Charleston's Historic Churches and Synagogues

Charleston’s historic downtown religious sites showcase architectural and spiritual diversity, spanning from the mid-18th to the late 19th century. This timeline begins with St. Michael’s Church (1752), Charleston’s oldest surviving church, and extends to Mother Emanuel AME Church (1891), a historic symbol of resilience and faith in the African Methodist Episcopal community. Many of these buildings were rebuilt or significantly altered in the mid-19th century, reflecting Charleston’s rich architectural evolution. Known as the "Holy City," Charleston features a range of denominations, including Protestant, Catholic, AME, Reform Judaism, and the unique French Huguenot Church, each contributing its distinctive legacy to the city’s landscape. This guide also includes notable historic religious sites outside downtown, completing a portrait of the Lowcountry's enduring spiritual and cultural heritage.

Historic Churches and Synagogues Downtown Charleston

St. Michael's Church (1752-1761)

  • 71 Broad St.

  • Oldest surviving church building in Charleston

  • Georgian architecture with historic English clock and bells

St. Philip's Church (1681 original, current 1836-1838)

  • 142 Church St.

  • One of Charleston's oldest congregations

  • Famous steeple aligned with Church Street

Cathedral of St. John the Baptist (1890)

  • 120 Broad St.

  • Main Catholic cathedral

  • Gothic Revival with notable stained glass

French Huguenot Church (1844)

  • 136 Church St.

  • Only Huguenot church in Charleston

  • Gothic Revival architecture

Circular Congregational Church (1892)

  • 150 Meeting St.

  • Congregation dates to 1680s

  • Known for unique round sanctuary

First (Scots) Presbyterian (1814)

  • 53 Meeting St.

  • Federal style with Greek Revival elements

Unitarian Church (1772, altered 1852)

  • 4 Archdale St.

  • Gothic Revival with historic graveyard

Bethel United Methodist (1797, rebuilt 1852)

  • 57 Pitt St.

  • Oldest Methodist congregation

St. John's Lutheran (1816)

  • 5 Clifford St.

  • Oldest Lutheran congregation

St. Matthew's Lutheran (1872)

  • 405 King St.

  • German Gothic Revival with prominent steeple

Second Presbyterian (1809)

  • 342 Meeting St.

  • Greek Revival with tall spire

Mother Emanuel AME (1891)

  • 110 Calhoun St.

  • Oldest AME church in the South

  • Historic civil rights significance

St. Stephen's Episcopal (1836)

  • 67 Anson St.

  • Greek Revival design

First Baptist (1822)

  • 61 Church St.

  • First Baptist congregation in the South

St. Mary of the Annunciation (1838)

  • 95 Hasell St.

  • Oldest Catholic parish in Charleston

Centenary United Methodist (1842)

  • 60 Wentworth St.

  • Gothic Revival with stained glass

Zion-Olivet Presbyterian (1842)

  • 134 Cannon St.

  • Historic African-American congregation

St. Luke's Chapel (1825)

  • 181 Ashley Ave.

  • Former military chapel, now part of MUSC

St. Johannes Lutheran (1842)

  • 48 Hasell St.

  • Historic German congregation

Mt. Zion AME (1882)

  • 5 Glebe St.

  • Historic African-American congregation

Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim (1840)

  • 90 Hasell St.

  • Considered the birthplace of American Reform Judaism. Second-oldest synagogue in the US

Notable Historic Churches Outside Downtown

Old St. Andrew's Parish Church (1706)

  • 2604 Ashley River Rd.

  • South Carolina's oldest surviving church

Grace Episcopal Church (1848)

  • 98 Wentworth St.

  • Cathedral of the Episcopal Diocese of SC

Stella Maris Catholic Church (1869)

  • Sullivan's Island

  • Gothic Revival near Fort Moultrie

St. James Church (1720s)

  • James Island

  • One of SC's oldest parishes

Christ Church (1726)

  • Mount Pleasant

  • Classic Lowcountry setting

St. Thomas and St. Denis Parish Church 1708 (original; current building later)

  • 1515 Cainhoy Rd., Wando

  • Historic rural setting with colonial architecture.

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