Melbourne, Australia: Melbourne Cricket Ground

Not all cathedrals are churches. The Melbourne Cricket Ground is the largest stadium in the Southern Hemisphere (holds about 100,000), and it's been described as a sporting cathedral by many. There's a great deal of sports history here, enough to make this sacred ground to some of the natives. 

One of the interesting parts of the building centers on how it is used. The MCG is reserved for six months a year for Australian Rules Football, and for six months a year for cricket. 

The playing field is circular and large, and it's tough to say whether that might hurt the sight lines for the lower levels. Whatever. No one seems to mind. 

The area started as a space for play in 1853, but it really took a century to crank up in terms of significance. This is where the Olympics were staged - well, part of them - in 1956. It's gone on to serve a variety of purposes; I believe Taylor Swift popped up here for a concert recently. 

Happily, visitors can take a tour of the place - even two days after it hosted the football championship. The guides are retirees who are as polite as can be. Visitors get to walk on the edge of the field, which is artificial turf (they can stick a foot on real grass if they are so included). They see the locker rooms and other behind-the-scenes areas, as well as get views of the field from various points in the stadium. It also goes through the Melbourne Cricket Club's area, which is as classy as you might think. Lots of wood in that dining room.