Located in Louisville, the Cathedral of the Assumption was constructed in 1852 and the main tower and steeple (a steep 287 feet high) were completed in 1858. The cost? $80,000. The bell inside the tower weighs 400 pounds. The exterior of brick and limestone has essentially remained the same since it was built, wow! The mid-Victorian Gothic Revival architectural design can be attributed to William Keely, a prominent catholic architect. The first bishop of Louisville, Benedict Joseph Flaget, was essential in the building of this new cathedral. He helped place the cornerstone in which newspapers, a pastoral letter, a silver medal of Pope Pius XI, a Bible, a gold dollar, a parchment with inscription, and several coins and engravings were sealed. He died just a few months after and was buried beneath one of the main altars of the church.
If you ever get the chance to visit, it’s right around the corner from Louisville’s popular Fourth Street.
