Located in Baghani off Kenyatta Road, St. Joseph's Cathedral is one of Stone Town's most recognisable structures due to its twin spires, which can be seen from various vantage points throughout the area and even from the sea. Despite its prominence, finding the church amidst the winding streets of Baghani requires a bit of navigation, with Gizenga Street offering the simplest route.

Built between 1893 and 1898 by French missionaries, the cathedral was modelled after Marseille Cathedral but on a smaller scale. The interior once featured Old Testament scenes painted on its walls; however, these were lost during an ill-fated restoration in 2014. The church's stained glass windows and tiles were imported from France.

The narrow churchyard used to be home to a prominent palm tree that often appeared in photographs of the cathedral, though it was removed sometime in the 2000s.