Saint Patrick's Old Cathedral

New York, USA

St. Patrick's Old Cathedral is located in 'The Heart of Old New York' in the rapidly changing neighborhoods of Little Italy, Chinatown, and SOHO.

The corner stone of Old St. Patrick's — the city's first Cathedral Church — was laid on June 8,1809. It was dedicated on May 14,1815, and on that day the New York Gazette described the cathedral as 'a grand and beautiful church, which may justly be considered one of the greatest ornaments of our city'

Designed by architect Joseph Francois Mangin, St. Patrick's has great dignity and character in its restrained simplicity. Her sidewalls rise to a height of 75 feet, and the inner vault is 85 feet high. The church is over 120 feet long and 80 feet wide. Near the west wall stands the huge marble altar surrounded by an ornately carved, gold leaf reredos.

At the opposite end of the church in the choir loft is a historic organ, an Erben 3‐41, in its original condition. The organ was built by Henry Erben in 1852, and is one of less than a dozen such great instruments surviving in New York City.