Fodor's Expert Review Basilica Cathedral of St. John the Baptist

Consecrated in 1855 after 14 years of construction, this Romanesque-style Roman Catholic cathedral holds a commanding position above Military Road, overlooking the older section of the city and the harbor. The Irish sculptor John Hogan carved the sanctuary's centerpiece, Dead Christ, out of Carrara marble in the mid-19th century. Also note the many stained-glass windows, side altars, and statuary. A museum with vestments and religious objects is next door in the Episcopal Library of the Archbishop's Palace. Every December, the Basilica hosts Handel's Messiah performed by the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra and Choir.