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Churches in San Francisco: Top Churches to Visit or Attend a Service in SF
by Jill Loeffler •
There are more than 400 churches in San Francisco, but a handful of them really stand out for their history, architecture, or social impact.
The best San Francisco churches to visit range from the historic Mission Dolores to the colorful Glide Memorial Church.
Below you will discover a list of famous churches in SF, as well as places to attend a service and other spiritual spaces around the city.
Disclaimer: I receive a small commission from some of the links on this page.
Most Famous San Francisco Churches
Here is a map of the five best churches in San Francisco to visit. The numbers correspond with the descriptions below. Read on to learn more about each one, including what it's best known for and where exactly to find it.
These top five San Francisco churches are spread throughout the city, but you'll notice that several of the other churches on this list are concentrated around the Western Addition and Lower Pacific Heights.
1. Grace Cathedral
This is the third largest Episcopal cathedral in the US. It's also one of the most beautiful churches in San Francisco.
It sits high on the hill in SF's Nob Hill neighborhood. Open for visitors daily before and after their regular services.
If you are interested in attending a church service, the most popular options are on Sunday morning at 8:30 am and 11:30 am.
Famous for: Famous artwork, labyrinths, stained-glass windows, ornate vaulting
Also notable: Home to the AIDS Interfaith Memorial Chapel
Architectural style: French Gothic
Date: Began in 1927, completed in 1964
Faith: Episcopal
Location: 1100 California Street (Nob Hill district)
Learn more: Tips to visit Grace Cathedral
2. Mission Dolores & San Francisco de Asis
Remarkably, the Mission Dolores is the site of the oldest building still standing in San Francisco.
This is one of the best churches in San Francisco to attend a traditional Catholic mass.
They typically offer English masses every Sunday morning at 8 am and 10 am, as well as a Spanish mass at noon in the Basilica.
After mass, I recommend visiting both the Old Mission, where you will find some amazing murals, and the cemetery.
Famous for: Oldest original intact California mission
Architectural style: Spanish adobe, mission revival
Date: 1776 (old chapel); 1913 (newer basilica)
Faith: Catholic
Location: 300 Dolores Street (Mission District)
Learn more: More details on visiting Mission Dolores
Guided tour: Learn more about the Mission Dolores and this district on this amazing guided tour
3. Glide Memorial
This is not your typical Methodist church. Glide is one of the best churches in San Francisco for its progressive work with the city's homeless and other marginalized communities.
Their services are non-traditional, with stories from those they have helped along with other uplifting messages and music (their chorus is one of the best I've ever heard).
Each service is PACKED (usually the second service has a line around the block before the first service is done) and it's a favorite of locals. They offer two Sunday services: one at 9 am and another at 11 am.
Get there early (minimum of 30 minutes before the service) in order to grab a seat.
Famous for: Social justice work
Also notable: Became a registered National Historic Place in 2022 for its significant activism starting in the 1960s and 70s
Date: 1931
Faith: Inclusive
Location: 330 Ellis Street at Taylor (Tenderloin District)
4. Saints Peter and Paul Church
Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church is another one of the best churches in San Francisco for those looking to attend a service. It also welcomes visitors.
The steps of this San Francisco church are where Joe DiMaggio and Marilyn Monroe took pictures after their wedding at City Hall.
DiMaggio married his first wife here (since he grew up in this SF neighborhood) but was not allowed to marry for a second time in the church itself.
Famous for: Towering twin spires as the backdrop for Washington Square Park
Architectural style: Romanesque Gothic
Date: 1924
Faith: Catholic
Location: 666 Filbert Street (North Beach)
Guided Tour: Learn more about this church on this guided tour around North Beach
5. St. Dominic's Catholic Church
St. Dominic's is another one of the most beautiful churches in San Francisco.
This is the fourth church to house this parish and it was finished in 1928. The church is gorgeous, and many don't realize that they have a number of prized statues and pieces of artwork inside.
Head over for one of their Sunday services (7:30 am, 9:30 am & 11:30 am) to take a closer look.
Famous for: Bell tower, flying buttresses, and tall stained glass windows inside the vaulted nave
Architectural style: Gothic
Date: 1928
Faith: Catholic
Location: 2390 Bush Street (Pacific Heights district)
More Beloved Churches Around the City
With so many historic and beautiful churches in SF, it's hard to choose which ones to highlight. However, here are a few more that have made a name for themselves by denomination.
Catholic Churches in San Francisco
Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Assumption (also Saint Mary's Cathedral)
- 1111 Gough Street (on "Cathedral Hill" near the Fillmore District)
- Not only the biggest Catholic church in San Francisco, but the biggest church in San Francisco, with 2,400 seats
- Modernist design with a towering saddle roof
Saint Ignatius Church
- 650 Parker Avenue (Inner Richmond district)
- Located on the University of San Francisco campus; owned and operated by the Jesuit Catholic Parish
- When completed in 1914, its spires were the highest points in San Francisco, visible to the ships entering the bay
St. Patrick Catholic Church
- 756 Mission Street (SoMa district, right across from the Yerba Buena Gardens)
- Gothic Revival historic brick building from the 1920s (rebuilt after the original was destroyed in the Great Earthquake and Fire of 1906)
- Inspired by the local Irish population, the patron saint, and the national colors of Ireland
Other Denominations: Christian Churches in San Francisco
First Unitarian Universalist Church & Center
- 1187 Franklin Street (Western Addition neighborhood)
- Diverse congregation dedicated to racial, economic, and environmental justice
Saint Mark's Lutheran Church
- 1111 O'Farrell Street (Western Addition neighborhood)
- Built in 1895, this beautiful red brick Romanesque Revival church survived the 1906 Earthquake and Fire
- Originally built by and for a congregation of German heritage
Third Baptist Church
- 1399 McAllister Street (Alamo Square neighborhood)
- Founded in 1852 as the First Colored Baptist Church, it was the first African American Baptist congregation west of the Rocky Mountains
- The oldest of the Black churches in San Francisco, it played an important role in the Civil Rights Movement
- Present church was completed in 1956 with Midcentury Modern ecclesiastical architecture
Christ United Presbyterian Church
- 1700 Sutter Street (Lower Pacific Heights)
- Dating back to 1885, this is the oldest Japanese Christian church in the US; they still offer English/Japanese bilingual Sunday worship services
- Present church was constructed in 1975
- Learn more about the Japanese community in SF
Non-Denominational Churches in San Francisco
Unity Church of San Francisco
- 240 Page Street (Hayes Valley)
- New Thought church of the Unity movement
- Inclusive and diverse community welcoming people of all races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and religions
More Spiritual and Meditative Spaces in San Francisco
Apart from the most famous churches in San Francisco, you'll find plenty of quiet places around the city for meditation and contemplation:
- Temples in Chinatown: Places of worship containing altars and artifacts of the Buddhist and Daoist traditions, also open to the public
- Mt. Davidson: San Francisco's highest natural peak, topped by a towering 103-foot-tall cross, where thousands gather for the annual Easter Sunrise Service
- Japanese Tea Garden: Carefully landscaped garden in Golden Gate Park with a reflection pond, Zen garden, and historic pagoda
- Chapel at the Presidio: A beautiful, mission-style, non-denominational chapel nestled in the forest, often rented out for private events and weddings
Three Existing Cemeteries Within City Limits
- Columbarium: Neoclassical building with an ornate rotunda, a memorial for Harvey Milk, and the remains of several famous San Franciscans
- San Francisco National Cemetery: Hilltop military cemetery in the Presidio with gorgeous views of the Golden Gate Bridge and the bay
- Cemetery at Mission San Francisco de Asis: Behind the oldest building in San Francisco and oldest intact mission in California, this is the final resting place for important 19th Century California figures
Great Ways to Enjoy San Francisco's Natural Sanctuaries
If you're like me, you love admiring the awe-inspiring architecture and soaking in the calming atmosphere of our SF churches, but you also and find inspiration in nature.
Here are three excellent tours that will take you sailing on the water, hiking through towering redwoods, and out to the world-famous Yosemite National Park.
Other Fun Things to Do in SF
The Perfect Day in the Haight-Ashbury: Are you fascinated by the events that took place in the 1960s in this epic SF district? If so, then you will enjoy my one-day walking itinerary of the Haight. On this tour, you will hike to the highest point in the district, walk past the places where famous musicians lived during that time, and sample goodies from some of my favorite bars and restaurants.
The Perfect Day in Golden Gate Park: Exploring Golden Gate Park is something I often do. This gorgeous 1,000+ acre park features several fun attractions and activities. This itinerary is how I would go about visiting the park if I had just one day. It includes visits to the California Academy of Sciences, the Botanical Gardens, and even a stop in the Japanese Tea Garden.
Visit the Mission Murals: One of the unique things about San Francisco is that it has almost 1,000 street murals. You will find these colorful displays throughout the city. However, the largest concentration (at least 200 to 300 of them) are in the Mission District. On this page, you will see pictures and get a map on where you can find them on your own.
Comments? Questions? Suggestions?
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