Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception - Construction, 1957-1959

Silent film of the construction of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. Beginning at 2:00 and 9:00, you may also see the Catholic University campus from the roof of the Basilica.

The video is broken up into the following segments:

0:00 - 1:30: Showcasing of the Basilica model

1:31 - 5:55: Rooftop construction and view of campus

5:56 - 8:47: Ground level view of Basilica under construction

8:48 - 11:01: View of Dome and of campus from Basilica rooftop

From the Msgr. James Magner papers. Magner was a long-time Catholic University administrator (1940-1968), who was active in everything from University fundraising to publishing. A world traveler, he also collected an eclectic museum collection, donated to the University in 1995. Learn more about Magner in our blog: https://www.lib.cua.edu/wordpress/new...

From the American Catholic History Research Center and University Archives.