St. Mark's Cathedral, Seattle
St. Mark's Cathedral from Lake Union. Photo by sea turtle.
St. Mark's Cathedral and Lake Union harbor. Photo by Aamer Akhter.
Baptismal font, nave and rose window. Photo by immolation scene.
Interior view. Photo by Wade Rockett.
Sunrise over St. Mark's Cathedral. Photo by Dean Forbes.
St. Mark's Cathedral, a fortress-like Episcopal cathedral affectionately dubbed "the Holy Box," dominates the Seattle skyline from the west side of Lake Union. The cathedral is the home of the Episcopal Diocese of Olympia.
History
St. Mark's Cathedral had a bit of a rocky start. Construction was incomplete when the cathedral was dedicated in 1931.
The design was a bit of a disappointment to some. The Great Depression had forced a downgrade from the grand original plans of drawn up in 1926.
Another disappointment came when, only a decade after its completion, St. Mark's defaulted on its mortgage, the bank foreclosed on the church, and the United States Army Artillery moved in for two years.
The story has a happy ending, though: the congregation eventually regained its home through fundraising efforts, and on Palm Sunday of 1947, the paid mortgage was ceremonially burned before the altar.
What to See
St. Mark's Cathedral is located at the top of a steep cliff above Lakeview Boulevard E, from which there are beautiful views. The wooded hillside is known as the St. Mark's Greenbelt.
The exterior is heavy and fortress-like, with a large rose window in the east end. On the inside, the window casts colors on the floor throughout the day. The spare lines of its interior can be an overwhelming experience for many.
A small gift shop, in a little house across the parking lot from the cathedral, sells books, music and gifts.
Quick Facts
| Names: | St. Mark's Cathedral, St. Mark's Episcopal Cathedral |
| Type of site: | Episcopalian cathedral |
| Address: | 1245 10th Ave E, Seattle, WA |
| Neighborhood: | Capitol Hill |
| Coordinates: | 47.631917° N, 122.321177° W |
| Phone: | 206 323 0300 |
| E-mail: | stmarkssea@aol.com |
| Services: | Sun. 8am, 9am, 11am, 5pm, 7pm, 9:30pm; Wed noon, 6:30pm; Thu 7am |
Location Map
Below is a location map and aerial view of St. Mark's Cathedral. Using the buttons on the left, zoom in for a closer look or zoom out to get your bearings. Click and drag the map to move around. For a larger view, see our Seattle Map or get our free Google Earth download.
Sources
- St. Mark's Episcopal Cathedral - official website
- Cathedral Shop at St. Mark's - official website
- wGuides
Travel Information
- Seattle Maps - Sacred Destinations
- Seattle Tours - Viator
- Seattle Hotel Reviews - TripAdvisor
- Seattle Travel Forum - TripAdvisor
