The Cathedral of Saint John the Divine- Exterior Details

I have been the ultimate tourist around New York City walking with my Canon SLR everywhere I go.  I feel like this year I have to explore and discover all the little gems NYC has been hiding all along or the places I have been to blind to see. My first stop is 

The Cathedral of Saint John the Divine

in Manhattan's Morningside Heights.  In my opinion, this Cathedral is much more divine than it's downtown rival- Saint Patricks Cathedral.  When I studied architecture in Florence our professors would take us to all over Italy scouring and studying all the different churches and cathedrals and I became enamored with the history and taking tons of pictures of the architectural details. When you first see this cathedral, you already feel like you are in a piazza in Italy and are about to enter a grandiose structure with too much to admire and see.  I spent a good 3 hours walking around the cathedral and taking so many pictures that I had to divide this posting into 3 parts.  Today I bring you the exterior details of The Cathedral of Saint John the Divine. 

Every inch of the cathedral is embellished with ornate details designed by the English Sculptor John Angel.

Every column depicted a different story and were quite unique. Too many to photograph, but here are a few...notice all the details, absolutely breathtaking!

I know, we are back to my obsession with doors and door knobs.  I mean, can you blame a girl for loving wood and ornate ironwork? They don't make doors like these anymore, so when you see them, you have to appreciate it. 

If you guys live in NYC or are visiting NYC please come to Morningside Heights and witness the beauty of this Gothic cathedral.  Please stay tuned for parts 2 and 3.

Located on 1047 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10025 (between West 110th Street, which is also known as "Cathedral Parkway", and 113th Street.