St. Mark's Cathedral, Seattle
St. Mark's Cathedral from Lake Union. Photo
sea turtle. 
St. Mark's Cathedral and Lake Union harbor. Photo
Aamer Akhter.
Baptismal font, nave and rose window. Photo
immolation scene.
Interior view. Photo
Wade Rockett.
Sunrise over St. Mark's Cathedral. Photo
Dean Forbes.
Location map and aerial view of St. Mark's Cathedral. For a larger interactive view, see our Seattle Map.
St. Mark's Cathedral, a fortress-like Episcopal cathedral affectionately dubbed "the Holy Box," dominates the Seattle skyline from the west side of Lake Union. The cathedral is the home of the Episcopal Diocese of Olympia.
History
St. Mark's Cathedral had a bit of a rocky start. Construction was still incomplete when the cathedral was dedicated in 1931 and the design was a bit of a disappointment to some. The Great Depression had forced a downgrade from the grand original plans of drawn up in 1926.
Another disappointment came when, only a decade after its completion, St. Mark's defaulted on its mortgage, the bank foreclosed on the church, and the United States Army Artillery moved in for two years.
The story has a happy ending, though: the congregation eventually regained its home through fundraising efforts, and on Palm Sunday of 1947, the paid mortgage was ceremonially burned before the altar.
What to See
St. Mark's Cathedral is located at the top of a steep cliff above Lakeview Boulevard E, from which there are beautiful views. The wooded hillside is known as the St. Mark's Greenbelt.
The exterior is heavy and fortress-like, with a large rose window in the east end. Inside, the rose window casts colors on the floor throughout the day. The spare lines and openness of the interior are unusual and memorable.
A small gift shop, in a little house across the parking lot from the cathedral, sells books, music and gifts.
Quick Facts
| Site Information | |
| Names: | St. Mark's Cathedral; St. Mark's Episcopal Cathedral |
| Location: | Seattle, Washington, USA |
| Faith: | Christianity |
| Denomination: | Anglican |
| Category: | Cathedrals |
| Status: | active |
| Visitor Information | |
| Address: | 1245 10th Ave E, Seattle, WA |
| Coordinates: | 47.631917° N, 122.321177° W (view on Google Maps) |
| Lodging: | View hotels near this location |
| Phone: | (206) 323-0300 |
| Website: | www.saintmarks.org |
| E-mail: | stmarkssea@aol.com |
| Cost: | Free |
| Services: | Sun: 8am, 9am, 11am, 5pm, 7pm, 9:30pm Wed: noon, 6:30pm Thu: 7am |
Travel Resources
- Seattle Map - our detailed interactive map of Seattle, plus hand-picked links to more
- Seattle Hotels - check availability, maps, photos and reviews, and book at the guaranteed lowest price
- Seattle Guided Tours - sightseeing tours and activities in Seattle
- Seattle Car Rentals - get the lowest rate by comparing multiple car companies at a glance
- Seattle Restaurant Reviews - the best places to eat in town
Article Sources
- St. Mark's Episcopal Cathedral - official website
- Cathedral Shop at St. Mark's - official website
- wGuides
Last updated on November 19, 2009.
