Old St. Patrick's Cathedral Complex
The National Park Service has not published a boundary polygon for this district; the map shows the listed properties inside it and the district's reference point.
Why it's listed
Old St. Patrick's Cathedral Complex occupies a block in lower Manhattan near Mott and Prince Streets. It brings together a cathedral, a cemetery enclosed by a brick wall, a rectory, St. Michael's Chapel, and a convent and girls' school. The cathedral, designed by Joseph Mangin and built between 1809 and 1815, is cited as one of America's earliest Gothic Revival buildings. A fire in 1866 destroyed its interior, which was rebuilt in Gothic style. Until 1879 it served as the seat of the Catholic diocese of New York. The rectory, built about 1828, is Greek Revival, and the former orphan asylum of 1825-26 later became the city's first parochial school for girls in 1866, a rare large Federal institutional building. St. Michael's Chapel dates from 1858-59. Together these buildings document nineteenth-century Catholic life in the city, including the career of Archbishop John Hughes.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · catalog entry. Generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29).
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
|---|---|
| Styles | Gothic Revival (cathedral); castellated Gothic (St. Michael's Chapel); Greek Revival (rectory); Federal (convent and school) |
| Areas of significance | Education, Architecture, Religion |
| Acreage | 1.8 |
| Boundary source | not published |
| Full listing page | Old St. Patrick's Cathedral Complex (property record) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.