5.19.2013

A QUIET SANCTUARY AMID THE BULLS AND BEARS

In the middle of the financial district of lower Manhattan, where Broadway intersects with Wall Street, is the beautiful Trinity Church.

In 1697, a little over 70 years after the Dutch settled in New York as a trading post known as New Amsterdam, Trinity Church was granted a charter by King William III of England.
Designed by American Institute of Architects co-founder Richard Upjohn, the third, and current, church building was consecrated in 1846. This church building is one of the first and finest examples of Neo-Gothic architecture in the United States. The Gothic arch design can be seen in the repeating arches, vaulted ceiling and arched stained glass windows. The stained glass along both sides of the nave is considered to be some of the oldest in the United States.





































Above the entrance, a visitor can see the new virtual pipe organ that was installed in 2003 after the dust, ash and smoke of September 11th rendered the previous pipe organ unusable.























  












In 1976, Queen Elizabeth II was presented with symbolic "back rent" of 279 peppercorns on her historic visit to Trinity Church.  A plaque on the entrance floor commemorates her visit.

















Among the gravestones of the churchyard is the tomb of Alexander Hamilton, the first Secretary of the Treasury.  His face appears on the $10 bill.  In the photo below, his tomb is to the far left, large white marble with the urn-like structures on the corners and the flat-top pyramid on top.  Also buried in this churchyard is Robert Fulton, inventor of the steamboat.
Trinity Church is located where Broadway intersects with Wall Street. For travel information and hours of operation visit the website here.

All photos in this post were taken by me during my trip to New York City in September, 2012.

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