St. Andrew’s Cathedral 🇨🇦

When you visit Victoria, British Columbia, step inside St. Andrew's Cathedral, the Roman Catholic cathedral for the Diocese of Victoria. As Victoria's third cathedral, it has been designated a National Historic Site of Canada since 1990. Designed by architects Maurice Perrault and Albert Mesnard based on a church in Vaudreuil-Dorion, Quebec, the building's architecture borrows heavily from medieval European churches.

You will immediately notice its distinctive High Victorian Gothic style, featuring double asymmetrical towers designed to give the cathedral a popular fourteenth- and fifteenth-century "unfinished" appearance. The impressive main tower boasts a 53.4-meter (175 ft) spire originally intended to house a clock and bells. Inside, explore the 22-meter-long (72 ft) nave featuring two large rose windows, a smaller rose window above the gallery, and 21 large Portland-style stained glass windows. Look closely at the altar commissioned for Bishop Remi Joseph De Roo's 25th episcopal ordination anniversary, carved from yellow cedar by Charles W.

Elliott using two rotatable bentwood boxes with four liturgical designs. Don't miss the unique lectern by artist Roy Henry Vickers depicting Christ, as well as the crypt housing three former Bishops.

What to see at St. Andrew's Cathedral

• High Victorian Gothic architecture with double asymmetrical towers
• Main tower featuring a 53.4-meter (175 ft) spire
• 21 large Portland-style stained glass windows and two large rose windows
• Rotatable yellow cedar altar carved by Indigenous artist Charles W. Elliott
• Carved lectern by Roy Henry Vickers depicting the crucified and risen Christ

Visiting tips

Be sure to inspect the unique rotatable bentwood box altar to see how its carved yellow cedar designs represent different liturgical seasons.

How long: 1-2 hours · Best time: Daylight hours

How to get there & what’s nearby

St. Andrew's Cathedral is easy to reach on Victoria’s public transport. For where to stay, the weather and full itineraries, see our Victoria travel guide.