Saint Vibiana's Cathedral
- Architect
- Ezra F. Kysor
- Year
- 1876
- Style
- Italianate
- City
- Los Angeles, CA
Saint Vibiana's Cathedral opened in 1876 as the Catholic cathedral for what was then the Diocese of Monterey-Los Angeles, designed by Ezra F. Kysor in the Italianate style and named for a 3rd-century saint. It served as the seat of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles for more than a century before the 1994 Northridge earthquake left it heavily damaged.
the building
The demolition fight. After earthquake damage, the archdiocese sought to demolish the cathedral and build anew on the site, prompting a legal battle with preservationists who wanted the building saved. A 1996 compromise had the archdiocese buy a separate site for its new cathedral while handing the St. Vibiana building to the City of Los Angeles.
the style
The cathedral was designed in the Italianate style by Ezra F. Kysor, one of Los Angeles's earliest professional architects, when it opened as the city's Catholic cathedral in 1876.
More on Italianatesignificance
St. Vibiana's served as the official Los Angeles Catholic cathedral for over a century and was designated Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument #17 in 1963. After the 1996 settlement, the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels replaced it in 2002, and the former cathedral is now a secular event venue.
nearby
- Higgins Building
- Caltrans District 7 Headquarters
- Bradbury Building
- Los Angeles City Hall
- Million Dollar Theater Building
- San Fernando Building