8. St. Patrick’s Cathedral

Located on 5th Avenue, The Cathedral of St. Patrick, also known as “America’s “Parish Church,” was designed by James Renwick Jr. and opened in 1878. Despite construction being underway in 1858, the Civil War delayed the building and opening of the cathedral. The Cathedral of St. Patrick features Gothic Revival and English Gothic styles.

In addition to a missing cornerstone, the cathedral is home to two sets of windows that very few people have seen due to their position behind the organ that’s not visible from any of the pews. They can only be accessed via a hidden staircase which is ridden with graffiti names and a depiction of the Twin Towers. Similar to Riverside Church, the stained glass in the cathedral come from all over France, with many created in Chartres.

Guests are encouraged to look around the cathedral to spot the numerous animals hiding in sculptures and painting throughout the building. Despite being a popular and common location for weddings, the Cathedral of St. Patrick has documentation of every wedding that has been held on its grounds and held the wedding of F. Scott Fitzgerald, the author of The Great Gatsby and Selda Sayre in 1920.

Check out the Top 10 Secrets of St. Patrick’s Cathedral.