Eighty Years in the Making
The people, art, and history behind the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis.
The Cathedral Basilica Artisans
George D Barnett of Barnett, Haynes, and Barnett of Saint Louis designed the entire structure of the Cathedral including a circular Sacristy on the north end which was not built when the main structure was completed in 1914. The semi-circular Sacristy which was eventually built was designed by George John Magualo of Magualo and Quick.
Barnett also designed the main Altar, the baldachino, and the Lower Sanctuary mosaics. The mosaics were installed by the Gorham Company of New York in 1916. Barnett also designed the Blessed Sacrament Chapel and its mosaics which were installed by Gorham in 1916 and 1917.
George John Magualo of Magualo and Quick of Saint Louis was the architect in charge of the Cathedral Basilica when the sacristy was built and when the major work on the mosaics was resumed under Cardinal Ritter, which had been interrupted by the depression and World War II.
Joseph Murphy of Murphy and Mackey of Saint Louis served as the official architect of the Cathedral Basilica who oversaw the major seven-year exterior renovation program that corrected a moisture problem that was disintegrating the granite walls and roof. He also designed the mosaic shrine of Our Lady of Perpetual Help.
Verner Burks, Jr. of Saint Louis subsequently served as the designated architect of the Cathedral and was on the committee that planned and oversaw the installation of the final mosaics. He also designed the reinstallation of the organ that now reveals the stained glass window and mosaics previously obscured by the old organ. He also designed the structure of the Mosaic Museum.
Chevalier Aristide Leonori designed the Blessed Virgin and All Saints Chapel, and the mosaics in them. The fabrication and installation of the Chapels and mosaics were handled by the Tiffany Company in 1912.
Robert Frei of Saint Louis designed & fabricated all the stained glass windows on the balcony level.
Professor Felix Baumhauer
- Arch of Triumph 1924
Professor Otto Oetken
- Priesthood Soffit Arch 1924
- Arch of Sanctification 1925
- Arch of Creation 1926
- Beatitudes in Nave 1928
- Lower transept ornamental mosaics 1933
- Two north pendentives of the Central dome 1935
- Two south pendentives of the Sanctuary dome 1936
- Two north pendentives of the Sanctuary dome 1937
- Two south pendentives of the Central dome 1964
- East and West Sanctuary walls which depict
- Passover and the Last Supper 1967
Rudolf Scheffler
- All Souls Chapel & mosaics in adjacent hallways 1929 & 1930
John von Wicht
- Vestibule mosaics on the life of St. Louis 1931, 1932
Professor Fritz Bernitsky
- All Small domes of the Cathedral and the Domes of the Coat of Arms 1946
Hildreth Meiere
- East Soffit or Arch 1945-1946
- Dome of the Apostles 1957
- South Rose Window mosaics
- North Rose Window mosaics 1957
- North Wall 1957
- Pendentives, Dome of the Apostles
Robert Harmon
- West Soffit or Arch 1957
- North Soffit or Arch 1957
John de Rosen
- Arch of the Last Judgment 1962
- The Central dome 1965
Mary Reardon
- East transept apse 1984
- West transept apse 1986
- East wall panel of local history 1987
- West wall panel of local history 1988
360º Virtual Tour
Take our 360° virtual tour and experience the Cathedral Basilica from wherever you are. See how sacred art draws your attention upward, both literally and figuratively.
The Shrine of the Sacred Heart
It is the work of each generation to offer gifts to the Lord and to assist in the spiritual growth of the faithful through sacred works of art and architecture. In 2007, the Cathedral added a shrine to the Sacred Heart of Jesus in the west transept. The centerpiece is a mosaic of Christ, three feet by four feet, made by the Vatican Mosaic Studio from a nineteenth century oil painting owned by the Archdiocese. An arch of white Carrara marble frames the image, flanked by columns of rare Sicilian diaspro marble and topped by a pediment rising twelve and a half feet.
Thirty types of marble and onyx make up the shrine, some pieces weighing up to 600 pounds. The floor carries a geometric pattern centered on a Star of David, and the bronze doors show a pelican feeding her young, a symbol of Christ's sacrifice.
The Pietà Bronze, On Display at the Cathedral Basilica
It is with great pleasure and honor that the Archdiocese of St. Louis has been chosen to exhibit an incredible piece of artwork at the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis.
A life-sized bronze cast of Michelangelo's Pietà stands in the vestibule at the base of the stairs leading to the Blessed Sacrament Chapel. Michelangelo carved the original in marble in 1499, at age 24, for a tomb monument commissioned by Cardinal Jean de Villiers de la Grolaye at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. The sculpture shows Christ's body across his mother's knees, a scene not found in scripture but known through the Middle Ages as one of the Seven Sorrows of the Virgin. Michelangelo carved for another six decades after finishing the Pietà, and by most accounts, never surpassed it.
The bronze on display came from the Marinelli Foundry in Florence, founded in 1919 and still run by the same family. In 1932, the foundry took plaster molds directly from the original marble in the Vatican and used them to cast twelve bronze editions. This piece carries the foundry mark and the number N. 4/9. Workers finished the cast in 1982.
Currently, this is one of two pieces being exhibited in North America and is on loan from the owners, Legacy Sculptures and Renaissance Sculptures, LLC, for a limited time.
Glossary of Terms
Apse – The section of the cathedral that usually contains the altar. It is often shaped like a semicircle and traditionally faces east. (The apse of the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis faces north.)
Baldacchino or baldachin – There are numerous spellings for this word, but they all mean the same thing – a canopy covering the altar.
Capital – The top of a column.
Cathedra – Literally a chair and the source of the word “cathedral.” This chair is located in the sanctuary and is used exclusively by the Archbishop.
Fascia – A flat surface that covers the ends of beams or other supporting structures.
Lunette – Half-moon shaped sections frequently seen at the base of vaulted roofs.
Narthex – The vestibule or lobby.
Nave – The main section of a cathedral or church, facing the altar.
Ombrellino – An umbrella-like device embroidered with mottos and crests. Its presence, along with the tintinnabulum, signifies the basilica status of the Cathedral Basilica.
Pendentive – A triangular structure that supports a dome. In the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis, the pendentives of the Central Dome feature huge spread-winged angels.
Portal – Main door. The Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis is typical of most in that it has three main front portals, symbolizing the Holy Trinity.
Soffit – The underside of an arch or balcony.
Tessera – A thin slab of glass or tile which is shaped into pieces that make up a mosaic. Most often used in its plural, which is tesserae.
Tintinnabulum – Ceremonial bell which is symbolic of a basilica. See ombrellino.
Triptych – A piece of art consisting of three panels, usually a larger central panel with two smaller side panels. Often seen in altarpieces, the triptychs of the Cathedral Basilica grace the walls of the All Saints Chapel and Our Lady’s Chapel.
Transept – If the nave and apse constitute the long beam of a cross, the transepts make up the crossbar. These are large “bays” that extend from either side of the nave. In the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis, they feature large mosaic-covered half domes.
Baldachino
Cathedra
Pendentive
Triptych
Ombrellino
Tintinnabulum
Visit Us
The Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis welcomes visitors every day. Explore the rich history, inspiring architecture, and transcendent art or simply come to pray. Drop in on your own or schedule a guided tour and discover why this place has long been called "the Rome of the West."