St Peter’s Cathedral, Adelaide

St Peter's Cathedral, Adelaide tickets: which one to buy

Saint Peter's Cathedral stands in North Adelaide, overlooking the city across the Torrens River and the parklands, near the Adelaide Oval, and entry is free. It is the Anglican cathedral of Adelaide and one of the city's landmarks, its twin spires visible from the city centre and the cricket ground. The cathedral welcomes visitors during the day, and volunteer guides offer tours on some days.

It is a short walk from the Adelaide Oval, where visitors can take a stadium tour or the RoofClimb, and from the city centre across the river footbridge. Walking tours of North Adelaide include the cathedral, the historic mansions and the Wellington Square. Choral evensong and organ recitals are held regularly, and the choir is well known. The cathedral is an active church, and visiting pauses during services. Free city buses and trams connect North Adelaide with the city centre.

Visiting St Peter's Cathedral, Adelaide: what to see

The cathedral was designed by the English architect William Butterfield and built in stages between 1869 and 1904, with the spires completed in 1902; it is one of the finest examples of Gothic Revival architecture in Australia. It is built of sandstone, with a rose window above the main entrance and two spires rising about 50 metres. Inside, the cathedral has a tall nave and a richly decorated sanctuary with a reredos, carved and painted, showing saints and figures connected with the Church in Australia. The stained glass windows, many made in England, depict biblical scenes and saints. The cathedral's peal of eight bells is rung regularly and is one of the heaviest in the Southern Hemisphere.

The organ was built in England in the nineteenth century and has been rebuilt. The cathedral's grounds have lawns and trees. The reredos behind the high altar was installed in 1904 and shows figures from church history carved in stone. The cathedral's chapels include the Lady Chapel, with a painted ceiling and memorials. The choir stalls are carved in wood, and the bishop's throne stands in the sanctuary. The nave's pillars are made of polished granite. The cathedral grounds include a memorial garden and a statue. The bells are rung before Sunday services, and the ringers welcome visitors to watch at practice. The organ is regularly used for recitals. The cathedral's library holds historic books.

St Peter's Cathedral, Adelaide opening hours and the best time to go

The cathedral is open daily, with services and choral evensong on Sundays and some weekdays. Adelaide has a Mediterranean climate, with hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters; spring and autumn are the most pleasant seasons. The Adelaide Festival and the Adelaide Fringe in February and March fill the city with performances, and major cricket and football matches at the Oval bring crowds to North Adelaide. Christmas brings carol services. Allow about twenty minutes for the cathedral, and walk across the river to the city centre through the parklands. The Adelaide Botanic Garden, a short tram ride away, has glasshouses, lawns and a museum of economic botany.