4. The Cathedral of Saint John the Divine

Photo by Bhushan Mondkar for Untapped Cities

The Cathedral of Saint John the Divine, the largest cathedral in the world, is an incomplete masterpiece. A Guide to the Cathedral from 1921 posited that it might take 700 years for the Cathedral to be completed, since it was employing true Gothic building methods. Heins and LeFarge won the original design competition for the church, with a Romanesque and Byzantine cruciform structure surmounted by a towering conical spire. Until their spire could be completed a temporary dome constructed of Guastavino tiles was put in place. This “temporary” ceiling has been in place for over a century.

Construction of the Cathedral continued through the First World War and the Depression but proved no match for WWII. For 32 years, no construction occurred. These days, restoration work has been ongoing, though no new construction has occurred in years. The Church offers a variety of tours, including vertical tours that allows participants to see the church’s stained glass windows, the interior superstructure of the church, and take in the view on the roof.

Check out 10 other secrets of the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine.