Christ Church Cathedral

Details

Listed in the National Register of Historic Places

Francis H. Kimball, a New York architect, designed Christ Church. Built from 1887 to 1894, it is one of Tennessee’s finest examples of Victorian Gothic ecclesiastical architecture. Hallmarks of the Victorian Gothic style are evident in the rich colors and textures of the stone work, the thickness of the walls, the overall heaviness of the building, and details such as the carved stone gargoyles of animals and birds. The fine cut Sewanee sandstone was a gift from the University of the South. The interior includes a beautiful wooden altarpiece carved by Swiss emigrant Melchoir Thoni and triptych stained glass windows by Tiffany Studios of New York. Although originally planned in 1890, the tower was not added until 1947, under the supervision of Nashville architect Russell Hart.