Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels
When the old Cathedral of Saint Vibiana was badly damaged by the Northridge earthquake of 1994, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles built a new cathedral on a hill above the Hollywood Freeway. It was designed by the Spanish architect Rafael Moneo and dedicated in 2002. There are almost no right angles in the building. Its sand-coloured concrete walls glow in the California sun, and inside, thin sheets of alabaster fill the windows with a soft golden light.
Along the nave hang great tapestries by the artist John Nava showing the Communion of Saints: 135 saints and blessed from every continent, walking in procession toward the altar with ordinary people of all ages among them. Behind the altar, another tapestry shows the Baptism of the Lord.
The mausoleum beneath the church holds the relics of Saint Vibiana, a Roman martyr, and the tombs of bishops of Los Angeles. As the cathedral of the largest Catholic archdiocese in the United States, it celebrates Mass in many languages every week.
- Built
- 1999–2002
- Style
- Postmodern (Rafael Moneo)
- Where
- Los Angeles, California, United States
- Map
- Find it on OpenStreetMap