8 Most Beautiful and Awe-Inspiring Churches and Cathedrals in Massachusetts

Massachusetts is home to more than 4,500 religious organizations and churches, many of which feature stunning architecture and unique details. The state features historic religious buildings with beautiful stained-glass windows, intricate mosaics, and elaborate exteriors. Discover the eight most beautiful and awe-inspiring churches and cathedrals in Massachusetts and learn about their rich histories and architectural styles.

Trinity Church

Located in the Back Bay neighborhood of Boston, Trinity Church is a part of the Episcopal Diocese. The church’s congregation formed in 1733 but the church was built between 1872 and 1877. Henry Hobson Richardson designed the church in a Richardsonian Romanesque style, which he coined, incorporating French, Spanish, and Italian characteristics from the 11th and 12th centuries.

St. Leonard’s Church

The St. Leonard of Port Maurice Catholic Church is part of the Archdiocese of Boston. It is most notable for its historic Italian immigrant parish. St. Leonard’s broke ground in 1885 and was not completely open to the public until 1899. It features a Romanesque Revival architectural style and is famous for its Peace Garden and St. Anthony shrine.

Boston’s Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help

The Mission Church (its informal name) is a Roman Catholic Basilica in Boston’s Mission Hill neighborhood. The Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer has ministered to the Parish since 1870, when the original wooden church first opened. The current Romanesque style building broke ground in 1874. You will find Munich-style stained-glass windows, spires from 1910, and a Hutchings organ installed from 1897.

The First Church of Christ Scientist

This church is the mother church and headquarters of the Christian Science church and is located in the Back Bay neighborhood of Boston. It sits in the Christian Science Plaza and contains the original church built in 1894, the extension completed in 1906, a library, reflection hall, and administrative buildings. The original mother church features a Romanesque style, while the extension is an Italian Renaissance.

King’s Chapel

This stone chapel was completed in 1754 by colonial architect, Peter Harrison. It now houses the Christian unitarian congregation and has been a National Historic Landmark since 1960. King’s Chapel is architecturally and historically significant. This Georgian-styled chapel sat vacant during the American Revolution but was reopened in 1782. Along with its long history, King’s Chapel features hand-carved wooden columns and a chapel bell hung by Paul Revere and Sons in 1814.

St. Anthony of Padua Parish – New Bedford

The Roman Catholic church of St. Anthony of Padua is in New Bedford, Massachusetts, and is part of the Diocese of Fall River. While the French-Canadian Catholics founded the church in 1895, the current building didn’t break ground until 1902 and wasn’t completely finished until 1908. Interior decoration of the church was not complete until 1912 by Italian sculptor John Castagnoli, who left a lasting contribution of 32 gigantic angel sculptures. The church also features a large manual pipe organ built in 1912.

MIT Chapel – Cambridge

The nondenominational MIT Chapel sits on campus of the famed Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge. Eero Saarinen, a notable Finnish American architect and designer, designed the building in a mid-century modern style. It is often portrayed as a successful example of this type of architecture. The cylinder-shaped building has no windows and features an aluminum spire. The inside offers an intimate gathering area with a circular skylight to shines natural light onto a marble altar. The MIT Chapel was complete in 1956.

Old North Church

Located in the North End neighborhood of Boston, the Old North Church is the oldest standing church in the Boston area. It is a notable historic landmark. This Episcopal mission church has stood since 1723. It even assisted Paul Revere during his midnight ride in 1775, when Robert Newman placed lanterns on the steeple. However, the original steeple perished in an 1804 hurricane and was replaced in 1806. William Price was the architect, and he designed the building in a Georgian style. He gained inspiration from Christopher Wren, an English architect.

Summary of the Most Beautiful and Awe-inspiring Churches and Cathedrals in Massachusetts

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