Exploring local religious architectural marvels!
Religious buildings in our area are historic, beautifully designed and filled with unique architectural elements. “The sacred spaces of Buckhead reflect the delicate balance that defines the city itself,” says Lindsay Weiss, senior project manager at Harrison Design, which has an award winning arm dedicated to religious architecture called Sacred Studio. Countless religious buildings have long played a role in the community, some going back over 100 years. “Part of what makes Buckhead so distinctive is the community’s shared commitment to preserving its rich architectural heritage,” she says. Here are five thoughtfully designed spaces to consider visiting.
Cathedral of Christ the King
Before the Catholic Cathedral of Christ the King was dedicated in 1939, a Greek Revival mansion stood on the Peachtree Road property that was once owned by the Ku Klux Klan. It went into foreclosure under their ownership, and the land was purchased to build a French Gothic cathedral in the style of medieval churches. Designed by Philadelphia- based firm Henry D. Dagit, Christ the King is made of Indiana limestone, Stone Mountain granite, Italian marble and Georgia marble, with the total cost at $400,000 in 1936 [equivalent to more than $9 million today]. There are 65 stained-glass windows throughout the nave that is covered by a ribbed-barrel vault.
The Cathedral of St. Philip
In 1933, the Episcopal Cathedral of St Philip moved to its current home on Peachtree Road as an anchor of “Jesus Junction.” While the building is almost 100 years old, the congregation dates back over 165 years. Drawing from Gothic Revival influences, it was designed by the first head of Georgia Tech’s architecture school, Francis Palmer Smith, and features a cruciform plan, pointed-arch windows, stone walls and stained glass windows by Henry Lee Willet. A central crossing tower above the nave and transepts represents the church as a beacon.
The Church of the Apostles
The 100,000-square-foot sanctuary of The Church of the Apostles, an evangelical congregation, can seat 2,800 people, fulfilling the challenge of creating a peaceful, respectful space at scale. Positioned in west Buckhead and visible from I-75, its steeple towers at 240 feet. There are more than 90 stained glass windows, including a centerpiece rose window. Completed in the early 2000s, the $70 million building reflects a Neo-Gothic style.
The Temple
Founded in 1867 as the Hebrew Benevolent Congregation, The Temple is Atlanta’s oldest Jewish congregation. Its synagogue on Peachtree Street was designed by Philip Trammell Shutze and completed in 1931. The red brick building, arranged in a Flemish bond pattern, features rounded elements throughout, including round-headed windows, a drum dome and Roman Doric colonnades. Inside, plaster relief work, such as friezes with Jewish iconography, vaults and cornices, blends with organic elements such as terrazzo floors, black marbleized-wood columns and gilded motifs.
Sardis Methodist Church
Sardis Methodist Church on Powers Ferry Road was built by Atlanta- based architect Owen James Southwell and is on the National Register of Historic Places, joining only one other church in the area, New Hope AME Church and Cemetery. Rustic and simpler than other Buckhead churches, it reflects a Georgian Colonial Revival style that echoes the early 19th century time period in which the church was founded. The striated brick is laid in a monk bond pattern, giving the facade a textured effect. The churchyard has as many as 750 tombstones with prominent surnames like Collier, Mathieson and Irby dating back to 1869. Be sure to check out the sole mausoleum, built in 1878.
CATHEDRAL OF CHRIST THE KING
404.233.2145
cathedralctk.com
@cathedralctk
CHURCH OF THE APOSTLES
404.842.0200
apostles.org
@apostlesatl
THE EPISCOPAL CATHEDRAL OF ST. PHILIP
404.365.1000
cathedralatl.org
@cathedralatl
SARDIS METHODIST CHURCH
404.237.6060
sardischurch.com
THE TEMPLE
404.873.1731
the-temple.org
@thetemple_atl
