St. Louis

==Arts and culture==
[[File:Cathedral_Basilica_of_Saint_Louis_(St._Louis,_MO)_-_exterior,_quarter_view_2.jpg|thumb|The [[Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis]]]]
{{Main|Culture of St. Louis}}
{{see also|Cuisine of St. Louis|List of museums in St. Louis}}
The same year as the 1904 [[World's Fair]], the Strassberger Music Conservatory Building was constructed at 2300 Grand. Otto Wilhelmi was the architect. In 1911, the conservatory had over 1,100 students.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Old Strassberger Music Conservatory |url=https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/government/departments/planning/cultural-resources/city-landmarks/old-strassberger-music-conservatory-building.cfm |access-date=2023-09-01 |website=stlouis-mo.gov |language=en |archive-date=September 1, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230901002916/https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/government/departments/planning/cultural-resources/city-landmarks/old-strassberger-music-conservatory-building.cfm |url-status=live }}</ref>  The building is presently in the [[National Register of Historic Places]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Strassberger's Conservatory |url=https://mostateparks.com/sites/mostateparks/files/Strassberger%27s%20Conservatory.pdf |access-date=September 1, 2023 |archive-date=September 1, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230901002908/https://mostateparks.com/sites/mostateparks/files/Strassberger%27s%20Conservatory.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> A well known graduate was [[Alfonso D'Artega]].<ref>{{Citation |title=Alfonso D'Artega |date=2023-08-28 |url=https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Alfonso_D%27Artega&oldid=1172682090 |work=Wikipedia |access-date=2023-09-01 |language=en |archive-date=January 20, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240120002747/https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Alfonso_D%27Artega&oldid=1172682090 |url-status=live }}</ref>

With its French past and waves of Catholic immigrants in the 19th and 20th centuries, from Ireland, Germany and Italy, St. Louis is a major center of [[Roman Catholicism in the United States]]. St. Louis also boasts the largest [[Ethical Society|Ethical Culture Society]] in the United States and is one of the most generous cities in the United States, ranking ninth in 2013.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=studies.metro.main|title=Charity Navigator - 2015 Metro Market Study|website=Charitynavigator.org|access-date=August 10, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170829184817/https://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=studies.metro.main|archive-date=August 29, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> Several places of worship in the city are noteworthy, such as the [[Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis|Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis]], home of the world's largest mosaic installation.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://explorestlouis.com/visit-explore/discover/25-things-to-do-in-st-louis/|title=25 Things to Do in St. Louis|access-date=February 17, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120213060248/http://explorestlouis.com/visit-explore/discover/25-things-to-do-in-st-louis/|archive-date=February 13, 2012|url-status=live}}</ref>
[[File:StLouisArtMuseumMO.jpg|thumb|The [[Saint Louis Art Museum|St. Louis Art Museum]] in [[Forest Park (St. Louis)|Forest Park]]]]
Other notable churches include the [[Basilica of St. Louis, King of France]], the oldest Roman Catholic cathedral west of the Mississippi River and the oldest church in St. Louis; the [[Saint Louis Abbey|St. Louis Abbey]], whose distinctive architectural style garnered multiple awards at the time of its completion in 1962; and [[St. Francis de Sales Church (St. Louis)|St. Francis de Sales Oratory]], a [[neo-Gothic]] church completed in 1908 in South St. Louis and the second largest church in the city.

The city is identified with music and the performing arts, especially its association with [[blues]], [[jazz]], and [[ragtime]]. St. Louis is home to the [[Saint Louis Symphony|St. Louis Symphony]], the second oldest [[symphony orchestra]] in the United States. Until 2010, it was also home to [[KFUO-FM]], one of the oldest classical music FM radio stations west of the Mississippi River.<ref>The station was sold by the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod for $18 million, funded in part through a donation by then-St. Louis Cardinals star [[Albert Pujols]], and converted to [[contemporary Christian music]].[https://www.stltoday.com/lifestyles/faith-and-values/civil-religion/deidre-pujols-sounds-off-on-christian-radio/article_72a3db58-2521-11e1-91c2-0019bb30f31a.html Deidre Pujols sounds off on Christian radio, STLtoday.com] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140822041408/http://www.stltoday.com/lifestyles/faith-and-values/civil-religion/deidre-pujols-sounds-off-on-christian-radio/article_72a3db58-2521-11e1-91c2-0019bb30f31a.html |date=August 22, 2014}}, December 12, 2011</ref> [[Opera Theatre of Saint Louis|Opera Theatre of St. Louis]] has been called "one of America's best summer festivals" by the ''Washington Post''. Former general director Timothy O'Leary was known for drawing the community into discussions of challenging operas. John Adams's "[[The Death of Klinghoffer]]", which touched off protests and controversy when performed by the [[Metropolitan Opera]] in 2014, had no such problems in St. Louis three years before, because the company fostered a citywide discussion, with interfaith dialogues addressing the tough issues of terrorism, religion and the nature of evil that the opera brings up. St. Louis's Jewish Community Relations Council gave O'Leary an award. Under O'Leary, the company—always known for innovative work—gave second chances to other major American operas, such as John Corigliano's "[[The Ghosts of Versailles]]", presented in 2009 in a smaller-scale version.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/music/washington-national-opera-lands-a-star-timothy-oleary-to-become-general-director/2017/09/22/af27e7e6-9f95-11e7-8ed4-a750b67c552b_story.html |title=Washington National Opera lands a star: Timothy O'Leary to become general director - the Washington Post |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |access-date=October 21, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181022172109/https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/music/washington-national-opera-lands-a-star-timothy-oleary-to-become-general-director/2017/09/22/af27e7e6-9f95-11e7-8ed4-a750b67c552b_story.html |archive-date=October 22, 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref>

The [[Gateway Arch]] anchors downtown St. Louis and a historic center that includes: the Federal courthouse where the [[Dred Scott v. Sandford|Dred Scott case]] was first argued, an expanded public library, major churches and businesses, and retail. An increasing downtown residential population has taken to adapted office buildings and other historic structures. In nearby [[University City, Missouri|University City]] is the [[Delmar Loop]], ranked by the [[American Planning Association]] as a "great American street" for its variety of shops and restaurants, and the Tivoli Theater, all within walking distance.

Unique city and regional cuisine reflecting various immigrant groups include [[toasted ravioli]], [[gooey butter cake]], [[provel cheese]], the [[Slinger (dish)|slinger]], the [[Gerber sandwich]], and the [[St. Paul sandwich]]. Some St. Louis chefs have begun emphasizing use of local produce, meats and fish, and neighborhood farmers' markets have become more popular. Artisan bakeries, salumeria, and chocolatiers also operate in the city.

[[St. Louis-style pizza]] has thin crust, provel cheese, and is cut in small squares.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.imospizza.com|title=Imo's Pizza - The Square Beyond Compare|website=Imospizza.com|access-date=August 10, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170825043950/https://www.imospizza.com/|archive-date=August 25, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> Frozen-custard purveyor [[Ted Drewes]] offers its "Concrete": frozen custard blended with any combination of dozens of ingredients into a mixture so thick that a spoon inserted into the custard does not fall if the cup is inverted.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.teddrewes.com/home/default.aspx |title=Ted Drewes Frozen Custard - Home |access-date=March 4, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140208055816/http://teddrewes.com/home/default.aspx |archive-date=February 8, 2014 |df=mdy-all}}</ref>