Central Avenue, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception
The cathedral of the Diocese of Memphis, a sturdy Romanesque Revival church on Central Avenue that has served West Tennessee's Catholic community since 1938.
Memphis's cathedral is a solid Romanesque Revival building in reddish-brown brick, with a broad facade, round-arched windows, and a square tower. It went up in 1938 on Central Avenue, a few miles east of the Mississippi River. The interior is calm and orderly — barrel-vaulted ceiling, mosaic work in the apse, and stained glass that fills the nave with color on sunny afternoons. Catholics have always been a minority in Memphis, a city shaped more by Baptist and Methodist traditions, and the cathedral reflects a community that has stayed steady rather than grown large. The parish was active during the civil rights era and remains committed to social outreach in a city that needs it.
Diocese: Diocese of Memphis
Style: Romanesque Revival
What to See
The apse mosaics are the highlight — look for the depiction of the Immaculate Conception above the altar. The stained glass catches afternoon light well. The exterior is handsome in a no-nonsense way that suits Memphis.
Pilgrim Notes
Daily Mass is offered. The cathedral is on Central Avenue in midtown Memphis, a pleasant neighborhood. If you're visiting the city, the National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel is a short drive away.