St. James Church and in the background, St. Mary's Cathedral.
It's lunchtime in the city. You're could be stressing out or just bored silly. You need to getaway from the confines of your stuffy claustrophobic office and your predictable colleagues. You've had an earful of those noisy shopping centre food halls and hectic city streets. Where are you going to go to relax, meditate and unwind without paying some psychotherapist megabucks?
Now, you don't need to be a practising Christian or in the least bit religious to appreciate the architectural beauty and the serenity that Sydney's great cathedrals and churches provide.
Sydney's cathedrals and churches can't compete architecturally or historically with Europe's best, but we have here in our fair city three of the most important and historically significant in the country. And if their architectural beauty is not enough, they provide city dwellers and workers alike, free (donations suggested) lunchtime classical music concerts or recitals to inspire and entertain you or at the very least, they'll give you a space to chill.
St. Andrews CathedralSituated next to Sydney's Town Hall on George Street is St Andrew's, Australia's oldest cathedral. The cathedral is one of Sydney's architectural treasures and an icon of the city. You can't help but be in awe of the cathedral's impressive Gothic interior design with its Sydney sandstone arcade, beautiful stained glass windows and massive pipe organ.
The Cathedral's musical program includes big band concerts on Wednesdays, organ recitals played on the magnificent cathedral pipe organ on Thursdays as well as assorted musical recitals on Fridays. The Lunch time concerts commence at 1.10pm.
St. Mary's CathedralThe massively imposing St. Mary's Catholic Cathedral stands in the centre of Sydney next to Hyde Park. It is one of Sydney's most impressive historic buildings and one of the finest examples of an English-style gothic church. It is truly an awe inspiring building and well worth a visit.
Mass can be heard, sung by choirs at 5:30 Tuesday to Thursday.
St. James Anglican ChurchOpposite Hyde Park Barracks on Macquarie street is St. James Church, Sydney's oldest existing church having been completed in 1822 and designed by convict architect Francis Greenway.
St. James has the best range of lunchtime concerts with its ever changing weekly performers featuring everything from soprano's, violinists, classical quartets and pianists. Concerts are held Wednesdays starting at 1.15pm.
Don't let any pre-conceptions of going to church put you off going to a concert. Give it a go. Lunchtime concerts at Sydney churches might not be for everyone but they are for anyone in the city who appreciates the sounds of marvellous music played in a stunning and awe inspiring space.
St. Andrews Cathedral
