Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul

The Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul features a massive brownstone dome that sits perfectly centered against the skyline, modeled after the Lombard churches of Italy. Built in the mid nineteenth century, the cathedral served a growing immigrant population that needed a spiritual home. Bishop John Neumann, who championed the project, died in the snow on a city street while running errands to secure funds for its completion. Workers finished the exterior in eighteen sixty-four, leaving the interior largely barren for decades afterward.