Situated on one of my favourite streets in New York you will find the Basilica of St. Patrick's Old Cathedral. It was built between 1809 and 1815 in the Gothic Revival style and was the seat of the Roman Catholic archdiocese until the newer St. Patrick’s Cathedral was opened on Fifth Avenue. The church was declared a minor basilica by Pope Benedict XVI on St Patrick’s Day in 2010.
Admittance to the cathedral is free of charge, but I would highly recommend booking the Catacombs by Candlelight tour where you can learn about the rich history surrounding the cathedral and gain access to the secret catacombs beneath. Please note these are not open catacombs like you may have seen in Paris, but rather sealed vaults.
The tour lasts just over an hour and starts with a walk through the historic walled graveyard, where you will stop to learn about a selection of influential figures who have been buried here. Interestingly the brick wall surrounding the graveyard was put in place in 1836 to protect the church from nativist rioters.
Next, you will step inside the church to admire its dark neo-gothic interiors, including its beautiful stained-glass windows, before being taken underground to the catacombs, which are only accessible via the tour.
These mysterious catacombs consist of 35 family crypts and 5 clerical vaults with notable interments including the first resident Bishop of New York, John Connolly. The family vault of Thomas Eckert has also been left open so you are able to see inside, including original Thomas Edison light fixtures and a mirror placed on the floor to show the unique ceiling tilework by Rafael Guastavino.
You can also view the old staircase which was used to access the catacombs from street level and as well as sharing a variety of history, the tour guide provided everyone with plenty of time to wander the dark hallways to explore the catacombs at their own pace.
Interestingly the cathedral was also used as a filming location for the baptism scene in The Godfather and in Mean Streets which was directed by Martin Scorsese, who was once an altar boy here!
I would highly recommend booking tickets for the tour in advance, but please note as it takes place in an active church time slots can change due to different ceremonies taking place.
