{"id":15266,"date":"2022-03-04T15:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-03-04T20:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.renthop.com\/content-manager\/?p=15266"},"modified":"2022-03-04T15:01:31","modified_gmt":"2022-03-04T20:01:31","slug":"10-beautiful-churches-and-cathedrals-in-nyc-worth-a-visit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.renthop.com\/blog\/10-beautiful-churches-and-cathedrals-in-nyc-worth-a-visit\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Beautiful Churches and Cathedrals in NYC Worth a Visit"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n
New York City<\/a> may be full of skyscrapers, museums, and music halls, but it also has beautiful churches and cathedrals. Not only do these houses of worship cater to NYC’s many devout communities, but they’re also popular tourist destinations. They boast breathtaking architecture and exquisite artwork. Even those who are not religious, or those who practice other religions, can still appreciate the grandeur of these impressive buildings.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n The following ten churches and cathedrals in New York City are must-sees for architecture buffs<\/a>, art lovers, and history enthusiasts.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Dominating an entire city block in Midtown<\/a> Manhattan, St. Patrick’s Cathedral<\/a> is one of the largest and most prominent Roman Catholic churches in America. This Neo-Gothic masterpiece (1878) features ornate bronze doors, massive rose windows, and thousands of stained-glass panels. It was listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1976 and remains one of the city’s most popular tourist attractions, with approximately five million visitors drawn to its grandeur each year.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Located steps away from Columbia University in Morningside Heights<\/a>, the Cathedral of St. John the Divine is the largest house of worship in the U.S. and the sixth-largest<\/a> in the world. Construction began on St. John’s Day, December 27, 1892, by the Episcopal Diocese of New York. Although a work-in-progress to this day, St. John the Divine’s stunning fa\u00e7ade and decorated nave are already a triumph of Gothic and Romanesque Revival architecture. Meanwhile, the church’s “great organ”<\/a> is one of the most powerful and versatile instruments in the world, with over 10,000 pipes.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Founded in 1697, Trinity Church in Lower Manhattan is one of the oldest congregations in New York City. The Great Fire of 1776<\/a> destroyed this Episcopal parish. However, the community rebuilt in 1790, reviving the boxy brownstone tower looming in Gothic Revival architecture. Not only that, but this historic church is also home to one of the city’s most famous graveyards,<\/a> and is is the resting place for John Jacob Astor, Alexander Hamilton, and his wife, Elizabeth Schuyler.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n In 1847, a Jesuit priest set out from Fordham Village in the Bronx to Downtown Manhattan<\/a> with 50 cents in his pockets. His mission was to establish a Roman Catholic church in the Jesuit tradition to expand its influence in New York City. Today, the Church of St. Francis Xavier<\/a> is a result of that endeavor. Situated on West 16th Street in Manhattan’s Flatiron District<\/a>, this Neo-Baroque beauty has an arcaded portico at the entrance and an altar made of chalk-white stone. The church itself is committed to cultural diversity programs and social justice reform.<\/a><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n The \u00c9glise St-Jean-Baptiste<\/a>, otherwise known as St. Jean Baptiste Roman Catholic Church, dates back to 1882 and serves the Upper East Side’s<\/a> French-Canadian population, among other worshipers. Clad in limestone and rich with ornament, this gorgeous edifice is an achievement of Italian Renaissance Revival architecture and one of the few Catholic churches in the city that boasts an imposing ribbed dome, with twin bell towers topped by gilded crosses.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Standing on Mulberry Street in Little Italy<\/a>, the Basilica of St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral was established in 1809 to serve Irish immigrants who were flooding into New York at the time. Since then, this brick-and-stone Catholic parish, built in a Gothic Revival Style, has earned many accolades as one of the most outstanding religious structures in NYC, including two National Historic Landmark achievements and a “minor basilica” designation by Pope Benedict XVI. But one of its biggest draws is the “Catacombs by Candlelight Tour”<\/a> available every spring.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Completed in 1930, the iconic Riverside Church<\/a> is widely regarded as one of the city’s great houses of worship. Its impressive 392-foot tower, 74 bells, and cavernous interior demand an audience. Located on Riverside Drive between West 120th and West 122nd Street, this Neo-Gothic church features a wide range of amenities. They include the Theatre of Riverside Church<\/a>, hosting productions from dance and jazz to film and visual arts. Additionally, Martin Luther King Jr. gave his famous “Beyond Vietnam” seminal speech from the pulpit in the structure’s seven-story wing. The church renamed the wing in his honor in 1985.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n St. Peter’s Roman Catholic Church<\/a> is a working-class place of worship that has been serving the community since 1785. A noticeable silhouette in Lower Manhattan<\/a>, this stone edifice features six Ionic columns and a gold cross facing Barclay Street. The church played a significant role during the September 11, 2001 attacks, as it enabled rescue workers to store emergency equipment and provided space for New Yorkers who sought shelter in the aftermath of the tragedy.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n “Nobody steps on a church in my town!” Holy Trinity Lutheran Church<\/a> inspired that famous line from the 1984 classic film “Ghostbusters.” Remember when Stay Puft Marshmellow Man got blasted with proton packs? In addition to being a key filming location for the movie, this Gothic Revival church on Central Park West is a designated NYC landmark. It’s still an active house of worship, with social program including a food pantry.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Steps away from Union Square, architect James Renwick Jr. designed the richly ornamented Grace Church<\/a>. They also designed St. Patrick’s Cathedral and the Smallpox Memorial Hospital on Roosevelt Island<\/a>. This Episcopal parish (1846) has a rectory and chantry akin to a Grimm’s fairy tale. In the springtime, cherry blossoms cover the grounds in a sea of pink, making this holy structure one of the most photogenic cathedrals in New York City.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n New York City is home to various stunning churches and cathedrals that are among the city’s most famous landmarks. Their architectural splendor, rich history, carved stone reliefs, flying buttresses, and stained glass windows are something to marvel at. It’s this blend of features that has made NYC’s famous churches and cathedrals must-see destinations for locals and tourists alike.<\/p>\r\n Editor’s Note: We updated this article to enhance readability.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" New York City may be full of skyscrapers, museums, and music halls, but it also has beautiful churches and cathedrals. Not only do these houses of worship cater to NYC’s many devout communities, but they’re also popular tourist destinations. They boast breathtaking architecture and exquisite artwork. Even those who are not religious, or those who […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":15269,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"yes","_lmt_disable":"no","footnotes":""},"categories":[155],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-15266","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-new-york-living"},"yoast_head":"\nNYC Churches and Cathedrals<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
St. Patrick’s Cathedral<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
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The Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
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Trinity Church<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
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Church of St. Francis Xavier<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
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\u00c9glise St-Jean-Baptiste<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
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The Basilica of St. Patrick\u2019s Old Cathedral<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
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Riverside Church<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
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St. Peter’s Roman Catholic Church<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
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Holy Trinity Lutheran Church<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
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Grace Church<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
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Last Thoughts on Famous Churches and Cathedrals in NYC<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n