The Vertical Tour of St. John the Divine

The Cathedral of St. John the Divine on Amsterdam Avenue is enormous, still unfinished and best understood from above. On the Vertical Tour, a guide leads small groups up narrow spiral staircases more than 124 feet into the building, for close-up views of the stonework and stained glass that most visitors only see from the floor and a long look down the nave. It turns a visit to one of New York's great sacred buildings into a climb through its structure, and it changes how you see the place when you're back at ground level.

Vertical Tours run on select dates (one was listed for October 24, 2026) and are booked through the cathedral's public tours page. Participants must be 12 or older, and the climb is roughly 12 flights of stairs, so the tour isn't wheelchair-accessible; anyone worried about vertigo, claustrophobia or a medical condition should call the cathedral before buying. Expect a bag check at the entrance and bring only water. For more, the Within the Walls tour adds the unfinished crypt and Rafael Guastavino's spiral stair.