Anglican Cathedral of St. John the Baptist

Anglican Cathedral of St. John the Baptist

Anglican Cathedral of St. John the Baptist
4.5
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A beautiful stone church built in 1847.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

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4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles149 reviews
Excellent
97
Very good
44
Average
5
Poor
2
Terrible
1

Connector733421
24 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2022 • Friends
I was excited to see the churches in St. Johns but spend various attempts over three days trying get into the church. Each time we went the doors were locked and we were told to come back later. I haven't encountered a church in Canada or Europe that locked its doors during the day. It felt unwelcoming and I've never felt like that at a church before. Very disappointed.
Written June 17, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

empathology
Rotterdam, The Netherlands617 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2024 • Couples
Dwarfed by the Catholic basilica up the hill, this Anglican cathedral) also called St Johns) shouldn't be over-looked. It felt very closely modelled on traditional English churches & cathedrals (and I've been to a great many), so this felt like a slice of England.

Simple yet elegant, it's not the biggest but it's a lovely building that doesn't shout out its position - just a nice restful soothing place for worship.

Come and compare with its Catholic cousin up the road.
Written August 28, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

travelbob1
New Windsor, NY1,135 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2022
Inside and out this cathedral is quite a fine example of what you find in many Anglican churches, but on a grand scale. The guides and information they provide is well stated within the context of historical and religious references. One of four churches e visited in this Ecclesiastical District. Maps provided where to find these churches.
Written September 3, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

AnnaCMac
Baddeck, Nova Scotia, Canada41 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2013 • Friends
We heard about the afternoon tea in the Cathedral Crypt sort of by accident, and we're so glad we did. Run by extremely dedicated volunteers, the tea is a lovely way to spend an hour or so. The volunteers make you feel welcome as soon as you arrive, and offer up hot tea, coffee, and incredible home-baked goods. The setting is lovely in the crypt, with linens and a mishmash of tea sets on the tables. It was such a pleasant afternoon, we will be back some day. After tea, we visited the church, where church volunteers were so very welcoming and offered guided tours, or the opportunity to just browse the cathedral on your own. It was a beautiful spot, and the incredible church community make this a real gem.
Written September 1, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Theiguana
Vancouver, Canada178 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
You have to go for a tour. Or it's open for organ music on certain days (or mass service of course). Quite lovely inside.
Written September 23, 2010
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

retireeVancouver
Vancouver, Canada1,828 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2017 • Couples
The gothic architectural style of this protestant cathedral was an unexpected pleasure as it reminded me of cathedrals I had seen in Europe. Some of the gothic style elements included flying buttresses placed along the exterior brownish red stone walls; arched long narrow stained glass windows; a rosary stained glass window in the sanctuary; stone arches, vaults and ribbing inside, especially notable around the transept and sanctuary area; a nave and transept formed a cross shaped church; a choir area and impressive organ pipe display in the sanctuary. One feature I didn’t see were gargoyles, but either they weren’t obvious or perhaps I didn’t spend enough time looking at the roofline as tall, fully grown trees did hide parts of the church exterior. Other features missing were a spire and a bell tower. Inside, an unusual feature was the dark wood ceiling construction with its beams reminding me of the arches used to frame a boat. The crypt had been turned into a tea room during the summer months ($10 fee for tea and home-baked eats). At the side door, information pamphlets gave handy explanations about the church architecture and its stained glass windows while church guides waited for tourists at the front door for those wanting a tour of the church. Apparently the church had to be restored in the early 20th century due to fire damage, but it has still been identified as a city heritage building perhaps because it had been designed by a well-known architect famous for his gothic style buildings. This impressive church is the mother church of Newfoundland Anglican churches.

Since it is a working church, no admission is charged; visiting hours may be curtailed so visit the church's website for that information. My visit was limited to snapping a few pictures due to my short stay in St. John’s, but others might like to look around longer. This church is located 2 blocks away from the Catholic Basilica and The Rooms so not out of the way for tourists doing a walk about in St. John's. Note that the route from Water Street to this church is a rather steep up hill walk.
Written September 5, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

MENBBB
St. John's, Canada467 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2016 • Couples
This is probably the second largest and oldest church in the city and perhaps the province. The architecture is amazing. If you are in town over the weekend for a visit, please make this a stop on Sunday morning.
Written May 13, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

practans
Lewes, DE1,724 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2015 • Couples
If our tour hadn't already visited the Roman Catholic Basilica of St. John the Baptist, I could easily have believed that this Anglican Cathedral was the Catholic cathedral. There were two women inside the church who acted as volunteer docents, and one acknowledged that there were many similarities between the church interiors and their services. She also explained the history of this church, how it began as a very modest building, how the current church was constructed over a period of years, how it was extensively damaged by a fire in the late 1800s, and how it was restored. She pointed out that the restoration is not yet complete because there are plans, as yet unfulfilled, for a tall steeple.

The cathedral is very impressive bit of architecture, renowned as one of the best examples of a Gothic Revival building in North America. There are a series of beautiful stained glass windows over the main altar, over the main entrance and elsewhere.

The cathedral is a National Historic Site of Canada and is a National Heritage Site of the province and of the city of St. John's.
Written February 28, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Dani D
London, Canada90 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2012 • Couples
We had tea in the crypt, which was a very interesting experience. Basically, for $8 each, you get bottomless cups of tea and plates full of freshly baked treats- cookies, breads, scones, cakes, tarts, etc. etc. etc. Its a very friendly and very local experience.
Written July 14, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Rattling
Tors Cove9 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2012 • Friends
Every Wednesday, from 1:15 to 1:45 the organist at the Cathedral performs a half hour organ recital. This happens all year long. Barring a death in the family, this weekly recital is the probably one of the most reliable sublime half hours one can fit into their week. The organ recital is free, although donations for the organ fund are appreciated.

Each week the Cathedral Organist David Drinkell presents a fresh progam for the weekly Organ Concert, complete with program notes. The experience is a rarity of the modern western world. A highly trained and focused professional musician (David Drinkell) retained by the owners (i.e. the Anglican Church) of a splendid building (i.e. the Anglican Cathedral in St. John's, Newfoundland) to hone and sustain his skills through the presentation of a public recital of great works for the pipe organ each and every Wednesday with everyone welcome. This is a privilege and pleasure not to be missed by residents and visitors to St. John's, Newfoundland.

This is an analog experience par excellence - great repertoire played on a real life pipe organ in a multidimensional space by a dedicated player.
Written May 18, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Anglican Cathedral of St. John the Baptist (St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador): Address, Phone Number, Attraction Reviews - Tripadvisor

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