Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA Verified listing

Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA

The Cathedral Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi (Spanish: Catedral basílica de San Francisco de Asís) stands in downtown Santa Fe, New Mexico. Commonly called Saint Francis Cathedral, it serves as the mother church of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe.

Archbishop Jean Baptiste Lamy began its construction in 1869. He chose to build it on the site of La Parroquia, an adobe church dating to the early 1700s. An even earlier church, built in 1626, had been destroyed during the 1680 Pueblo Revolt.

Rather than demolish La Parroquia at once, Lamy directed workers to build the new cathedral around it. After completion, they removed the old church but preserved a chapel on the cathedral’s north side.

Inspired by his French heritage, Lamy chose the Romanesque Revival style, which contrasts sharply with Santa Fe’s surrounding adobe buildings. The cathedral features round arches, Corinthian columns, and square towers.

Glassmakers in Clermont-Ferrand, France created the stained glass windows. These include a rose window above the entrance and panels of the Twelve Apostles. Builders planned tall steeples, but limited funds prevented their completion.

In 2005, a circular window featuring a dove—symbol of the Holy Spirit—was added to the upper façade. Designers based it on Bernini’s alabaster window in St. Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City.

That same year, Pope Benedict XVI elevated the church to the rank of minor basilica, honoring its beauty and heritage.

Today, visitors admire its architecture, attend Mass, and explore its deep history. The Cathedral Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi continues to represent faith, culture, and community in Santa Fe.

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