Trinity Church
Location: 74 Trinity Place, New York, NY, 10006
Denomination: Protestant: Episcopal
Founded:1697
Overlooking Wall Street, Trinity Church is one of the oldest religious institutions in New York City. Founded in 1697, the Episcopal Church serves a wide variety of parishioners in Lower Manhattan. It’s hard to miss this vibrant, elegant church alongside so many enormous, intimidating financial Lower Manhattan financial buildings. Trinity Church adds a touch of calm, collective history to the hustle of the Financial District.
History
Trinity Church was founded in 1697, receiving a charter from King William II to begin services in New Amsterdam. After establishing itself as a major religious institution in Lower Manhattan, Trinity established Kings College, which eventually became Columbia University. The church’s infrastructure suffered multiple setbacks: the church was town down twice after a large fire in Lower Manhattan in 1776 and snowstorms in the late 1830’s before it’s current form, designed by Richard Upjohn, was erected in 1846. Through both the 19th and 20th centuries, Trinity Church remained a constant grounding force for the community, establishing everything from community outreach programs to St. Paul’s Chapel “to reach parishioners living ‘uptown.’” St. Paul’s Chapel was an especially prominent figure after the attacks on September 11th, 2001, serving as a both a medical and a religious place of rest directly across the street from the World Trade Center site.
Learn about the architecture and feel of the church by watching our video:
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