The Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis is the Roman Catholic cathedral of the Archdiocese of St. Louis, Missouri, on Lindell Boulevard near Forest Park. This guide covers opening hours, ticket prices, transport and parking, accessibility, and practical tips for a first visit.
This guide was checked in August 2026. One detail worth flagging: guided tours have only partially resumed since 2020, so Sunday’s free public tour is now the most reliable way to see the interior with a guide.
Quick facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Opening hours | Open daily, 7:00am–5:00pm |
| Ticket prices | Free entry to the cathedral; Mosaic Museum $2 suggested donation |
| Address | 4431 Lindell Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63108 |
| Nearest transport | Central West End MetroLink station, under a mile away |
| Typical visit length | 20–40 minutes self-guided; longer with the Mosaic Museum or a tour |
Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis opening hours
The cathedral is open daily from 7:00am to 5:00pm. Self-guided visits do not require a reservation, though calling ahead is worth doing on weekends, since weddings, funerals and archdiocesan events can close the building temporarily.
Daily Mass is held Monday to Friday at 7:00am, 8:00am and 12:05pm, and Saturday at 8:00am. Sunday Mass runs at 8:00am, 10:00am, noon and 5:00pm, with a Saturday vigil Mass at 5:00pm.
Visitors not attending Mass are asked to wait until a service has finished before walking around. This year-round schedule holds through the summer, with no separate seasonal hours.
5 great St Louis experiences to book
- 🌆 Take a small group tour of the Gateway Arch – including tickets to the top.
- 🚢 Combine a visit to the Gateway Arch with a river cruise.
- 📸 At the Museum of Illusions, get reels of cool social media photos.
- 👻 Discover the dark side of St Louis on an evening ghost tour.
- 🍽️ On a food and history walking tour, learn about the flavours and stories of St Louis.
Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis ticket prices
Entry to the cathedral is free, and self-guided visits require no ticket. The lower-level Mosaic Museum, which displays the story behind the cathedral’s famous mosaics alongside historic vestments and a papal kneeler, asks for a $2 per person donation.
Guided tours are available by appointment, typically on weekdays between 10:00am and 3:00pm. A free public tour also runs on most Sundays after the noon Mass, gathering without reservation unless a large group is involved.
Opening hours and ticket prices were checked on the official website and last updated in August 2026. For the latest details, check the official website.
Because entry is free, the cathedral is not part of a paid city pass scheme. It stands about 10 minutes east of the Saint Louis Art Museum and 12 minutes west of the Gateway Arch, making it easy to combine with either.
How to get to the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis
The cathedral is at 4431 Lindell Boulevard, in the Central West End neighbourhood bordering Forest Park. The closest public transport is the Central West End MetroLink station, under a mile away, with MetroBus routes also serving the area.
Visitors flying into St. Louis Lambert International Airport can reach the cathedral by MetroLink with one change, avoiding the need for a rental car. Drivers should note the cathedral stands just off Lindell Boulevard, a few blocks from both Kingshighway and Skinker Boulevards.
Parking at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis
A free parking lot is behind the cathedral, though this is generally reserved for donors and event attendees. Visitors can instead use the public lot at Lindell and Taylor, the lot behind the nearby Catholic Education Center, or angled street parking along Maryland Avenue.
Given the range of nearby options, parking is rarely difficult outside of major concerts or archdiocesan events, when spaces fill more quickly.
How long to spend at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis
A self-guided visit typically takes 20 to 40 minutes, enough time to take in the mosaics without the Mosaic Museum. Adding the museum or a guided tour extends a visit to around an hour.
The museum is unusual for US cathedrals. Others such as Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago and the Cathedral Basilica of St John the Baptist in Savannah, Georgia don’t have one.
Accessibility at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis
The cathedral has an accessible entrance on the west side of the building, near the Angel of Harmony statue between the cathedral and the rectory. Accessible restrooms are available in the vestibule, and volunteer ushers can help visitors find wheelchair seating.
Accessible parking is available via street spaces near the main entrances. Visitors with specific needs should call ahead of a visit, particularly around concerts or major services.
Inside the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis: what to see
Construction began in 1907 under architect Thomas P. Barnett, blending a granite Romanesque exterior with a Byzantine-inspired interior. The cathedral held its first Mass in October 1914, was consecrated in 1926, and became a basilica in 1997, a status recognised during a papal visit in 1999.
The cathedral’s defining feature is its mosaic collection: 41.5 million glass tesserae, in more than 7,000 colours, installed between 1912 and 1988 across 83,000 square feet. This has earned the building the nickname “the Rome of the West.” It is often compared with Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, the Byzantine cathedral that first popularised large-scale mosaic domes over 1,400 years ago.
The scale of the collection attempts to match St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice, whose own golden mosaics cover a very similar area and which became Venice’s cathedral in 1807. It also invites comparison with Westminster Cathedral in London, a similarly Byzantine-styled Catholic cathedral. Its mosaic scheme remains unfinished more than a century after the building opened, in contrast to St. Louis’s completed decoration.
Practical visitor tips
| Tip | Detail |
|---|---|
| Timing | Visit on a weekday afternoon for the quietest, most unhurried experience. |
| Crowds | Sunday mornings are busiest; the free tour after the noon Mass draws steady numbers. |
| Layout | Enter via the main Lindell Boulevard doors; the Mosaic Museum is on the lower level. |
| Entry process | There is no security screening; visitors can walk in directly outside Mass times. |
| On-site logistics | Photography is permitted without flash or tripods during services. |
Frequently asked questions about the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Is the cathedral suitable for children? | Yes, children are welcome at all times, including during Mass. |
| Do you need to book tickets in advance for the cathedral? | No, entry is free and self-guided visits require no reservation. |
| Is the cathedral open on Sundays? | Yes, though visitors should wait until Mass has finished before touring. |
| Are bags allowed inside the cathedral? | Yes, there is no bag check or security screening for visitors. |
| Can you take a guided tour of the cathedral? | Yes, a free public tour runs most Sundays, and private tours can be booked ahead. |
Things to do near the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis
The cathedral is close to several Forest Park and Central West End attractions, all realistically combinable in one day.
- Saint Louis Art Museum — a major encyclopaedic art museum in Forest Park, about a 10-minute drive.
- Saint Louis Zoo — a free zoo also within Forest Park, a similar distance away.
- Missouri History Museum — a museum tracing the city’s history, on the edge of Forest Park.
- Pulitzer Arts Foundation — a striking contemporary art space in the nearby Grand Center Arts District.
- Gateway Arch National Park — the iconic riverfront monument, about a 12-minute drive downtown.
Alternative attractions
Visitors interested in other cathedrals or places of spiritual significance have several options within a two-and-a-half-hour drive of St. Louis.
- Basilica of St. Louis, King of France — the city’s original 1834 cathedral, downtown near the Gateway Arch.
- Cathedral of St. Peter, Belleville — modelled on Exeter Cathedral in South-West England, about 25 minutes across the Mississippi.
- National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows, Belleville — a large outdoor Catholic shrine, a similar distance away.
- Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Springfield — Illinois’s diocesan cathedral, around 1 hour 30 minutes northeast.
- Cathedral of St. Joseph, Jefferson City — Missouri’s state capital cathedral, about 2 hours west.
More Missouri travel
Other Missouri travel guides on Planet Whitley include:
- What to expect at the Pulitzer Arts Foundation in St Louis, Missouri.
- How to save money on tickets to the City Museum in St Louis.
- St Louis’ Forest Park: Guides to Saint Louis Zoo, the Saint Louis Art Museum and the Missouri History Museum.
- Practical guide to visiting the Chain of Rocks Bridge over the Mississippi River.
- Watch the Missouri River join the Mississippi at Confluence Point State Park.
