Standing as a proud testament to Charleston's religious tolerance, churches and synagogues scattered throughout the historic port have defined Charleston's landscape since its founding. Built by Anglicans, Huguenots, Presbyterians, Congregationalists, Quakers, Baptists, Lutherans, Jews, Catholics, African Methodist Episcopalians, and almost every other denomination found on American shores, Charleston's sacred structures comprise the finest collection of antebellum religious architecture in the country. In one grand photographic tour, The Churches of Charleston and the Lowcountry captures the drama, history, and architectural significance of the buildings that continue to draw architects, historians, architectural enthusiasts, and tourists to the city for study, reflection, and inspiration.
From St. Michael's, a Charleston landmark, to such lesser known but equally impressive houses of worship as the Unitarian Church and St. Matthew's Lutheran Church, the sixty structures spotlighted in this volume offer glimpses into the religious, social, and economic development of Charleston and into the architectural fashions of colonial, federal, and antebellum America. The Preservation Society of Charleston, America's oldest community-based preservation organization, documents the city's illustrious religious heritage through congregational histories, architectural descriptions, and stunning interior and exterior photographs. Palladian, neo-Gothic, Georgian, Federal, and neo-Romanesque churches tell the story of a city blessed not only with a variety of religious communities but also with an array of architectural styles. With its compelling blend of architectural, religious, and social history, The Churches of Charleston and the Lowcountry preserves a visual record of the structures that have earned Charleston's celebrated stature as the "Holy City."