Churches, Charleston

The Cathedral of St. John the Baptist is Charleston's Catholic cathedral. It was built in the early 1900s on the site of a previous smaller cathedral, however, the diocese ran out of money and the bell tower was left unfinished. The bell tower was finally finished during the past decade.

st. phillips episcopal church is the oldest church in charleston and the first anglican church south of virginia. originally built in 1681 the current structure dates back to 1835. the 1835 church shows the influence of st. martins-in-the-fields in london. in 1848 the architect e.b. white designed the steeple in the christopher wren-gibbs tradition. in the churchyard are the graves of william rhett, edward rutledge, charles pinckney, john c. calhoun, and edward mccrady.

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The original St Philip's Church was established in 1681 at the site of the present St Michael's Church. In 1710 this wooden church structure was damaged by a hurricane, and was rebuilt nearby in 1723. The second church burned in 1835, and the present structure was built from 1836 to 1850.

The church's National Historic Landmark description states: "Built in 1836 (spire completed in 1850), this stuccoed brick church features an imposing tower designed in the Wren-Gibbs tradition. Three Tuscan pedimented porticoes contribute to this design to make a building of the highest quality and sophistication."

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St Michael's Episcopal Church is the oldest church structure in Charleston. It was built from 1751 to 1761 on the former site of the original St Phillips Church, which was completed in 1681 and destroyed by a hurricane in 1710. This white church features a two story portico with Tuscan columns and a 186-foot steeple topped by a 7 1/2 foot weather vane. The pews are constructed of local cedar, and they were once used by both George Washington and Robert E. Lee. The clock and bells were imported from England in 1764, and the chandelier was imported from London in 1803. The church still bears the scars from slight damage sustained in 1865 during the Civil War.

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The Circular Congregational Church was built around 1892 and is sort of circular in shape, but more like a clover leaf. This is the third church on this site, and an earlier church was actually the "Circular Church." Designated a National Historic Landmark in 1973.

The first church here was constructed in 1732 for the Independent Church. The second church on this site was built by famed American architect Robert Mills from 1904 to 1806. The second church burned in 1861, but the ruins stood until destroyed by an earthquake in 1886. The present structure used bricks from the ruined second church.

The cemetery is the city's oldest with one gravestone remaining from the 17th century. This is a site of frequent lantern-light ghost tours, for just $18 a person!

st. michael's episcopal church is one of the most important 18th century colonial georgian buildings in the united states. st. michael's was built in 1752 by samuel cardy. george washington, the marquis de lafayette and general robert e. lee have attended services at st. michael's.

built in the 1880's the circular congregational church was designed by robert stevenson in the richardson romanesque style. the churchyard is charleston's oldest burying ground. this cemetery contains a significant collection of funerary art.

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This beautiful church almost seems out of place in Charleston. It looks more like is should be sitting in a town square in New England. Built in 1761, it is the oldest church in Charleston. George Washington attended service here in 1791. The interior is in keeping with other churches of it's time. It contains private wooden pews that were sponsored by and belonged to the wealthier families of the city. The exterior is pure white, with a columned entrance. And something you don't normally see on a church steeple...a clock.

This Church was built in 1761, and is the oldest church in Charleston today. George Washington once worshipped in this church! Also, General Robert E. Lee worshipped in the same pew. The pew is called "The Governer's Pew," and you can walk right up to it and touch it. This church is on the site of what was once the first Anglican church south of Virginia.

There is an old poem written about this church by Mary A. P. Stansbury called, "How he saved St. Michael's." Whether it's based on fact or not, I don't know, but the story in the poem tells how a slave saved the church from burning down before the Civil War while the city of Charleston was on fire, and in turn he was given his freedom. It's a lovely poem.....

Charleston is a great city to stroll and take in the beautiful architecture. Among the most intersting and attractive buildings are the numerous churches of diverse denominations. Huegenot, Episcopal, Lutheran, and Unitarian churches in Charleston are all beautiful.