St. Paul's Church
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Location | 138 Tremont Street, Boston, Massachusetts |
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Coordinates | 42°21′21″N 71°3′44.84″W / 42.35583°N 71.0624556°WCoordinates: 42°21′21″N 71°3′44.84″W / 42.35583°N 71.0624556°W |
Built | 1819 |
Architect |
Alexander Parris Solomon Willard |
Architectural style | Greek Revival |
NRHP reference # | 70000730 |
Significant dates | |
Added to NRHP | December 30, 1970 |
Designated NHL | December 30, 1970 |
The Cathedral Church of St. Paul, Boston is the historic cathedral church of the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts. Located at 138 Tremont Street near Downtown Crossing, directly across from Boston Common and Park Street Station, the cathedral is adjacent to the diocesan offices. The current dean of the cathedral is Jep Streit. The church, designed by Alexander Parris and Solomon Willard and built in 1819, was the first Greek Revival church in New England, and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1970 for its architectural significance.
St. Paul's was founded in 1819 when there were two other Episcopal parishes in Boston, Christ Church (better known as Old North Church), and Trinity Church. Both had been founded before the American Revolution as part of the Church of England. The founders of St. Paul's wanted a totally American parish in Boston.
Unusually, at that time, for a church building, St. Paul's was built in Greek Revival architectural style. Its architects were Alexander Parris, best known for Quincy Market, and Solomon Willard, best known for the Bunker Hill Monument. Its granite exterior and sandstone temple front have changed little since its construction. A carving of St. Paul preaching before King Agrippa II was intended to be placed in the pediment over the entrance, but was never executed.