LA | Some Spaces Aren't Meant to Make You Believe in God

Rafael Moneo has emphasized in many interviews that a cathedral is first part of the city, then a religious space.👍 Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels breaks from traditional church layouts—instead of facing the altar directly upon entering, the pathway guides you in a gradual, unfolding journey. This reflects postmodern spatial deconstruction: you engage with space, time, the city, and others before confronting the divine. In many ways, this echoes early Christian community logic—where faith was woven into daily life, not visually dominating it.😁 When planned in the 1990s, Los Angeles' Catholic community was largely made up of immigrants. This cathedral couldn't simply replicate European Gothic memories—it needed to reflect LA's lived reality. In other words, this wasn't just an architectural style choice, but a statement about who belongs in this city.❤️ It doesn't place faith somewhere distant. Instead, it quietly suggests: If divinity exists, how could it ever be separate from the human city? #ArtAndArchitecture #Cathedral #Architecture #PostmodernArchitecture #Postmodern #Deconstruction #LATravel #USTravel #LAArchitecture #AmericanCulture