Cathedral Basilica of St. Peter and Paul, Paramaribo

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The Cathedral-Basilica of Saint Peter and Paul is a Roman Catholic cathedral in the centre of Paramaribo, the capital of Suriname in South America. It is built of wood and is called the largest wooden structure in the Western Hemisphere. It is about 59 metres long, 16.5 metres wide and 14.6 metres high inside the main hall, and its tower rises 44 metres to the bronze cross. It has room for about 900 people.

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At a glance

Country: Suriname
Location: Paramaribo, Suriname
Built: 1885
Height: 44 m
Type: Religious building

Quick answers

Where is Cathedral Basilica of St. Peter and Paul, Paramaribo?

Cathedral Basilica of St. Peter and Paul, Paramaribo is in Paramaribo, Suriname.

When was Cathedral Basilica of St. Peter and Paul, Paramaribo built?

Cathedral Basilica of St. Peter and Paul, Paramaribo was built in 1885.

How tall is Cathedral Basilica of St. Peter and Paul, Paramaribo?

Cathedral Basilica of St. Peter and Paul, Paramaribo is about 44 m tall.

Built entirely of wood from threshold to spire, this cathedral is counted among the largest wooden buildings in the Western Hemisphere.

Building began on 30 January 1883 and the cathedral was consecrated in 1885, but the towers were not finished until 1901. The inside is made of unpainted Surinamese cedar. It was designed by Frans Harmes, and in 2014 Pope Francis gave it the special title of minor basilica.

From a theatre to a cathedral

The Catholic community in Paramaribo first used an old Dutch Jewish theatre, built in 1809 and called De Verrezene Phoenix, which was turned into a church in 1826. It became a cathedral in 1858 when a diocese was set up in the city. As the congregation grew too big for it, the diocese decided in 1882 to build a new cathedral on the same spot. The new building was meant for freed people and contract labourers.

Close to disaster

A poorly done restoration finished in 1977 did not help, and the building started to tilt and was attacked by termites. A big renovation was completed in 2002, and a formal restoration with European Union funding began in 2007. After three years the cathedral reopened on 13 November 2010.

Bells, organ and a priest's grave

The west tower holds three bells named Alfhonsus, Rosa and John, weighing 222, 413 and 827 kilograms. The pipe organ was built in Germany and first had 1,550 pipes, though many have been stolen over the years. The Dutch-Surinamese priest Peter Donders, who cared for people with leprosy, is buried inside. The gate to the cathedral turned 200 years old in 2009.