The Renowned Old South Church in Boston, is a beautiful example of Northern Italian Gothic Architecture. The outstanding beauty of the architecture was profoundly appreciated by the English Architectural critic John Ruskin. First Organized in 1669, The Old South Church is a wonderful piece of architecture is also known as “New” Old South Church or The Third Church and is the third house of the congregation.
In 1873, Charles Amos Cummings and Willard T. Sears styled the Church in the Gothic Revival design and was modified by the architects Allen and Collens later in 1935-1937.
In 1970, The Church was titled a National Historic Landmark due to its great High Victorian Gothic design architecture. It is located at the northwest corner of the Copley Square, Boylston Street.
History Of The Congregation
The Congregation, initially called the Third Church in Boston, is one of the oldest religions in the US and it was born in 1669 over the controversial question of Baptism. It was organized by the Congregationalist’s protesters from the First Church of the Boston. The ministers of both the First Church and the Second Church opposed the “Halfway Covenant” of 1662 so, keeping the Halfway Covenant consistent, twenty-eight lay members renounced the First Church and founded The Congregation in Belief.
Samuel Sewall, William Dawes, Benjamin Franklin, Samuel Adams and Phillis Wheatley were also the members of Congregation. In the early 90 century during the Unitarian movement, the old south was the only Church that stuck to the doctrine of Trinitarianism and resisted Unitarian movement, and continued worshipping God.
Architecture Of The Old South Church
The Old South Church was designed by the Boston based Architectural firm of Charles Amos Cummings and Willard T. Sears in 1870-1872. The beautiful Gothic Style of the Architecture follows the fashion mentioned in “The Stones of Venice”, the thesis of British architectural critic John Ruskin. Cummings and Sears used Roxbury Conglomerate also known as the Puddingstone to build the exterior of the church.
A beautiful work of striped yellow-beige and deep red in an alternating course pattern has been done on the several walls and arches.
Campanile
The Identifying feature of the Old South Church, Campanile, is a tall tower which can be seen from far away.
On the western end of the Church, the tower rises to a height of 246’ with the church’s bell inside of 2020 pound.
There was a campanile before this one was built and this one is almost similar to the 1875 design but the former one began to list by the 1920s.
Lantern
A Copper Clad Cupola is centered above on the east end of the Church.
This Lantern reminds the Venice’s Basilica of St. Mark.