Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Assumption (San Francisco) Church

Address: 1111 Gough St, San Francisco, CA 94109, United States

Website: https://sfarch.org/cathedral/

Hours: Daily 7:00am-6:00pm (mass times vary)

Admission: Free (donations accepted); guided tours sometimes fee-based

The Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Assumption in San Francisco is the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Francisco. The present modernist cathedral building opened in 1971.

Its interior and roof geometry are the cathedral’s main visual highlights and attract visitors interested in modern ecclesiastical architecture. The cathedral functions both as a liturgical center and as a civic landmark for major archdiocesan events.

The current building was erected to replace an earlier downtown cathedral and has served as the archdiocesan seat since its opening in 1971. It has been used continuously for diocesan liturgies and public ceremonies.

The cathedral is located on Cathedral Hill near Van Ness Avenue in central San Francisco, within the Cathedral Hill neighborhood.

• Modern building: The current cathedral building opened in 1971 and replaced an earlier downtown cathedral as the seat of the archdiocese.
• Architectural note: Architectural interest centers on its distinctive modern roof form and large interior volumes, visible from surrounding neighborhoods.

The cathedral sits at 1111 Gough St in the Civic Center. From Powell Street BART or Market Street, it’s a 15-20 minute walk (1.3 km) north or a short MUNI ride: catch any northbound 5R, 21, or 38 bus that stops near Van Ness Avenue, then walk a block.

• Enter via the main plaza off Geary Street to see the sweeping plazas and the cathedral's four enormous bronze doors.
• Attend a lunchtime organ recital (check schedule) - the acoustics are unusually resonant.
• The cathedral's interior gets best light mid-morning; avoid Saturday mornings when weddings make photography difficult.