Shrine of St. Joseph

Shrine of St. Joseph Church stands on the corner of 11th and Biddle in Columbus Square, just north of downtown St. Louis. Jesuits founded the parish here in 1843 for the German immigrants living around it, and the building grew in stages afterwards. The main exterior design dates back to 1881. The soaring towers were cut down in 1955 to preserve the structure and protect the tower's intricate brickwork, so they sit lower than when they were originally built. There is lots of space in Columbus Square Park to back up enough to fit both in without leaning back too far. Inside is equally photogenic. The main altar is known as the "Altar of Answered Prayers", and people tuck folded prayer notes into its crevices. Pale glass rather than rich tones means there is always a glow soft colour across the sanctuary. Getting inside takes planning ahead of time since it isn't open all day the way a working parish church would be. The church is only open around mass times on Sundays and First Fridays and for tours that have been arranged in advance. (St. Louis, Missouri, United States)