The Cathedral of Saint Joseph, completed in 1962 to replace the original cathedral destroyed by fire, is one of the most striking pieces of mid-century religious architecture in New England. The exterior is restrained — a tall limestone tower and modern façade — but the interior is the revelation. The entire nave is suffused with coloured light from floor-to-ceiling stained glass windows in blues, greens, and reds that cover virtually every wall. The effect is that of walking into a vessel made of colour.
Atlas Obscura describes it aptly as a "starkly modern, and surprisingly colourful, architectural rebel" among Connecticut's churches. The windows were designed by Henry Lee Willet and cover some 10,000 square feet. Entry is free; the cathedral is generally open during daytime hours. It sits on Farmington Avenue near the Nook Farm neighbourhood, making it easy to combine with visits to the Mark Twain House and Harriet Beecher Stowe Center.