The Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist is the seat of the Catholic diocese of Lafayette and the visual anchor of downtown. The current Dutch Romanesque Revival brick building dates from 1916 and replaced two earlier wooden churches on the site. The interior is rich with German stained glass and Italian marble.
In the yard stands the Cathedral Oak — a live oak said to be five hundred years old and one of the largest in Louisiana. It alone is worth the visit. The adjoining cemetery, where many founding families of the city are buried, is open to walkers.