Gravenstraat, Paramaribo, Suriname
Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul
The Catholic cathedral of Paramaribo, a remarkable all-wood Gothic cathedral in Suriname that is one of the largest wooden buildings in the Western Hemisphere.
Saints Peter and Paul Cathedral on Gravenstraat is an astonishing building — a full-sized Gothic cathedral built entirely from local wood, without a single nail in the original construction. Completed in 1885, it was designed by a Dutch architect who adapted European Gothic forms to tropical materials. The exterior has pointed arches, flying buttresses, and twin towers, all in wood. The interior seats about nine hundred and has wooden ribbed vaulting, carved columns, and a high altar that would look at home in a stone European church. The building is part of Paramaribo's UNESCO World Heritage historic center. Suriname is religiously diverse — Hindu, Muslim, Christian, and indigenous traditions all coexist — and the Catholic community is a significant minority, shaped by Creole, Javanese, Indigenous, and Dutch influences.
Diocese: Diocese of Paramaribo
Style: Gothic Revival (All-Wood)
What to See
Everything. This is one of the most remarkable church buildings in the Americas. The fact that the entire structure — vaulting, columns, buttresses — is wood rather than stone takes a moment to register. The craftsmanship is extraordinary. The interior proportions are genuinely cathedral-scale.
Pilgrim Notes
Paramaribo's historic center is a UNESCO site and walkable. The cathedral is on Gravenstraat, near Independence Square. Suriname is Dutch-speaking, small, and off the usual tourist circuit. The tropical climate is hot and wet. Getting here requires some effort, but the cathedral alone makes it worthwhile.