Historic photos are courtesy of The Basilica’s archive, which is funded by The Basilica Landmark.
For a more detailed history of The Basilica through the decades, click here.
 | The Basilica of Saint Mary1913-1914 Photo likely from the collection of the Minneapolis Public Library. |
 | Christmas Tree1938 Erecting the civic Christmas tree at junction of Hennepin & Lyndale Avenues, 1938. Photo from the collection of the Minnesota Historical Society. |
 | Interior Renovations1950s Scaffolding erected for interior restoration work, including repainting in 1952-1953. Photo by Basil Kolosky, Basilica Archives. |
 | Restoration1953 Workman cleans the front of the building. Coal smoke from area apartment buildings and businesses had turned the exterior of the Basilica a dingy gray by the 1950s. The exterior was sandblasted and cleaned in 1953. Photo by Basil Kolosky, Basilica Archives. |
 | Baldachin1923 Erection of the Baldachin, which was designed by Maginnis & Walsh architects, Boston, MA. The marble was quarried and cut by the Benziger Brothers studios in Pietrasanta, Italy. Basilica Archives. |
 | The Basilica of Saint Mary1931 Basilica campus from the southwest, showing the newly erected (1928) rectory & sacristy buildings. Basilica Archives. |
 | New Bells1998 Our new bells were cast at the Royal Eijsbouts Foundry in the Netherlands, installed in 1998. The lone bell in the towers before this could not be rung, due to a crack. – Basilica Archives |
 | New Bells1998 Our new bells were cast at the Royal Eijsbouts Foundry in the Netherlands, installed in 1998. The lone bell in the towers before this could not be rung, due to a crack. Basilica Archives. |
 | Dome Interior1992 Restoration work on the sunburst at the apex of the dome interior. Photo from the Minneapolis Star Tribune. |
 | Exterior Half-completed1909-1911 Photo from the Collections of the Archdiocese Archives. |
 | Interior Restoration1952 Interior scaffolding for restoration work, 1952. Photo by Clint Dean Photography (Basilica Archives) |
 | First Altar1914-1923 Temporary altar used from 1914 to 1923. Note the windows are clear glass and the interior of the nave is undecorated. Basilica Archives. |
 | Dome Renovations1992 Scaffolding around dome, cupola has been removed. |
 | Interior Renovations1992 Interior renovations of the plaster ceilings (dome) on temporary floor erected above the baldachin. Photo by Mary Kay Brown. 1992. |
 | Dome Cupola1992 Aerial view taken from the crane used to remove & replace the dome cupola. Photo by Mary Kay Brown. |
 | Help Us Restore the Dome1992 “Help Us Restore the Dome” banner. Photo from the Minneapolis Star Tribune. |
 | Gold Detail Work1992 Restored gold detail work, dome interior. 1992. Photo by Mary Kay Brown. |
 | Laurel Avenue1959 View from the Laurel Ave bridge to the northwest of the Basilica, 1959. Basilica Archives. |
 | Pro-Cathedral Construction1911 Construction of the Pro-Cathedral, signpost reads “Superior Street." Photo from the collection of the Minnesota Historical Society. |
 | Restored Dome1992 Fully restored dome, taken from the crane. |
 | Parade Grounds1911 Troops camped on the parade grounds to the west of the under-construction Pro-Cathedral. Probably from the collections of the Minnesota Historical Society. |
