The Mount Vernon district is the melting pot of Baltimore's great cultural institutions: Symphony Hall, Opera House, School of Arts, Peabody Institute, Pratt Library etc. Organised around the Washington Monument, it reflects opulence and is conducive to strolling. The shady streets are lined with imposing dark sandstone patrician houses, charming churches and small gardens. The imposing Baltimore Basilica, the oldest cathedral in the country, stands on the edge of the neighbourhood.