Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul


The focus of Catholic life in Philadelphia is this gorgeously decorated cathedral, dedicated in 1864 and enlarged in 1957. The oldest building on Logan Sq, it was designed by Napoleon LeBrun and John Notman and includes a copper covered dome and Palladian facade. The interior dazzles with its murals, mosaics and stained glass.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Logan Square

0.1 MILES

One of the original squares from William Penn's town plan, this public space (named in honor of James Logan an 18th-century major) is centered on the…

2. Academy of Natural Sciences

0.13 MILES

You'll find plenty of kid-pleasing exhibits at the country's oldest natural-history museum, including a hot and humid butterfly room with live specimens,…

3. Comcast Innovation & Technology Center

0.18 MILES

This $1.5-billion, 60-story, 1121ft tower designed by Lord Norman Foster is already Philadelphia's tallest building. Though not open at the time of…

4. Parkway Central Library

0.18 MILES

Worth visiting for its splendid architecture, this main branch of the Free Library of Philadelphia has free tours at 10am on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday…

5. Comcast Center

0.2 MILES

This glass-clad 58-story tower is one of the tallest 'green' buildings in the US. It's 140ft-tall atrium lobby is the location of Humanity in Motion, a…

6. Franklin Institute

0.24 MILES

You could easily spend the better part of the day touring this world-class science museum. As well as being the venue for temporary blockbuster science…

7. Barnes Foundation

0.29 MILES

Since 2012, Dr Albert C Barnes' eye-popping collection of artworks – predominantly focused on French masterpieces from the late 19th and early 20th…

8. JFK Plaza

0.29 MILES

Taking its nickname from Robert Indiana's LOVE sculpture, this public space was revamped in 2018 during which the iconic sculpture, a city landmark, also…