st. fidelis church

Hwy41

Easy to get to just south of I-70 in Victoria, KS. The church is beautiful and historical—proclaimed as one of Kansas’ 8 Wonders. Certainly worth the stop. Marvel at the architecture, construction, windows and heritage. Towers are 141’ tall. Plenty of room for a little meditation if you desire as well. Very small gift shop across the street. Lots of German heritage in Victoria and surrounding area if you want to explore. But the Basilica is certainly worth 45 minutes and you can be back on I-70 in no time.

frankkraft

The twin spires are visible from the I-80 Interstate and for years as we drove from Ga to our vacation home in Colorado we saw the sign and the spires but as usual we in a hurray This year as we returned from a trip from the north west we did stop. The church was a sight to be hold and the history interesting. It is hard to imagine such a beautiful place literally in the farm country of Kansas you would think it to be in a big city. It was well worth the stop

267SusanK

This is one of the 8 wonders of Kansas and well worth the stop! The windows are gorgeous and the interior of the church is breathtaking.

troy mcclure

Gorgeous church for anywhere but for what seems like the middle of Kansas it's amazing that this place exists. I could see the spires from the highway and decided to go check it out. Amazing inside...I would carve 20-30 mins out for a stop here even if your not particularly religious.

rlr13

This is a beautiful church to look at. Sometimes they give tours and it is so interesting to hear how the church was made. I've visited it several times and it is always open. Really worth driving off the interstate to see!

KiAnnMcBratney

Who could ever imagine in the small town of Victoria, KS such a treasure! Not far from Hays, KS, a trip from anywhere to see this beautiful Church would be worth it. A Roman Catholic Church seeking minor basilica status, and it would be hard to believe if such a goal was not accomplished. The stained glass windows, the marble, the wood carvings, and everything else this Church has to offer makes you think you have stepped back into time, or into another country. Match the beauty with the history the church has to offer and you will not regret one moment of time you spent on the adventure getting there.

Roxie1203

The Cathedral of the Plains holds around 1100 people, which is nearly the population of Victoria. The people spared no expense to build a beautiful church. It's open all the time with self-guided tour brochures and is definitely worth seeing for both its size and beauty.

wcso465

Only found this place because of AAA. Read highligts of cities and towns would be passing by and noticed a church with stained glass windows. Saw it from the interstate and decided to stop by and see. Noticed from beginning it was of older age and to our surpise it was open. Went inside and was immediately taken back by the beauty of this church. The ornate designs within and the beauty of the stained glass and granite columns. This didn't compare to Katie (the sacristan) she's 89 and has been there for 27 years. This lovely woman gave us a tour explaining the church in detail of origins of the stonework, granite columns and sculptures and everything you could see. We bid our farewells and received a hug with warm wishes for the rest of our journey. This is a must stop and see if not for the church but for Katie too.

CTParks

St. Fidelis or as it is otherwise known ("The Cathedral of the Plains") is spectacular as far as churches go. I cannot tell you if that is because it seems so out of place in the middle of Kansas or if it is because of the effort of the towns people to have it built and the beauty it holds. If you are a church enthusiast then you must visit... but for the run of the mill person, it's just another pretty church in the middle of no where.

MatthewzonF

This is an incredible church. You must take a break and detour off of I70 to see this church. It is open all the time and you can just do a self-guided tour.

missyjo25

It is well worth your time to make a stop in the tiny town of Victoria just to view the Cathedral of the Plains! St. Fidelis is a large church and it's absolutely breathtaking inside and out.

ArkansasNana63

Very close to I-70 and worth the stop. The people of Victoria and surrounding area are taking wonderful care of this special place. There is an audio tour explaining various aspects of its history - helpful to hear. A few people from the community were there when we arrived, and they were friendly and nice to tell us about the audio tour. They have good reason to be proud of their church and the dedication they have to preserving it. It is truly beautiful.

Snurg

I have been to this most awesome church several times to hear the community and school choirs perform. The acoustics are incredible!! I am not Catholic but have found the church to be very inspiring....the architecture is profound. As I sat waiting for one performance, a lady near me shared information about the building of the church and how the awesome pillars were created....her grandfather was on the construction crew. That information took my perception of awesomeness to a whole new level. If you have the opportunity to visit Victoria, Kansas and this beautiful church...take it!!

SherryinBA

Absolutely beautiful! This church and the history of the town of Victoria is very, very interesting. Well worth the short drive off the interstate.

HogBob

This church was nicknamed "The Cathedral of the Plains" by William Jennings Bryan. It is not technically a cathedral, but the nickname is appropriate. This building is far more than you would expect to find in the middle of a sparsely populated agricultural area. It is truly a tribute to the faith and determination of the settlers who built this magnificent church. There is an excellent audio tour consisting of four convenient speakers within the church. Each tells some of the history of the church. I tried to decline to listen to the tour because we were in a hurry, but a couple of very nice parishioners persuaded us to use the audio tour. We were very glad they did. Each speaker station was very informative yet brief.My wife and I are not Catholic, but we found our visit to St. Fidelis Church to be inspiring. It is worth taking a half hour out of your trip across Kansas to stop here.