The Basilica of St. Mary opened in 1914 and became the first basilica in the United States when Pope Pius XI granted it minor basilica status in 1926. It serves as co-cathedral of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis.
The church is one of Minneapolis's major historic religious buildings, with a large Beaux-Arts presence on the edge of downtown near Loring Park. It is an easy add-on before or after the Walker Art Center and Minneapolis Sculpture Garden.