Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

cathedral, Baltimore, Maryland, United States

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June 18, 2026

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The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, located in Baltimore, Maryland, is the first Roman Catholic cathedral in the United States. Its construction began in 1806, and it was designed by architect Benjamin Latrobe, with whom John Carroll, the first Roman Catholic bishop in the U.S., collaborated. Carroll was instrumental in establishing the Roman Catholic Church in America and founded St. Mary's Seminary and University in Baltimore in 1791. The basilica stands as a significant historical and religious landmark in the city.12

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Benjamin Latrobe
…most famous work is the Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Roman Catholic cathedral of Baltimore (begun 1805), a severe, beautifully proportioned structure slightly marred by the onion-shaped domes added, after Latrobe’s death, to the towers above the portico. Also in Baltimore is his Exchange (1820).
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…most famous work is the Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Roman Catholic cathedral of Baltimore (begun 1805), a severe, beautifully proportioned structure slightly marred by the onion-shaped domes added, after Latrobe’s death, to the towers above the portico. Also in Baltimore is his Exchange (1820).
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Baltimore
The contemporary city
…the United States, and the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (1806–21) was the nation’s first Roman Catholic cathedral; St. Mary’s Seminary and University was founded in 1791. The Shot Tower (1828) is a 234-foot (71-metre) shaft once used to manufacture round shot.…
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…the United States, and the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (1806–21) was the nation’s first Roman Catholic cathedral; St. Mary’s Seminary and University was founded in 1791. The Shot Tower (1828) is a 234-foot (71-metre) shaft once used to manufacture round shot.…
Read More