Walk up Amsterdam Avenue on the Upper West Side, and you’ll eventually hit something that feels like it was dropped there by a medieval giant. It's huge. Truly, overwhelmingly massive. The Church of St. John the Divine NYC is often called "St. John the Unfinished," and for good reason. They started digging the foundation back in 1892, and yet, here we are over 130 years later, and the thing is still technically a construction site.
It's weird. New York City is a place where skyscrapers go up in eighteen months, yet this cathedral remains a work in progress across three different centuries. Honestly, that’s part of the charm. It’s a living organism of stone and glass that refuses to be "done." If you’ve ever stood in the nave, you know that feeling of being tiny. You could fit the Statue of Liberty inside this place if you tucked her torch in a bit.
Most people think it’s just another old church. It isn't. It’s a mix of Romanesque and Gothic styles that shouldn't work together but somehow does. It’s also a center for activism, art, and some of the most eclectic events in Manhattan. We’re talking about a place that blesses bicycles and literal elephants.
The Architectural Identity Crisis
When they first laid the cornerstone on St. John the Divine, the plan was Romanesque. Think heavy walls, rounded arches, and a bit of a "fortress" vibe. The original architects, George Lewis Heins and Christopher Grant LaFarge, had a specific vision. But then Heins died in 1907. Suddenly, the vibe shifted. Ralph Adams Cram took over, and he was a Gothic Revivalist through and through.
He wanted points. He wanted verticality. He wanted flying buttresses.
This is why the cathedral looks a bit like a Frankenstein of architecture if you look closely enough. The choir and the crossing have that heavy, rounded Romanesque feel, while the nave—which is long enough to hold two football fields—is pure, soaring Gothic. It’s a clash of philosophies etched into limestone and granite.
The Great Depression stopped work. World War II stopped work. A massive fire in 2001 stopped work and ruined the gift shop and some of the tapestries. Every time the city thinks the cranes are gone for good, something else happens. There are two towers on the West Front that are still just... stumps. They were supposed to be much taller, but the money or the momentum always seems to run out just before the finish line.
✨ Don't miss: Hotel Gigi San Diego: Why This New Gaslamp Spot Is Actually Different
More Than Just Sunday Services
You might expect a place this grand to be stuffy. It’s actually the opposite. The Church of St. John the Divine NYC has a reputation for being the "house of prayer for all people," and they take that literally.
Take the Blessing of the Animals. Every October, for the Feast of St. Francis, the aisles are packed with everything from golden retrievers to camels and owls. It’s chaotic and loud and beautiful. Then there’s the Halloween Extravaganza. They screen silent horror films like The Phantom of the Opera while a live organist shakes the floorboards with terrifying minor chords. Afterward, giant puppets representing demons and spirits parade through the nave. It's basically the coolest thing you can do in NYC in late October.
But it’s also a place of serious weight.
- The AIDS Memorial Chapel houses a triptych by Keith Haring titled The Life of Christ. It was his last work before he died, and it’s carved in bronze and gold leaf.
- The Poets’ Corner, modeled after the one in Westminster Abbey, honors American giants like Walt Whitman and Emily Dickinson.
- The Laborer's Entrance features carvings of modern-day icons, including some things you wouldn't expect to see on a cathedral, like the NYC skyline and even a small carving of a nuclear explosion (meant as a warning, obviously).
The Engineering Nightmare of the Dome
One of the most insane parts of the building is the dome over the crossing. It was never meant to be permanent. Built by the Guastavino fireproof tile company, it was supposed to be a temporary cover until they could build a massive central tower.
That was in 1909.
The "temporary" dome is still there. It’s one of the largest self-supporting domes in the world, and it’s held together basically by gravity and the genius of Spanish tile layering. If you stand directly under it, you’re looking at a feat of engineering that was meant to be a placeholder but became a permanent fixture of the Manhattan skyline.
🔗 Read more: Wingate by Wyndham Columbia: What Most People Get Wrong
Why It Stays Unfinished
Money is the obvious answer. It costs an astronomical amount of money to maintain a building made of solid stone. In the 1980s and 90s, the church actually started a stonemasonry program to train local youth from Harlem. They were literally carving the cathedral’s facade while learning a dying trade. It was a brilliant way to connect the building to the community, but even that program eventually ran out of funding.
Some people argue it should never be finished. In a city that is obsessed with the newest, shiniest glass tower, St. John the Divine represents the unfinished nature of humanity. It’s a reminder that great things take time—sometimes more time than a single person has to give.
There's also the geological reality. The cathedral is built on a massive ridge of Manhattan schist. Digging into that rock to support the weight of the intended towers is a logistical headache that would cost hundreds of millions of dollars. For now, the church focuses its budget on community soup kitchens, homeless shelters, and social justice programs rather than finishing the spires. Most New Yorkers would agree that's a better use of the cash.
How to Actually Experience the Cathedral
Don't just walk in, look at the ceiling, and leave. You'll miss the best stuff.
First, look for the "Vertical Tours." If you aren't afraid of heights and don't mind climbing spiral stone staircases, this is the best $20-something you’ll spend in the city. They take you up into the triforium, which is the narrow walkway high above the nave. You get to see the stained glass from a few feet away instead of from a hundred feet below. You also get to go out onto the roof. The view of Central Park and the Manhattan skyline from the top of the cathedral is unlike anything else. It’s not the view from the Empire State Building; it’s more intimate.
Second, find the peacocks. Yes, there are three white peacocks that live on the grounds. They are named Jim, Phil, and Harry (though the names change over the decades as new birds arrive). They roam the 11-acre "Close," which is the gated area around the church. It’s one of the quietest spots in all of Manhattan.
💡 You might also like: Finding Your Way: The Sky Harbor Airport Map Terminal 3 Breakdown
Third, check the acoustics. If you can catch a choir rehearsal or an organ recital, do it. The "Great Organ" has over 8,000 pipes. When the State Trumpet stop is pulled, it’s loud enough to be heard over a literal riot. The reverberation in the room lasts for about eight seconds. That means if you clap your hands, the sound bounces around for nearly ten seconds before dying out.
Common Misconceptions
A lot of people think St. John the Divine is a Catholic cathedral. It isn't. It’s Episcopal (the seat of the Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New York). This matters because the Episcopal Church is generally very progressive, which explains why you’ll see rainbow flags, art installations about climate change, and diverse speakers that you might not find in a more traditional Catholic setting.
Another myth is that the building is "falling down." While it always seems to be under scaffolding, that’s just the reality of 19th-century masonry. Stone breathes. It expands and contracts. Maintaining it is a forever job. The scaffolding you see is usually for cleaning soot or repairing mortar, not because the walls are giving way.
Practical Steps for Your Visit
If you're planning to head up to 112th Street, here is how to do it right:
- Check the Calendar: Before you go, check their official website for "Special Services." You don't want to show up for a quiet walk only to find a 3,000-person funeral or a ticketed concert happening.
- Bring a Jacket: Even in the middle of a New York summer, the inside of the cathedral stays cool—sometimes even chilly. The sheer thermal mass of all that stone keeps the temperature low.
- Explore the "Close": Most people miss the gardens. Walk around the back to see the Biblical Garden and the "Peace Fountain." The fountain is a bronze sculpture showing the Archangel Michael defeating Satan, but it's covered in weird, intricate details like giraffes and suns. It’s bizarre and fascinating.
- Support the Mission: The cathedral doesn't get state funding. The entry fee for tourists (usually around $15) goes directly into the massive pile of money needed to keep the lights on and the roof from leaking. It’s worth the price of admission.
St. John the Divine is a massive contradiction. It’s a medieval building in a modern city. It’s a religious site that welcomes atheists. It’s a finished masterpiece that is technically incomplete. Whether you go for the architecture, the Keith Haring altarpiece, or just to find a moment of silence away from the subway noise, it’s a place that demands you slow down. In New York, that's the rarest gift of all.