Check out Saint Mary's Cathedral...

...also known as The Most Un-Catholic-looking Of Churches, Ever.



You've sped past it many times, either on Geary on your way out to the Richmond or when timing the lights on Gough after a weekend spent north of the city. On a couple of occasions while drunk at a random party at some apartment that is clearly more expensive than yours, you've stumbled out onto the north-facing balcony and, taking care to ignore the sound the arc of urine makes as it splatters on the windshield of the Audi parked four stories below, squinted at the skyline in confusion.

"What the hell is that white thing doing there? Whatever it is, it looks like a huge fucking washing machine agitator has alighted in Japantown. Should we be worried?"

No need to be worried, I assure you--unless, of course, you leave the city without taking a close-up look at this strange, strange San Francisco landmark. Be sure to report back on what's inside, as I've yet to visit (though I'm not the one who's leaving).


The Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Assumption is located on the corner of Geary and Gough. It was designed by Pier Luigi Nervi in 1971 and was evidently controversial from Day One.