Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels

The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels is a relatively new addition to the landscape of downtown Los Angeles. Completed in 2002, the modern structure designed by Spanish architect Jose Rafael Moneo is built with architectural concrete designed to mimic adobe – and to last for 500 years. The massive bronze doors that welcome worshippers and visitors were created by sculptor Robert Graham, who also cast the statue of Our Lady of the Angels who watches over from above. Inside, alabaster windows provide natural lighting and a massive alabaster cross sits high above the altar. In the Crypt Mausoleum downstairs, visitors discover the brilliant stained-glass windows from St. Vibiana Cathedral, the city's previous cathedral, built in 1876 and irreparably damaged in the 1994 earthquake.