Last week we visited ten local, historic places of worship right here in downtown Charleston. This post is a breakdown of my top five favorites. Whether it was the architecture, the setting or the vibe all of these Churches are unique and beautiful in their own rite!
#5: Second Presbyterian Church
The Second Presbyterian Church, located at 342 Meeting St., was a a beautiful sight to see! The stunning white stone of the building stands out against the greenery. This church was opened on April 3, 1811 but was founded in 1809. This is a church of Presbyterian faith, meaning it is a branch of Christianity that believes in, "the Five solas: Scripture alone, faith alone, Christ alone, grace alone, glory to God alone." The architecture of this church is inspired by Jeffersonian style.
#4: Unitarian Church
My fourth favorite church was the Unitarian Church, this church was located at 4 Archdale St. Although the architecture style, Gothic revival, is very beautiful the church itself seems a bit plain. This church was formed in 1772, but it was not until 1839 that the Unitarian Church of Charleston became an official congregation. Unitarianism is simply described as, "free and responsible search for truth and meaning"
#3: Circular Congregational Church
The third favorite church I saw was the, Circular Congregational Church. Out of all the churches we saw this building was the visually most interesting. I have never really seen a circular brick building before and especially not in Charleston. Located at 150 Meeting St., the Circular Congregational church was founded in 1681. The architect Robert Mills constructed this building with inspiration from the Pantheon, and it was the first major domed building in America. I really like the architectural concept of this church, many churches have similar 'looks', this church is very unique.
#2: First Presbyterian Church
In second place I have the First Presbyterian Church! I really liked this church because it is so large and almost new looking. This congregation was established in 1731 and is located at 53 Meeting St. This is the fifth oldest church in Charleston. It is thought that this church was inspired by St. Mary's Cathedral in Baltimore, Maryland.
Finally...#1: French Huguenot Church
My favorite church that we visited was the French Huguenot Church! I loved this church, the architecture, the style and of course the color! The Gothic revival style on this building is absolutely stunning. The detail of the black framework really draws in the attention. This is a Protestant congregation whose first church was built in 1687.
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