What is Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary?

The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, also called the Baltimore Basilica, was the first Roman Catholic cathedral built in the United States, and was among the first major religious buildings constructed in the nation after the adoption of the U.S. Constitution. As a co-cathedral, it is one of the seats of the Catholic Archdiocese in Baltimore, Maryland. Additionally it is a parish church and national shrine. It is considered the masterpiece of Benjamin Henry Latrobe, the "Father of American Architecture".