St Mary's Cathedral

After crossing through Hyde Park's fountain and the street, you'll find St Mary's Cathedral. From a distance, the cathedral has quite an impressive presence - not particularly tall, but imposing. Entry is free for visitors. It's a typical Western Gothic architecture with spires, arched doorways, columns, and stained glass windows. Taking a quiet walk around inside is a nice experience. After exiting through the back door and crossing a large lawn, you can reach the art gallery.

In the abbey, I saw the most beautiful Madonna I've ever seen in my life. Her serene beauty is second only to the Sistine Madonna, although later I realized she somewhat resembled a friend I know.

The interior of the church is exceptionally quiet, forming a stark contrast with the bustle outside. Although I'm not religious, sitting in the church for ten minutes naturally calms my mind, helping me forget my worries.

Walking down the stairs on the east side of the church, you'll see several tall Jacaranda trees, which are in full bloom in mid-November. The blue-purple flowers, azure sky, emerald shrubs, brick-red walls, and grey roofs come together to create a richly colorful panorama.

The St Mary's Cathedral is truly magnificent, carrying an air of luxurious solemnity.

The Jacaranda trees bloom from mid-October to mid-November - they're not yet in bloom in September.

Located opposite Hyde Park, you're greeted at the entrance by a statue of the Virgin Mary holding her child, radiating motherly compassion. The moment you enter, you step into sacred ground, where many people are praying. Walking into the cathedral is like entering a mysterious world - massive columns support the arched dome, elevating the entire space. The stained glass windows emit an air of mystery, creating ever-changing effects as they interact with light.

Each window tells a biblical story, with vividly portrayed characters in stained glass. When you exit through the Virgin Mary entrance, you can see and photograph the Sydney Tower in the distance.

St. Mary's Cathedral is free to visit inside. As soon as you enter, you're immediately struck by its solemn and reverent atmosphere.
The wrought iron decorative wooden doors are quite artistic.
The cathedral is built from local sandstone - I really love this Gothic architectural style.

Today being a weekend, there was a church service. Worshippers entered the church one after another, dipping their fingers in the holy water font at the entrance and making the sign of the cross on their foreheads before sitting down to listen devoutly to the priest. Tourists could only stand at the entrance to observe - no photography was allowed and we had to remain quiet. The whole process was solemn and dignified.

The exterior's contours and lines are aesthetically stunning, with meaningful and colorful patterns. Inside, the quiet, contemplative atmosphere is profound... No matter how empty or restless one's heart may be, you can find a sense of peace and belonging here...

If a church's tallest and most pointed spire is a single one, it's Protestant; if there are two, it's Catholic.

The cathedral's interior is vast and dimly lit, with beautiful religious scenes painted in many colors on the stained glass windows. In the dim light, there's a statue commemorating soldiers who died in World War II - a fully armed soldier lying quietly on a coffin.

The gloomy weather matches well with the ancient city and cathedral.

The cathedral is well-maintained and clean. We happened to come across a wedding ceremony inside - you could quietly enter to watch but photography wasn't allowed.

Took a peek from the doorway - the interior is magnificent, with ancient stained glass windows and a majestic dome.

Although we couldn't take photos inside during the wedding, it was a joy to witness a complete Western wedding ceremony. The whole ceremony was both solemn and intimate. Afterwards, the newlyweds and all their guests took group photos at the cathedral entrance - the atmosphere was very lively, with almost all tourists stopping to applaud and give their blessings.

It was my first time learning that after a church wedding, the cathedral plays music and rings bells. You could hear it clearly even from the park some distance away, as if the whole city was being informed of this romantic moment. Every bit of air seemed filled with joy.

Legend has it that long ago, three sisters fell in love with three brothers from another tribe down in the valley. This love was forbidden by tribal laws and customs. Their romance eventually sparked a war between the two tribes. A witch, trying to protect the sisters from harm, transformed them into stone cliffs. However, the witch was killed in the end, leaving the three sisters as mountain peaks in the valley, never able to return to human form. Perhaps this freed them from worldly troubles, as they continue to watch over the Blue Mountains for all eternity.

Inside Hyde Park. The interior of the cathedral is especially beautiful, though technically photography isn't allowed.

Very exquisite and beautiful - when you look at it from Hyde Park, you can't help but want to go inside and take a look.

You must visit inside the cathedral. Although it can't compare to European cathedrals, it has its own unique character and is very solemn.

A reward trip from Nuskin - they booked out this entire place.

St Mary's Cathedral is great for architectural photography. In Australia's oldest cathedral, listening to the choir's heavenly hymns, the solemnity inside makes one hesitant to raise a camera. The Gothic spires of the cathedral are particularly striking, and each surrounding sculpture tells its own story.

While visiting St Mary's Cathedral, we happened to see a wedding. Fellow Chinese tourists were sitting around taking photos of the bride, which felt kind of amusing.

You can enter and take photos for free, but signs remind visitors that photography is not allowed during mass. Upon entering the cathedral, you're immediately affected by the solemn atmosphere, unconsciously lightening your steps and lowering your voice. The cathedral is open Tuesday through Sunday and closed on Mondays - visitors should plan their timing accordingly.

There's a fountain in front of the cathedral where you can see the reflection of the ancient church facade in the water.

The cathedral's stained glass windows, arches, and sculptures are vibrant in color, with delicate glass artwork and uniquely structured ceiling. It exudes an antique charm and is filled with a sacred atmosphere.