Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception 🇺🇸

You can step into centuries of Gulf Coast history when you visit the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Mobile, Alabama. Serving as the seat of the Archdiocese of Mobile, this Roman basilica-style church traces its parish roots back to 1703 as the first established on the Gulf Coast. As you approach from South Claiborne Street facing Cathedral Square, you will admire an exterior framed by a classical portico with eight massive Doric columns and twin steeples rising 103 feet into the sky.

Inside, you can gaze up at a 60-foot-high coffered ceiling decorated with gold-leafed fleur-de-lis and shamrocks, honoring French and Irish religious heritage. Stroll down the white marble aisles to discover embedded coats-of-arms of past bishops, a massive bronze baldachin supported by four marble columns above the altar, and a mural of the Tree of Jesse over the pipe organ. Surrounding you are twelve massive stained-glass windows crafted by Franz Mayer & Co. of Munich, each measuring eight by twenty-three feet and illustrating pivotal events in the life of Mary.

Featuring papal symbols like the umbracullum and tintinnabulum, this historic sanctuary offers you a quiet look into Mobile's resilient past.

What to see at Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception

• Twelve 23-foot Munich stained-glass windows depicting events in Mary's life
• Classical portico featuring eight massive Doric columns and twin 103-foot steeples
• Coffered ceiling with gold-leafed fleur-de-lis and shamrocks
• Massive bronze baldachin supported by four marble columns over the altar
• White marble aisle floor embedded with coats-of-arms of Mobile's bishops

Visiting tips

Look for the yellow and red umbracullum, tintinnabulum, and papal coat-of-arms near the sanctuary and entrance that mark the cathedral's rank as a minor basilica.

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

How to get there & what’s nearby

Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception is easy to reach on Mobile’s public transport. For where to stay, the weather and full itineraries, see our Mobile travel guide.