St. Mary's Basilica (Minneapolis, Minnesota)

Although "The Twin Cities" moniker is more of a geographic designation, and not a reference to St. Paul and Minneapolis being identical to one another, the two cities have competed since they were founded, oft times resulting in a duplication of efforts. One example of this rivalry might be found between The Cathedral of St. Paul (see my post below) and here in Minneapolis, the Basilica of St. Mary (the churches are actually Co-Cathedrals of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis).  Located in downtown Minneapolis, St. Mary's Basilica is the first church in the United States to be designated a Basilica. The church itself, built between 1907 and 1915, is an outstanding example of the French Beaux-Arts style architecture, and designed by architect Emmanuel Louis Masqueray, who also designed St. Paul's Cathedral. The interior of the church is filled with incredible artwork, including 675 angels in a multitude of artistic mediums: glass, marble, steel, bronze, plaster, and wood. Besides being an architecturally and historically significant site, the Basilica of Saint Mary enjoys a thriving congregation of over 6,000 households. Music is an important tradition at St. Mary's, and the Basilica hosts musical events throughout the year with performances of traditional music and classical concerts. The Basilica is most famous for the annual Basilica Block Party, a festival held over several days in the summer. The block party attracts around 25,000 people, with the proceeds going towards maintenance and restoration of the Basilica. As with St. Paul, it is just about impossible to take pictures that capture the essence of this incredible church, but here's our best attempt at it.

Stone Arch Bridge, Minneapolis, Minnesota

The Stone Arch Bridge is a former railroad bridge that crosses the Mississippi River at St. Anthony Falls in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota, and is the only arched bridge made of stone on the entire length of the Mississippi River. Constructed in 1883, today this historic structure is used as a pedestrian and bicycle bridge only, so we took the time to tour the area on foot. Located in the St. Anthony's Falls Historic District, the bridge offers views of the Minneapolis skyline, the abandoned Pillsbury Mill and Mill City Museum, the Mill Ruins Park (the ruins of several flour mills that were abandoned), and a memorial to the August 1, 2007 victims of the I-35 bridge collapse.

Summit Avenue, St. Paul, Minnesota

Following a suggestion in a visitors guide to the twin cities area, Dan and I took a walking tour of the magnificent, longest remaining stretch of Victorian homes in the country along Summit Avenue in St. Paul. Named one of ten "Great Streets" nationally by the American Planning Association in 2008, Summit Avenue is known for having a number of historic houses, churches, synagogues, and schools. The street starts just west of downtown St. Paul and continues 4 ½ miles west to the Mississippi River where St. Paul meets Minneapolis. Although guided tours are provided for those wishing to learn more about the history and architecture of the area, this is actually a residential neighborhood, with a mix of single family dwellings and some houses that have been divided into apartments. The beautiful homes are lined with large, old trees, cobblestone side streets, and historic stone curbs, making this a favorite walking or jogging route for both visitors and the locals. Here are some pictures of some of the houses we saw the day we were there.

The Cathedral of St. Paul (St. Paul, Minnesota)

As first time visitors to St. Paul and with limited time to see all the highlights, a trip to The Cathedral of St. Paul (an active and fully functioning catholic church) was high on our list of "must see's" . After visiting the capitol, we took a short drive down the street and stepped into a world of architectural grandeur rife with stained glass windows, depictions of angelic choirs, a bronze baldachin of Saint Paul, a rose window, and so much more, that to try to take everything in during one visit was nigh impossible. Along with statues of the four evangelists in the four corners of its main pier, the cathedral also has six chapels dedicated to the patron saints of the European ethnic groups that settled the area around the city. There are also chapels dedicated to the Sacred Heart, St. Mary, and St. Joseph. The city name of St. Paul is actually derived from the title of this great building, and it isn't hard to see why. One of the most distinctive cathedrals in the United States, it sits on Cathedral Hill overlooking downtown St. Paul and features a distinctive copper-clad dome. It is the third largest completed church in the United States, and the fourth tallest. On March 25, 2009 it was designated as the National Shrine of the Apostle Paul by the US Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Vatican. Our earnest attempt to capture this treasure in photographs doesn't do it justice, but here are the highlights just the same.