The Cathedral of Saint John the Divine on Amsterdam Avenue is not only one of the oldest buildings in Morningside Heights, but also one of the most fascinating. The historic cathedral has many secrets, from a gold triptych by Keith Haring to a very unusual sculpture featuring the Archangel Michael, the decapitated head of Satan, and nine giraffes. Here are ten secrets of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine.

10. Keith Haring Triptych 

“The Life of Christ” was Keith Haring‘s last work before his death. There are at nine versions of this triptych, cast in bronze and covered in white gold, one of which is located in St. John the Divine’s The National AIDS Memorial. (Another version can be seen in Paris at Saint Eustache, which we covered in our NYC vs Paris series).