900 Broadway, Nashville 37203
(615) 255-7729
Tours are given on Saturdays from 10a to 12p, Sundays after 8:30a and 10:30a liturgies.
Churches may be called beautiful for reasons such as historical value, architectural features or artistic contribution. But surely there is one church in all of Tennessee that would be categorically described as breathtaking in its beauty to everyone who sees it, and that is Christ Church Cathedral in Nashville. For more than 200 years the parish has been a focal point for the city for its service to the community during trying times and good, and along the way it created a cathedral that became one of the most impressive architectural gems in the state.
It began in 1820, when the first Episcopal parish was organized in Nashville, and within a year the cornerstone of the original church was laid on what is now Church Street and Sixth Avenue North. Over the next decades the church grew, and as fate would have it, the Civil War increased the parish for one special reason: it was, at times, the only church to offer regular worship. Interestingly, this is because the stained-glass windows were so dark that it was useless to the Union army as a hospital or garrison, and so was spared occupation like the other downtown churches. By the end of the war there were many new members, and it was evident from the number of weddings, baptisms, and burials that the small church was bursting at the seams. The solution: purchase a lot at the corner of Broadway and 9th Avenue in 1883 and build a new church! And so the plans began, and it became clear that despite the modest size of the congregation, the vision for the church was monumental.
Lord Jesus Christ, make this a temple of your presence and a house of prayer. Be always near us when we seek you in this place. Draw us to you, when we come alone and when we come with others, to find comfort and wisdom, to be supported and strengthened, to rejoice and give thanks. May it be here, Lord Jesus, that we are made one with you and with one another, so that our lives are sustained and sanctified for your service.
– The Book of Common Prayer
Architect Francis Hatch Kimball of NYC was engaged to build the church, whose impressive resume included the Empire Building and Catholic Apostolic Church in New York City. In 1890 work began on the chapel for what would ultimately become one of the finest examples of Victorian Gothic style churches in the US. It seems clear that Kimball had exquisite (i.e. expensive and visionary) taste, and the despite incurring much higher than budgeted costs, the congregation made the decision to move forward to complete the church, getting donations of materials from various groups along the way to stretch the budget. Such was the commitment to their vision, and boy, were they rewarded! In 1894 the completed church was unveiled to much fanfare, and today it is considered a true masterpiece of architecture.
No doubt recognizing its spiritual and aesthetic contribution, Christ Church was designated the Cathedral for the diocese of TN at the 1995 Diocesan Convention. As written in Christ Church Cathedral: History and Architecture, “Built to the glory of God, a cathedral’s architecture and interior furnishings bear witness to the majesty and beauty of God through the creative gifts of builders and craftsmen.” Apologies to the writer, but there are creative gifts, and there are craftsmen. To witness a collaboration such as this that is so inspired,…. This cathedral is an outstanding achievement, not only through its architecture but also through its devotion to outreach, music, and spiritual education.
Where to start with the stunning elements of the church! Outside, the limestone edifice is topped by gargoyles, and heavy oak doors open to tiled vestibules. Inside, your eyes are drawn upwards to the gorgeous dark wood ceiling rising to peaks throughout the space, supported by granite columns and decorated with trefoils. The colors of the space, in greens and browns and punctuated by jewel tones, are both soothing and hypnotic.
Another New York architect, Silas McBee, was commissioned to design the elaborately carved reredos (or ornamental screen behind the altar), carved by a renown Swiss master woodcarver Melchior Thoni, who settled in Grundy County. Look closely and you will see the birth and crucifixion of Christ as well as the Saints Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. And just below the reredos is a beautiful carving of the Last Supper.
To the left of the altar is the Baptistry, marked by a baptismal font, created for the only immersion baptismal pool for an Episcopal church in Tennessee (although it has not been used for decades). I love the carvings on the marble, full of symbolism, such as the pelican using the blood from its breast to feed its young which refers to the Blood of Christ.
If you are a fan of stained-glass windows (and who in their right mind isn’t?!), there are 55 that you will love. Tiffany Studios created two sets of triple windows in the clerestory (or upper story of a church, extending above the roofs of the aisles). Artists Charles Booth and Charles Hogeman created windows for the altar and the Great Wheel Window, and other famed artists created the remainder.
It may be easy to overlook this room, so be sure to seek out the chapel in a hallway to the right of the altar. This room, the first to be built, is not only incredibly charming but also a very intimate and spiritual space that I love to visit. I have been here to see dear friends be married and it was hard to envision a more lovely space.
Perhaps one of the most stunning features of the church is the pipe organ, with a whopping 3,370 pipes! This organ replaced the one installed in 1894 in 2003. I can tell you that the acoustics of the church are incredible and were obviously very much a part of the design from Day One. The congregation has embraced the possibilities of sound and has an entire calendar of musical events that are not to be missed, including their famous BACHanalia Festival, jazz and organ concerts, as well as choral festivals.
Trust me, you do not want to miss seeing this gorgeous Sacred Site for yourself! Come for a cathedral tour so that you can be guided through all the spaces and can have the small and large details pointed out to you. Come for a service and be treated to a congregation that truly appreciates their surroundings. I find myself drawn there again and again and cannot recommend it enough.
Christ Church Cathedral is located on Broadway close to I40 and very near to the Frist Art Museum. There are limited spaces in the adjacent parking lot, but there is an overflow lot behind it, accessible from 9th Ave. Downtown Nashville and it's attractions is a convenient walk away.
The information for this blog comes from the church's History, Tours & Archives page, as well an informative paper called Christ Church Cathedral: History and Architecture.
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