The Polish Cathedral style of North-American Catholic church is a genre of church architecture found throughout the Great Lakes and Middle Atlantic regions as well as in parts of New England in North America. These churches are not necessarily cathedrals (seats of bishops), or seats of their respective dioceses, but rather monumentally grand churches.
Key characteristics distinguish churches of the Polish Cathedral Style from other architectural styles represented in North-American church buildings. The most visible is the large amount of ornamentation used in decorating both the exterior and interior, comparable only to the more famous Churrigueresque or Spanish Baroque style. The decorations used reflect the tastes of the Polish immigrants to these regions in both the symbols and statuary of saints prominently displayed throughout.
Additionally there is a heavy proclivity towards ornamentation drawn from the Renaissance and Baroque periods as well as modeling designs after famous churches in Poland. The claim of different ‘architectural styles’ of Europe ascribed to these churches is misleading, as most of them are already labeled by art historians as examples of Eclecticism and Historicism, characterized by the various Architectural Revivals found in styles of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In these churches are found a mixture of architectural traits from numerous past eras characteristic of Europe and the Americas.