St. Dunstan’s Basilica

St. Dunstan's Basilica tickets: which one to buy

Saint Dunstan's Basilica stands on Great George Street in downtown Charlottetown, the capital of Prince Edward Island, Canada, and entry is free. It is the Catholic cathedral of the island and one of its most prominent landmarks, a short walk from the waterfront, Province House, where the idea of the Canadian confederation was first discussed in 1864, and the Confederation Centre of the Arts.

Walking tours of historic Charlottetown include the basilica, and in summer actors in period costume lead some tours. Cruise ships dock in Charlottetown in summer and autumn, and passengers often visit the basilica. The island is also famous for Anne of Green Gables, and many visitors combine the city with the Cavendish area. The basilica holds regular masses, and visitors should be respectful during services. Guided tours of the basilica are offered by volunteers in summer, usually on weekdays.

Visiting St. Dunstan's Basilica: what to see

The first church on the site was built in the early nineteenth century, and a larger church was built in the 1890s, designed by the architect Francois-Xavier Berlinguet. It was destroyed by fire in 1913 and rebuilt in its present form by 1919, in a Gothic Revival style, with two tall spires that dominate the Charlottetown skyline. The interior is spacious and richly decorated, with a vaulted ceiling painted in blue and gold, Italian marble altars, and stained glass windows made in Munich. The church was designated a basilica by Pope Pius XII in 1929, and it is a National Historic Site of Canada. A rose window and a large pipe organ are among its notable features.

The church was restored in the early twenty-first century, when its spires were rebuilt. The altar is carved from Italian marble, and the side chapels hold statues of saints. The stained glass windows show scenes from the life of Christ and of Saint Dunstan, the tenth-century archbishop of Canterbury to whom the church is dedicated. The church's Casavant organ was built in Quebec and is used for recitals. Carved wooden stations of the cross line the walls. The spires are lit at night, visible from the harbour. Plaques near the entrance explain the rebuilding after the fire of 1913. The basilica can seat more than a thousand people.

St. Dunstan's Basilica opening hours and the best time to go

The basilica is open daily, with visits pausing during masses. Prince Edward Island is busiest in summer, from late June to early September, when the weather is warm and the beaches and festivals are in full swing; autumn is beautiful, with changing colours and fewer visitors. Winter is cold and snowy. The Charlottetown Festival presents musicals in summer at the Confederation Centre.

Cruise ship days can make the downtown busier. Allow about twenty minutes for the basilica, and walk down to Peake's Wharf on the waterfront for seafood and local ice cream. Province House National Historic Site, a short walk away, has been under long restoration, and a replica of its Confederation Chamber is shown at the Confederation Centre.