Basilique Saint-Laurent d'Asheville

The Minor Basilica of St. Lawrence the Deacon & Martyr is a minor basilica of the Catholic Church in downtown Asheville, North Carolina, United States. The church was designed and built in 1905 by Spanish architect Rafael Guastavino (who is interred there) along with his fellow architect R. S. Smith and the Catholic community of Asheville. Pope John Paul II elevated the status of the church to minor basilica in 1993. It is a parish church, located within the Diocese of Charlotte. It is on the National Register of Historic Places and is the only basilica in western North Carolina. Its dome, inspired by the Royal Basilica of Our Lady of the Forsaken of Valencia, has a span of 58 by 82 feet (18 by 25 m), and is reputed to be the largest, freestanding, elliptical dome in North America. The architectural style is Spanish Renaissance Revival. It is located in the Downtown Asheville Historic District.