Old St Mary's was California's first cathedral, dedicated in 1854 and built of brick brought round Cape Horn and granite quarried in China and cut by Chinese labourers. It served as the seat of the archdiocese until 1891 and stands at California Street and Grant Avenue, a redbrick Gothic Revival church that looks out of its time among Chinatown's green-tiled rooflines.
The building survived the 1906 earthquake but was gutted by the ensuing fire; it was rebuilt within the original walls. Under the clock face on the tower runs an admonition aimed at the brothels that once filled the district: "Son, observe the time and fly from evil." Step inside for a quiet, dim interior and, often, a free lunchtime concert. It makes a natural pause on the walk up from the Dragon Gate.