by Morningside Dr., Amsterdam Avenue, 133rd Street, and Cathedral Parkway. Across the street from the cathedral is the lovely Morningside Park with its walking trails and lake.
Construction of Saint John the Divine Cathedral
Construction of the cathedral began on December 27, 1892. The architectural design was chosen by George Lewis Heins and John LaFarge. A few years later, the former died, which significantly delayed the progress of the work.
The Second World War also affected the program because of labor shortages and the fact that the Bishop of New York earmarked a large part of his funds for charity. Nevertheless, construction progressed and in 1925 the west façade was completed, work began on the nave, and in 1942 the first services were held.
Work on the completion of the project, which had been halted or slowed down for a long time, began in earnest in 1979. This time, however, Bishop Paul Moore revised the project due in part to a lack of funds and depleted endowments. The towers were raised but never completed.
The portal on the west façade was decorated with statues by Simon Verity and Jean Claude Marchionni. The original design of the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine was in the Byzantine Romanesque style. During the course of the work, it evolved towards a French Gothic style (for the nave and apse), while the transept would retain its Romanesque style.
The visit to the cathedral
Today, visitors can appreciate this cathedral whose 13th-century Gothic style draws its inspiration from the churches of northern France. Its dimensions position it as the largest cathedral in the world: a length of 186 meters, a nave with a ceiling height of 38 meters, and a length of 70 meters.
The Cathedral of Saint John the Divine has seven chapels known as the “Chapels of the Tongues”: Ambrose, Ansgar, Boniface, Columbia, James, Martin, and Savior. Each chapel represents one of the seven major ethnic groups that immigrated to New York when Ellis Island opened in 1892.
The Cathedral of Saint John the Divine offers frequent concerts.
Admission: free / $15 for guided tours.
