Grace Cathedral, San Francisco

Grace Cathedral by night. Photo Jack French.

View of the Gothic Revival facade by day. Photo Jochen Wolters.

Interior View

General view of the beautiful interior. Photo patrick boury.

More views of the grand interior and labyrinth. Photos by Niall Battson.

Interior lit by stained glass windows. Photo Niall Battson.

The indoor labyrinth in Grace Cathedral. Photo Giovanni.

Organ and choir of Grace Cathedral. Photo Michael Paul Nielsen.

Gates of Paradise door. Photo Michael Huang.

East end of Grace Cathedral. Photo Jim Grisanzio.

Located on Nob Hill, San Francisco's Grace Cathedral is a soaring neo-Gothic structure that hosts a vibrant and inclusive Episcopalian congregation and shelters many notable works of medieval-style art.

History

The first chapel in this part of San Francisco was built in the Gold Rush year of 1849 and named Grace Church. It was rebuilt twice, and the third incarnation was so grand that it came to be referred to as "Grace Cathedral." This was destroyed in the great fire that followed the earthquake of 1906.

In the early 1920s, the railroad baron and banker Charles Crocker donated his Nob Hill property for a cathedral. Designed in French Gothic style by Lewis Hobart, construction on the cathedral began in 1928. When it was finally completed in 1964, it was the third largest Episcopal cathedral in United States.

In July 2008, Grace Cathedral announced plans to implement solar power technology. The San Francisco mayor applauded the decision, saying it would help attain the city's goal to make San Francisco "the greenest city in the country."

What to See

Grace Cathedral appears to be made of stone but is in fact constructed of reinforced concrete that has been beaten to achieve a stone-like effect.

Inside, one of the cathedral's most interesting features are its stained-glass windows, particularly those by the French Loire studios and Charles Counick, whose subjects include portraits of Thurgood Marshall, Robert Frost, and Albert Einstein.

Filling the back of the nave is a 35-foot-wide indoor labyrinth on a large rug, a replica of the 13th-century stone version on the floor of Chartres Cathedral. As at Chartres, there's also an outdoor labyrinth on the cathedral's north side. Visitors are encouraged to walk the labyrinths as a form of active meditation.

Also of note are the replicas of Ghiberti's bronze Doors of Paradise at the east end (the originals are on the baptistery in Florence); murals completed in the 1940s by Polish artist John de Rosen; and the carillon of 44 bell. A black-and-bronze stone sculpture of St. Francis of Assisi by Beniamino Bufano stands near the entrance.

Grace Cathedral is a popular tourist attraction for its art and architecture, but it also offers worship services, musical performances, a Thursday-night evensong (5:15), and a weekly "Forum," in which guests lead discussions about social issues and spirituality in modern times. The cathedral is the spiritual center for the local community and its congregation prides itself on being welcoming and inclusive of all faiths.

Quick Facts

Site Information

Names:	Grace Cathedral
Location:	San Francisco, California, USA
Category:	Cathedrals
Faith:	Christianity
Denomination:	Episcopalian
Status:	active
Date:	Built 1928-1964
Architecture:	Gothic Revival

Visitor Information

Coordinates:	37.791744° N, 122.413595° W (view on Google Maps)
Address:	1100 California St, San Francisco, CA
Phone:	(415) 749-6300
Website:	www.gracecathedral.org
E-mail:	Info@gracecathedral.org
Hours:	Mon-Fri 7-5:45; Sat-Sun 7-5
Tours:	Mon-Fri- 1-3pm; Sat 11:30am-1:30pm; Sun 12:30-2 pm
Cost:	Free
Photography:	Permitted

Note: This information was accurate when published and we do our best to keep it updated, but details such as opening hours can change without notice. To avoid disappointment, please check with the site directly before making a special trip.

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Location Map

Below is a location map and aerial view of Grace Cathedral. Using the buttons on the left, zoom in for a closer look or zoom out to get your bearings. Click and drag the map to move around. For a larger view, see our San Francisco Map.

Article Sources

Article written by Holly Hayes with reference to the following sources:

Grace Cathedral: Church - official website
Grace Cathedral: History & the Arts - official website
Grace Cathedral - Frommers.com
San Francisco’s Grace Cathedral Going Solar-Powered - Inhabitat

Article last updated: 10/21/2009.