St. John the Divine
St. John the Divine, located on Amsterdam Avenue in Morningside Heights, is one of the largest gothic cathedrals in the world...or would be, if it were ever completed. It's been under construction for 100+ years. It is also the seat of the Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New York.
The grounds feature some creepy Bible-themed sculptures and are roamed by peacocks. For some time, Columbia explored expanding onto the church campus, but decided to expand into Manhattanville instead.
Annals
In the wake of the 1968 protests, University Commencement was held in the cathedral, but students walked out anyway and held a counter-commencement instead.
In December 2001, the north transept of the cathedral (you'll learn what this means in Art Hum) burned down in a fire, another reason for the perpetual scaffolding.
In November 2006 vandals lopped off the head of a George Washington statue on the Cathedral and left a one dollar bill in its place.
In March 2007 Elton John rented (?) the Cathedral for his 60th birthday party, inviting equal parts criticism and awe.
