Sydney’s most impressive place of worship is a giant sandstone construction between The Domain and Hyde Park. The foundation stone was laid in 1821, but the chapel was destroyed by fire in 1865. Work on the present cathedral began in 1868, but due to lack of funds, it remained unfinished until 2000, when the two spires were completed in extra-quick time for the Olympics. The stained-glass windows are impressive. St. Mary’s is Roman Catholic and was built for Sydney’s large population of Irish convicts. In perhaps Sydney’s worst pre-Olympic planning, the brown sandstone building was marred by a wide stretch of dark gray paving outside — now a battleground contested by skateboarders and city council types.