JEWELS OF NEW YORK: SAINT PATRICK’S CATHEDRAL

New York is a unique collection of architectural, historical and cultural monuments in the world. The most populous city in the United States, New York is a kaleidoscope of beliefs and identities, which month after month attracts thousands of tourists to be dazzled by its many colors.

Among so many wonders to visit, St. Patrick’s Cathedral is seen as one of its main jewels in the so-called Big Applethanks to the samples in design and historical architecture that help to contrast with the modernity that is maintained around it, without forgetting the invaluable treasures that it protects inside.

Patrick’s Cathedral is the largest neo-Gothic cathedral in all of North America, demonstrating in its decorative lines and re-elaborated figures the complex style of this artistic current. Located in the heart of New York, between Fiftieth Street and Fifth Avenue, St. Patrick’s Cathedral neighbors the ‘Rockefeller Center’, a commercial complex erected by the Rockefeller family, which is made up of multiple luxury shops and renowned theaters such as the ‘Radio City Music Hall’.

The history of Saint Patrick’s Cathedral begins in the 19th century, named after the patron saint of Ireland. White marble from Massachusetts was used to build it, resulting in a replacement for the old church also dedicated to Saint Patrick but which was destroyed by a raging fire.

To continue the legacy of soaring through the skies, the two towers of Saint Patrick’s Cathedral were erected at the time to reach, at that time, the highest heights that could be achieved in a religious center. In such a way that both constructions have a structure that reaches 100 meters.

A visit inside the cathedral will take you back a couple of centuries. Among the jewels that this New York-Irish gem protects, the sculpture of La Piedad is taken into account. Being three times larger than the one found in Saint Peter’s Basilica, in the Vatican, Created by Miguel Ángel, the image of La Piedad is a modern example of sculpted art, of magnetic beauty and unparalleled whiteness, which makes it the center of attention.

The new organs in St. Patrick’s Cathedral were replaced in the 19th century. The originals were built by ‘George Jardine & Sons’, while the current ones are part of the ‘Saint Louis’ firm of ‘George Kilgen & Son’, being installed in 1928. The choir organ has 3,920 pipes while the one in the Grand Gallery has 5,918 pipes.

Tourist visiting hours are available every day from 6:30 in the morning until 8:45 at night, being in addition to being a point close to other important tourist centers in New York, such as the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the ‘Grand Central’ Terminal, and the imposing ‘Times Square’.