Trinity Church

Trinity Church

An anomalous chapel in the otherwise doggedly agnostic Financial District, Trinity Church is now an idyllic sanctuary for Wall Street lunchers and visitors. That's a far cry from its eighteenth-century incarnation, whose vast landholdings in lower Manhattan made the church the wealthiest, and most influential in America. Founded in 1697 by King William III of England on the land of an extant cemetery, and built on the taxable backs of New Yorkers (Anglican or not), Trinity Church has evolved considerably over the centuries; burnt in 1776; rebuilt; and demolished again in 1839. The present Church was built in 1839 and constituted a significant contribution to the American Gothic revival of that time. The Church's signature architectural element, the 280-ft. bell tower and spire, when built, stood as the tallest structure in all of Manhattan. (Now, the Church seems positively miniature amidst all these triumphant office buildings). The cemetery is Trinity's most popular feature, a tranquil grassy lawn any visitor can share with some interned national heroes (Alexander Hamilton is one notable resident). Today, the church-gates are an improvised September 11th memorial, one of several in the affected area.