#17 Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels

Next on my list is the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels. Completed in 2002, this is the youngest cathedral in the United States. Also, supposedly there are no right angles in the architecture. Perfect for a math geek like myself.
When we arrived, we were greeted by a volunteer who told us some fabulous stories about the building and the architecture. It was such a cool way to start the day.
Outside the cathedral is a gigantic bell tower. There are too many awesome things about the campenile to write here, so you should all go check out the website of the cathedral. Actually that goes for just about everything in this post.
It was all so fascinating, but there is way too much information to cover. So, for now, enjoy the pretty bells.

Painted onto this fountain is the same bible verse in about 30 different languages.

Etched onto the grounds in front of the cathedral is a replica of the positions of the stars on the night the cathedral was blessed.

This is the magnificent entrance. These doors are INSANE.

This tapestry hangs over the baptismal fountain. It is absolutely stunning.

And so is the fountain. While we were here, we saw one of the visitor's fill her water bottle with holy water from this fountain. Seriously?

One of the main features is a towering pipe organ. While we were there, several different organists played, filling the entire space with glorious sound. We sat and listened to them for awhile, just soaking up the atmosphere. Next to the pipe organ is the cross in the window, which is absolutly stunning. It's positioned on a downward slant, which directs the light down on the congragation. It also has a great effect of bursting light behind the crucifix.

Underneath the cathedral is a massive mausoleum. It is pristine and canvernous. Also, Gregory Peck is buried here.

Outside the cathedral is a path leading to a sculpture garden. One of the pieces on the way to the garden is a pieta. Quite possibly the most interesting pieta I've ever seen.

Outside is a sculpture garden of quirky-looking animals. This was my favorite of the bunch.

The path that winds through the garden had triangle patterns throughout, and when I reached the end, I found this:

It's a snake head! Get it? A snake ... in the garden ... ...

This place is amazing, and I can't wait to go back. I want to go when it's all decorated for Christmas or Easter. And I'd love to hear some choirs sing. The acoustics are crazy inside.
Miles: 53.4
Cost: $5 for parking

Miles to date: 631.8
Cost to date: $177.66