Saint Mary's Basilica, Halifax

Saint Mary's Cathedral Basilica is the largest Catholic church in the Archdiocese of Halifax. Though consecrated in 1899, it was designated a basilica in 1950. Construction of the original cathedral began in 1784, when laws restricting Catholic worship in the region were repealed. The land was purchased, and a wooden cathedral, then called Saint Peter's, was built. The current stone structure replaced the wooden building in 1820.

Saint Mary's was expanded in 1869. The façade was redesigned in a Norman-Gothic architectural style by Patrick Keely. This was also when the spire was added to the building. Saint Mary's is noted for having the tallest granite spire in North America.

On December 6, 1917, a French cargo ship laden with high explosives collided with the Norwegian vessel SS Imo in Halifax Harbor, causing a massive explosion. The event became known as the Halifax Explosion. The interior of the cathedral suffered extensive damage. Most of its stained-glass windows were shattered, and some of the bells were cracked. Later renovations repaired the windows and restored the bells.