The world’s largest cathedral isn’t in Europe.
You would be mistaken if you thought St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome held that distinction.
It is actually the Cathedral Church of St. John Divine, seat of the Episcopal bishop of New York.
And as you might expect, St. John the Divine is massive. So much so that its official capacity is reportedly 4,500 people.
As its nickname St. John the Unfinished infers the cathedral is far from complete, though construction has been stalled for decades.
Nevertheless, it is truly magnificent — perhaps one of the most striking cathedrals I have ever visited, if only because of its shear size and blend of architectural styles.
When construction started in 1892 the design by architects George Heins and Christopher LaFarge called for the Romanesque Revival style, but by 1911 when Ralph Adams Cram took over following the death of Heins it had morphed into 13th century French Gothic.
While not intended the combination of two distinct styles actually made it like many of the great English cathedrals that seamlessly blend Romanesque or Norman with the later iterations of Gothic.
At St. John the Divine, the east end — the oldest part — is Romanesque Revival. The most visible element is the gigantic columns separating the high altar and ambulatory. The rest of the cathedral, including the nave, is typical of Gothic Revival, though there are also more modern additions.
The crossing under the Byzantine-inspired dome is full of modern statuary, including depictions of…
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