Clean face of the Church

St Mary’s Basilica was commenced in 1868, soon after fire destroyed the first cathedral. It was finally completed in 2000 with the addition of the spires.
This Cathedral represents the spiritual origins of the Catholic Church in Australia. It is one of Sydney's most treasured historic buildings and one of the finest examples of English-style gothic churches in the world. William Wilkinson Wardell, the 19th century architect, dreamed of a gothic structure shaped from the local yellow-block sandstone on which this city is built. The building was finally completed 100 years after the architect's death. The Cathedral is dedicated to Mary Help of Christians. It is the spiritual home of Sydney’s Catholic community, and the seat of the Archbishop of Sydney.

The work of renovation of this masterpiece began in 1996 and this huge task of conserving St Mary’s is still continued.


Fresh facade of the St.Marys Cathedral