The Cathedral of Saint Joseph the Workman is the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of La Crosse and the most architecturally significant religious building in the city. Built in the 1950s in a modernist interpretation of Gothic forms, it has a soaring interior with tall narrow windows and a clean, unornamented quality that feels contemporary without feeling cold.
The cathedral stands in the residential area just east of downtown and is worth a visit for its interior proportions and for the stained glass. The diocese covers a large swath of western Wisconsin and the cathedral reflects the ambition of that project — it's a serious building, not a neighborhood church. Open during daylight hours for self-guided visits.