Top 5 Churches

A haven for heathens and dissenters, Charleston's Holy City is home to a wide variety of churches, each with their own unique style and history. With my class, I visited ten of these churches. Here are my top five (with a bonus).

#5: Saint Mary's Roman Catholic Church

Catholics weren't always the most welcome in Charleston due to the large number of Protestants, nonetheless, St. Mary's was established in 1789. It is the first Catholic church in the Carolinas and Georgia. This church makes the list because of its extravagant classical Greek revival design featuring a large cross at the very front and center of the church. It boasts beautiful iron wrought fences and elaborate tiling. 

#4: St. Philip's Episcopal Church

Established in 1680, this church has a fruitful history. In the accompanying churchyard, you can find the graves of Patriots who signed the Declaration of Independence. One thing that sets this church apart, is that it was not built in the Greek revival style like many prominent buildings were. Instead, this church sports an anglo-palladian style and overlooks Charleston. One time I heard a group of people singing inside and it was beautiful. 

#3: Second Presbyterian Church 

After dissenting from the Church of England, worshipers from all over Charleston congregated in White Meeting House. These worshipers included dissenters from England, Ireland, Scotland, and France. Wanting to establish their own practice, tailored specifically for them, a twelve families left the White Meeting House and established the First Scots Presbyterian Church. This new church grew so rapidly, a second church was deemed necessary. The new church, called Second Presbyterian Church, was established in 1809 and deemed the oldest edifice of its kind in Charleston. It includes walls made from brick and stucco. Another interesting feature of this church is that the pews still in use today are from 1849.

#2: French Huguenot Church

The roots of this church date back to the 45 French Protestants that traveled to Charleston on the ship Richmond. These worshipers established the church in 1687 on the corner of Church St. and Queen St. The number of French Protestant refugees in the Low Country spiked and by 1700 there were more than 450 Huguenots settled here. Interestingly, the original church had been destroyed in an attempt to stop the spread of fire. I loved this church because of the subtle, pink exterior.

#1: KKBE Synagogue

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