St Mary's is the seat of the Catholic Archbishop of Sydney and the largest cathedral in Australia, a long, dignified mass of honey-coloured local sandstone in the English Gothic Revival style. The present building was begun in 1868 after fire destroyed its predecessor, and its twin southern spires were not added until 2000 — well over a century after the foundations were laid. It faces Hyde Park across a forecourt with fountains and a reflecting pool, one of the finest civic set-pieces in the city.
The interior is high, cool and quiet, with stained glass and a terrazzo floor in the crypt depicting the Creation in the manner of the Book of Kells. Entry is free, and the contrast between the hush inside and the office towers immediately outside is part of the appeal.