Saints Peter and Paul Church
Saints Peter and Paul Church is another well-known landmark in North Beach. Local patrons of the church and tourists alike stand in awe at its grandeur. Recently finishing a touch-up to the exterior, the church welcomes all types of San Francisco travelers for viewing, inside and out.
Recognizable in photos, Saints Peter and Paul Church has been captured by millions of professionals and amateurs on camera. Even baseball great Joe DiMaggio, who lived in North Beach, appeared in wedding photos at the church with his new bride, Marilyn Monroe, in 1954.
Movies, such as Sister Act 2, starring Whoopi Goldberg, and the 1970s flick Dirty Harry, starring Clint Eastwood, also have used Saints Peter and Paul Church as a backdrop.
Starting as a house of worship for the Italian-American Roman Catholic community in the 1920s, Saints Peter and Paul has expanded its weekly masses from Italian to include English and, recently, the Mandarin language, mainly to support the growing Chinese Roman Catholic population, mostly from Chinatown. Weekly masses, weddings and funerals (sadly, Joe DiMaggio in 1999) all have taken place at Saints Peter and Paul Church as well.
Do you want to see California like a local? —if so, CLICK HERE!
Even if you’re not religious, you can’t help but appreciate the beauty of Saints Peter and Paul Church. You won’t forget the address, either. It’s one block away from Columbus Avenue next to Washington Square Park at, ironically, 666 Filbert Street.
How Do I Find Saints Peter and Paul Church?
- Saints Peter and Paul Church is located in the heart of North Beach, on the border of Washington Square Park. You can also Google the street address, 666 Filbert Street.
- You can use public transportation routes 9x, 12, 20, 30, 41, 45 and the Powell-Mason cable car (although the wait in line for it is horrendous) to reach the church.
- To visit Saints Peter and Paul Church from Union Square you can ride bus 30 (20 minutes) or better yet, just walk. The journey might take longer, but you’ll pass cool neighborhoods such as Chinatown and the rest of North Beach on the way.
- Other notable landmarks near Saints Peter and Paul Church are Washington Square, Tony’s Pizza, Golden Boy Pizza, Lombard Street, the Filbert Street Steps, Telegraph Hill, Coit Tower, Columbus Ave and Macondray Lane.
Orange Sky Co. says:
Unless you use the place as a house of worship, Saints Peter and Paul Church is best viewed and appreciated from the grass of Washington Square Park. If you want to snap photos of the church, the best time is in the morning when the sun is on the facade of the building.
Location of Saints Peter and Paul Church
