Skip to content
BusinessesGrow
St. Patrick's Cathedral, New York, NY

Photo: Ajay Suresh, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

SightseeingIconicFreeHistory Buff

St. Patrick's Cathedral

631 Fifth Ave · New York, NY

Why you should go…

St. Patrick's is a Gothic Revival Catholic cathedral designed by James Renwick Jr. and dedicated in 1879, directly across Fifth Avenue from Rockefeller Center. Its marble towers carry spires about 330 feet tall, and inside you will find 103 windows, a 26-foot rose window, twelve chapels along the side aisles and the Lady Chapel behind the altar. Entry is free, and a self-guided audio tour is available through an app.

  • #cathedral
  • #gothic revival architecture
  • #stained glass
  • #fifth avenue

Good to know

General sightseeing guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • The forecast is part of the ticket

    Haze, low cloud, and rain flatten a view. Clear-day visits are worth rearranging your plans for.

  • Golden hour sells out first

    Sunset slots at observation decks and cruises are the first to go, so book those further ahead.

  • Dress a layer warmer

    It is always breezier up high and out on the water than it feels at street level.

  • Timed entry is common

    Plenty of landmarks release tickets in windows rather than at the door, so check before you walk over.

What's around here?

The closest stops to St. Patrick's Cathedral, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Shopping
    Iconic

    Fifth Avenue

    Free

    Stroll Manhattan's signature avenue past flagship stores and boutiques, then head north along Central Park to Museum Mile.

    Right next doorSwitch it up: Shopping

  • Attractions
    Iconic

    Top of the Rock Observation Deck

    $25–$50

    Rockefeller Center's three-tiered deck serves the best view in town, Central Park one way, the Empire State the other.

    Steps awaySwitch it up: Attractions

  • Sightseeing
    Iconic

    Rockefeller Center

    Free

    Stroll an Art Deco complex of plazas, public art, shops and a skating rink, with Top of the Rock observation decks above.

    Steps awayMore like this

  • Tours
    Iconic

    The Tour at NBC Studios

    $25–$50

    Follow an NBC Page through working studios at 30 Rockefeller Plaza, where shows like Saturday Night Live and The Tonight Show are made.

    Steps awaySwitch it up: Tours

  • Sightseeing
    Date Night

    SUMMIT One Vanderbilt

    $25–$50

    Mirrored infinity rooms, glass skyboxes, and Midtown views from 1,000+ feet above Grand Central, one of NYC's most photographed observation decks.

    0.4 mi awayMore like this

  • Sightseeing
    Iconic

    New York Public Library

    Free

    Walk past the marble lions Patience and Fortitude to see the Rose Main Reading Room and a free exhibition of library treasures.

    0.5 mi awayMore like this