st. francis basilica

BOB52040

very ornate. Beautiful place to visit. . they want me to say at least 50 words so here is 50 words. guess that's not enough so here are a few more

DoneteachingBG

Who would have thought that a little place like Dyersville would have such a huge church? Very inspirational and the self-guided tour booklet was very well done.

Carolguestsleeper2

The basilica is unbelievably beautiful and totally unexpected in such a small town. The interior paint was recently restored to the original design and the whole building is beautifully maintained.

dennisk359

If you are in the area you owe it to yourself to stop and marvel at this Basilica. The architecture is beyond amazing for eastern Iowa and the stained glass windows are equally impressive. Dyersville has something to be proud of and they want you to visit. The Basilica is open every day until sunset and there is no admission fee. When you first enter you will see a guestbook and next to that is a brochure for the self guided tour. Also, there you will find postcards that you may want to keep as a souvenir. Donations are no doubt appreciated but certainly not required. The size and grandeur is almost overwhelming for a town of 4000 residents. How this was constructed well over 100 years ago is hard to imagine. That the two top attractions in Dyersville have no admission charge is quite surprising. The Field of Dreams is just a few miles away, so while visiting there plan to see the Basilica and you really will be saying "is this heaven"? No, it's Iowa.

SherryD995

This place is special it is amazing to see I am catholic and am blessed to see this place wish I could of attend mass

brendad451

Close to other attractions in the area-beautiful to see-inside and out! You can just go in and tour yourself.

HelenS368

We came to Dyersville from 2.5 hours away to see the field of dreams. I saw the sign for the basilica and needed to stop. Well worth it. This building has been taken care of very respectfully. We sat inside and were in awe of the beauty. Driving away we were all filled with a sense of peace and were so happy we stopped.

CarolG773

It is a large, beautiful old church. Gorgeous stained glass windows and statues. Beautiful carved wood confessionals. There were several different flyers at the back that gave the history of the church building and parish.

Timmer304

For as many times as I have visited Dyersville, this time I actually decided to visit St. Francis Basilica. The architecture is captivating and the hallowed walls speak of days gone by. A brochure provides valuable information and self-guided tours are available during the day. While I am not Catholic, even an old German Protestant can enjoy this marvelous experience.

761charleneh

One of the 70 Basilica's in the U.S and in a little Iowan town!! The 2 spires drew us to the site - open with a brochure for a self tour - built in 1897 by Catholic Germans - very ornate-breathtaking-something one would find in a major city-the pulpit, the cross carved from walnut by a parishioner - Fantastic - worth the stop

lynneg335

You won't be dissappointed to take the time to stop by and visit this beautiful Catholic Church. It is over 125 years old and has been refurbished within the last 10 years. The church is open to the public during the day and there is a brochure in the back area to take a self guided tour. You can call ahead (if you have a bigger party) to have a tour guide. There are several more unique churches in the immediate area.

BetteKDyersville

I attend this church regularly. From the first time I stepped inside I have been in awe of this building and the architecture. Imagine what it took those first families to build this magnificent structure all those years ago. Gothic architecture and wonderful paintings and decorations.

travelingtaster123

If you like history and churches rolled into one, this and St. Raphael's in Dubuque are two of the most beautiful churches in the area. However, this church is more original, so I like it the better of the two. They both have quite an interesting history, so I recommend you look up both churches in Wikipedia. I went to Midnight Mass at Christmas there a few years ago and it was standing room only. Quite a remarkable sight.

MaxwellN_11

You don't realize how profound German immigration was to this part of America until you visit some of these German churches. It is nothing special compared to a European cathedral but in rural Iowa? You gotta see it to believe it.

815davee

How cool is this place?!! Stunning architecture sitting in a tiny, quaint Midwest town. Inside is even better than outside. The woodwork inside is just flat incredible. Definitely worth a short visit. At night the exterior is lit up by spotlights making for some good night shots!