Trinity Church

 As many times as I have visited Boston, I never once thought of entering Trinity Church. Of course, I have passed by it on numerous occasions and noticed its architecture with awe or indifference, depending on the day. I've seen its name appear time and time again on Boston travel guides and yet somehow ignored the recommendation to tour it myself. Until this past weekend, that is. On Sunday after the 11:15 service, I took advantage of Trinity Church's only free tour of the week, led by an incredibly informative docent named Peter. Thanks to his enlightening commentary, I learned a great deal about the church's origins and the individuals who played a part in its creation.

 It was a man by the name of H.H. Richardson who designed this great building, in a style that became known as Richardsonian Romanesque or Romanesque Revival. Taking inspiration from the Romanesque style of earlier periods, Richardson added color and warmth, thereby illuminating the space. The result of this richness, along with a Greek cross plan and the total lack of any columns, is that visitors feel extremely welcomed. I certainly did. An young artist called John La Farge (along with his team) was the one actually responsible for the 22,000 square feet of decoration. Miraculously, it took him and his team only five months to complete all the murals and other decorative features. 

The stained glass came from a variety of different studios, including William Morris's and Clayton & Bell. Edward Burne-Jones, famed member of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, was a part of Morris's team and left his mark on more than one stained glass. I had no idea. What was both thrilling and interesting was how unique each set of stained glass windows looked, depending on which studio was responsible. In a way, it's strange that they all call Trinity their home because each has its own style and personality. 

This spring, PBS will air a special on the "Ten Buildings That Changed America." Trinity Church is number two on their list and after touring its interior, I can see why. Though the architect and a majority of the artists studied in Europe (and most of the stained glass came from European studios), the church feels distinctively American. It does not feel at all like the grand cathedrals of France or Belgium that I toured years ago. The materials are different; the history is different. It did not feel stark or isolating. On the contrary, the site felt truly democratic in nature. And when I left, I left feeling proud of its presence. It truly was spellbinding. 

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For those with curious minds, the other nine buildings that changed America (according to PBS) are:

1.Virginia State Capitol-Richmond, Virginia, 1788

2. Wainwright Building-St. Louis, Missouri, 1891

3. Robie House-Chicago, IL, 1910

4. Highland Park Ford Plant-Highland Park, Michigan, 1910

5. Southdale Center-Edina, Minnesota, 1956

6. Seagram Building-New York, New York, 1958

7. Dulles International Airport-Chantilly, Virginia, 1962

8. Vanna Venturi House-Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1964

9. Walt Disney Concert Hall-Los Angeles, CA-2003