Grace Cathedral

The Episcopal cathedral on Nob Hill is the third building of its kind on the site, the previous two having been destroyed by fire and earthquake. The current French Gothic structure was completed in 1964 and feels older than it is. Inside, the labyrinth on the floor — modelled on the medieval one at Chartres — is a meditative attraction; visitors are encouraged to walk it.

The cathedral also runs a strong music program, with vespers and the cathedral choir performing several times a week. Worth a quiet half hour even if you are not religious. Free admission.

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A story
The bronze doors at the entrance are casts of Ghiberti's Gates of Paradise on the Florence Baptistery — made from the original moulds, with Lorenzo Ghiberti's permission, in 1903 and rescued from the 1906 earthquake. They are the only authorised reproductions in existence.