Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Atlanta, Georgia, USA Verified listing

Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Atlanta, Georgia, USA

The Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus stands as a significant Roman Catholic church in downtown Atlanta, Georgia. Situated at the corner of Peachtree Street and Peachtree Center Avenue, the congregation completed the current building in 1898, making it one of Atlanta’s oldest religious landmarks. Moreover, the National Register of Historic Places recognized the church’s historical importance in 1976. Later, the Catholic Church honored it by naming it a minor basilica in 2010.

The parish’s history began in 1880 when leaders established Saints Peter and Paul Parish to serve northern Atlanta. Then, in 1897, the Marist Fathers assumed responsibility and quickly started constructing a new church. Walter T. Downing designed the building, incorporating French Romanesque and Romanesque Revival architectural styles. Afterward, when the church dedicated its doors in 1898, it adopted the name Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, changing the parish’s identity.

During the early 20th century, the church experienced steady growth. By 1917, it ranked among the largest Marist parishes in the nation. The Marists handed leadership back to the Archdiocese of Atlanta in the 1960s. Despite the neighborhood’s decline, the church remained active and continued serving its community. Although many feared closure, it attracted new families and expanded. A special moment occurred in 1995 when Mother Teresa attended Mass at the basilica. By 2010, the parish included roughly 1,300 families. Today, the Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus stands as one of the few surviving buildings in Atlanta from the early 1900s.

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