| Basilica of Saint Louis, King of France | |
|---|---|
.jpeg) Basilica in June 2011 | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Roman Catholic |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Minor basilica |
| Location | |
| Location | 209 Walnut Street, St. Louis, Missouri, United States |
| Geographic coordinates | 38°37′27″N 90°11′14″W / 38.624121°N 90.187229°W |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Joseph Laveille and George Morton |
| Style | Greek Revival |
| Groundbreaking | 1770 (first church) 1831 (current church) |
| Completed | 1834 |
| Specifications | |
| Direction of façade | South by west |
| Length | 134 feet (41 m) |
| Width | 84 feet (26 m) |
| Height (max) | 95 feet (29 m) |
| Materials | Limestone |
| Website | |
| Basilica of St. Louis, King of France | |
The Basilica of Saint Louis, King of France (French: Cathédrale Saint-Louis-Roi-de-France de Saint-Louis), formerly the Cathedral of Saint Louis, and colloquially the Old Cathedral, is a Catholic church in St. Louis, Missouri.[1] It was the first cathedral west of the Mississippi River and until 1844 the only parish church in St. Louis.[2] It is one of two Catholic basilicas in St. Louis (with the current cathedral) and both are named for King Louis IX of France (the namesake of the city).[3]
The current structure (built 1831–1834) is located near the historic riverfront of St. Louis. It is surrounded by Gateway Arch National Park. However, the church is not part of the park. Because of the historical significance of the church, it was left intact while all neighboring buildings were demolished to make way for the Gateway Arch and related park. Rev. Nicholas Smith serves as Rector.
The basilica serves as a personal parish church rather than a territorial parish church. It ranks 177th of 196 churches in number of Catholics per church in the Archdiocese of St. Louis.[4] However, because of its historical significance (and its location along the Mississippi River near the iconic Arch), the basilica remains a popular church for marriage ceremonies in the archdiocese (ranking second of 196 churches) and a popular tourist destination.[4]
- ^ "Basilica of St. Louis, King of France (Old Cathedral), St. Louis, Missouri, USA". www.gcatholic.org. Retrieved 2017-02-13.
- ^ Eversgerd, Shania; Levato, Gianna; Mancuso, Emma. "St. Mary of Victories Catholic Church". Arch City Religion. Retrieved 15 July 2023.
- ^ Conard, p. 528
- ^ a b "Statistics of the Archdiocese of St. Louis" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 March 2010. Retrieved 2010-02-20.