Grace Cathedral, San Francisco

On the summit of Nob Hill, above the cable cars of California Street, stands San Francisco’s Episcopal cathedral. Grace Cathedral looks like a French Gothic cathedral but is built of reinforced concrete, to survive the earthquakes that destroyed its predecessor. Gilded copies of Ghiberti’s Gates of Paradise hang at its door, and labyrinths inside and out draw walkers from all over the city.

The long, pale Gothic nave of Grace Cathedral in San Francisco, with stained-glass windows and the font in the foreground — The nave of Grace Cathedral, Gothic built in reinforced concrete. Photograph by Daderot on Wikimedia Commons (CC0).

Built for an earthquake city

Grace Church was founded in the Gold Rush, in 1849. Its building was destroyed in the earthquake and fire of 1906, and the Crocker family gave the site of their ruined Nob Hill property for a cathedral. The cornerstone was laid in 1910, but building began in earnest only in 1928, and the cathedral was finished and consecrated in the 1960s. The architect, Lewis Hobart, kept the forms of French Gothic but built them in steel and concrete.

The grey Gothic main front of Grace Cathedral with twin towers and a rose window above a wide flight of steps — The front of the cathedral, at the top of the Great Stairs. Photograph by Everbruin on Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Grace Cathedral's towers seen across the lawns and trees of Huntington Park — From Huntington Park, across the street. Photograph by Junipercypress on Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Grace Cathedral among the apartment towers and hotels of Nob Hill, seen from high above — On the top of Nob Hill. Photograph by Mikhail Nilov on Pexels.

The visitor’s cheat sheet

Grace Cathedral at a glance
Opening hours	Monday–Saturday 10am–5pm, Sunday 1–5pm; may close for events
Admission	2026: adults $14, over-65s $12, ages 12–22 $10, under-12s free. Free for prayer and services
Tours	Highlights tour $27; Behind-the-Scenes tour up the south tower $37 (ages 12+)
Labyrinths	Indoor labyrinth during opening hours; outdoor labyrinth at any time
Free music	Choral Evensong, usually Thursdays at 5.30pm (a service, free)
Getting there	California Street cable car to Taylor Street; garage under the cathedral
How long	About an hour

Hours and admission checked against the official site in November 2026. They change; the official site is always the last word.

What to see

The Ghiberti doors

The main doors, facing downtown at the top of the Great Stairs, are gilded bronze casts of Lorenzo Ghiberti’s doors for the Baptistery in Florence, which Michelangelo is said to have called the Gates of Paradise. Ten panels tell Old Testament stories, from Adam and Eve to Solomon.

The pointed central doorway of Grace Cathedral below the rose window, with gilded doors — The central doorway, with the gilded Ghiberti doors. Photograph by Dale Cruse on Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0).

Gilded bronze doors with ten square relief panels of Old Testament scenes — The doors: gilded casts of Ghiberti’s fifteenth-century Gates of Paradise in Florence. Photograph by mliu92 from San Mateo on Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0).

The labyrinths

Grace Cathedral did much to revive the walking of labyrinths as a form of prayer. Both of its labyrinths copy the medieval one in the floor of Chartres Cathedral. The outdoor one, of terrazzo, is on the plaza beside the cathedral and is open at all hours; the indoor one, of limestone, is set into the nave floor.

A circular labyrinth pattern set into the stone floor of the nave of Grace Cathedral — The indoor labyrinth in the nave floor. Photograph by David.Clay.Photography on Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Glass and murals

The cathedral is filled with modern stained glass: many windows from the Boston studio of Charles Connick, made between 1930 and 1966, and faceted glass by Gabriel Loire of Chartres, including the rose window over the main doors and clerestory windows with figures such as Albert Einstein and the astronaut John Glenn. Murals along the aisles show the history of the city and the church.

The AIDS Interfaith Chapel

To the right as you enter, a small chapel remembers those who died of AIDS. Its altarpiece is a bronze triptych finished in white gold by Keith Haring, one of his last works, completed shortly before he died of AIDS in 1990. Panels of the AIDS Memorial Quilt hang opposite.

Grace Cathedral's spire and a transept window glowing in thick fog at night — San Francisco fog at night. Photograph by Ryan Flores on Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Getting there

The cathedral is at 1100 California Street, at Taylor Street, on top of Nob Hill. The California Street cable car stops at Taylor Street, at the foot of the Great Stairs; the Powell–Hyde and Powell–Mason lines pass a few blocks away. There is a public garage under the cathedral, entered from Taylor Street, and the step-free entrance is at 1051 Taylor Street. Huntington Park, across the street, is a good place to rest.

Tours and where to stay

Tickets and tours are sold by the cathedral. Nob Hill’s grand hotels are round the corner.

Grace Cathedral tours Where to stay in San Francisco

These links go to GetYourGuide and Booking.com. This site earns nothing from them at present — they are here because they are the quickest way to check what is actually available.

Don’t miss

The Ghiberti doors At the top of the Great Stairs.
The outdoor labyrinth Open day and night.
The AIDS Interfaith Chapel Keith Haring’s last major work.
Thursday Evensong Usually Thursdays at 5.30pm, free.
The cable car California Street, to the door.

Insider tips

Walk the outdoor labyrinth at dusk. It is open at all hours and free, with the lights of the city below. Inside, the labyrinth may be in use or covered for services and events, so check the calendar before you go.

Ride up, walk down. Take the California Street cable car up the hill to the cathedral, then walk down through Chinatown or towards Union Square.

Common questions

Is Grace Cathedral free?

Not for sightseeing: in 2026 tickets cost $14 for adults, $12 for over-65s and $10 for ages 12 to 22, and children under 12 go free. Coming in to pray, light a candle or attend a service is free.

What are the opening hours?

Monday to Saturday 10am to 5pm, Sunday 1pm to 5pm. The cathedral sometimes closes to sightseeing for services and events.

Can I walk the labyrinths?

Yes. The indoor labyrinth in the nave floor is open during visiting hours, and the outdoor one on the plaza beside the cathedral can be walked at any time.

Are there guided tours?

Yes: an hour-long Highlights tour ($27) and a Behind-the-Scenes tour ($37) that climbs nearly 100 steps up the south tower, for ages 12 and over. Book them online; times depend on the guides.

How do I get there?

By the California Street cable car, which stops at Taylor Street, at the foot of the cathedral’s steps. There is a garage under the cathedral.

More churches in the United States

Mission San Juan Capistrano — the Great Stone Church, ruined by an earthquake in 1812.
Cathedral of St John the Divine — another Episcopal giant, in New York.

See all the American churches in this guide →