Basilica of Saint Mary

The Basilica of Saint Mary is distinguished by its massive copper-clad dome and grand portico of tall white granite columns, a landmark that occupies its own city block at the edge of downtown Minneapolis. Designed by architect Emmanuel Louis Masqueray, the building was constructed between nineteen oh seven and nineteen fifteen to serve as the Pro-Cathedral of Minneapolis. In nineteen twenty-six, Pope Pius the Eleventh designated it a minor basilica, making it the first church in the United States to receive this honor.