804 Ninth Avenue, Seattle, Washington, USA
St. James Cathedral
The seat of the Archdiocese of Seattle, an early twentieth-century Renaissance Revival cathedral on First Hill whose twin towers and copper domes define the city's eastern skyline.
St. James sits on First Hill looking west over downtown Seattle and Puget Sound, and on a clear day its twin copper-clad towers catch the light coming off the water. The cathedral was built between 1903 and 1907 in an Italian Renaissance Revival style, with a plan modeled loosely on churches in Rome. The original dome collapsed under heavy snow in 1916 — Seattle gets more snow than people think — and was replaced with a flatter octagonal dome that has held ever since. A major renovation in the 1990s transformed the interior, adding a new altar, ambo, font, and furnishing the space with artwork that reflects the diverse Catholic population of the Pacific Northwest. The baptismal font near the entrance is a large bronze basin, and water flows continuously in it — you hear it as soon as you walk in. The Blessed Sacrament Chapel has quiet, modern glass panels. The cathedral has been a center for social justice work in Seattle for decades, and its ministry to homeless and immigrant communities is woven into daily operations.
Diocese: Archdiocese of Seattle
Style: Italian Renaissance Revival
What to See
The renovated interior is a thoughtful blend of the original 1907 structure and modern liturgical design. The baptismal font is the first thing you encounter — a large bronze bowl with running water, positioned so that everyone passes it entering and leaving. The main altar is freestanding and the sanctuary is open and light. The Blessed Sacrament Chapel on the side is a good space for quiet prayer, with contemporary glass panels that filter soft colored light. The shrines along the side aisles include images and devotions reflecting the cathedral's diverse congregation — Filipino, Vietnamese, East African, and Latin American communities all worship here. The organ is a 1907 Hutchings instrument, rebuilt and expanded over the years.
Pilgrim Notes
The cathedral is on First Hill, a short but steep walk uphill from downtown Seattle. The First Hill streetcar stops nearby. Mass is offered daily in English with additional Masses in other languages. The cathedral is open for visits during the day and is generally uncrowded outside of Mass times. The view from the front steps toward Elliott Bay and the Olympic Mountains is worth the climb. The surrounding First Hill neighborhood has hospitals, universities, and some good restaurants. Pike Place Market and the waterfront are a fifteen-minute walk downhill.