Grace Cathedral

Begun in 1928, this Episcopalian cathedral was once a private mansion. It was later taken over by the church and is, by the standards of most cathedrals in the US, an architectural extravaganza, with a façade modelled on Paris's Notre Dame. Its other features include a fine rose window, a magnificent organ and gilded bronze portals made from casts of the Doors of Paradise in Florence's Baptistery. Murals depict the founding of the United Nations and the burning of Grace's predecessor; the AIDS Interfaith Chapel has an altarpiece by Keith Haring. Popular features within the cathedral include two massive labyrinths, based on the 13th-century example at Chartres, that allow visitors to wander in a contemplative manner.