Old St. Patrick's Cathedral Complex
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.
Significance in brief: The cathedral is described as one of the earliest examples of Gothic Revival architecture in America and served as the Catholic cathedral of New York until 1879. Together with the rectory, chapel, and convent and school, it forms the most important group of structures relating to nineteenth-century Catholicism in New York. The complex is also tied to Archbishop John Hughes and to early Catholic education in the city.
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) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 77000964, listed August 29, 1977. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Mott and Prince Sts., New York |
|---|---|
| County | Manhattan |
| Listed | August 29, 1977 |
| Reference number | 77000964 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | Joseph Mangin (cathedral; Peter Morte, master mason); Renwick and Rodrique, architects, and Thomas Hasett, builder (St. Michael's Chapel) |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival (cathedral); castellated Gothic (St. Michael's Chapel); Greek Revival (rectory); Federal (convent and school) |
| Areas of significance | Education, Architecture, Religion |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied. The rectory is still used for clergy apartments and offices, and the school continues to operate. The complex is privately owned and religious in use. |
| Acreage | 1.8 |
| Within district | Chinatown and Little Italy Historic District |
| Coordinates | 40.72363, -73.99526 (NPS GIS) |
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.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 77000964.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q941763
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.