10 great American churches and religious sites

Historic churches and religious buildings have a special draw to visitors, says Stephanie Meeks, president and chief executive officer of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. “This history is really important to us, especially at this time of year. It reminds us where we all have come from and the challenges that we’ve overcome in the past.” The Trust recently joined with the national group Partners for Sacred Places to help restore threatened religious buildings (fundforsacredplaces.org). Meeks shares some notable sites with Larry Bleiberg for USA TODAY.

U.S. Air Force Academy Cadet Chapel
Colorado Springs
While this modern design was controversial when completed in 1962, it’s now embraced as a national landmark. The 150-foot-tall aluminum, glass and steel structure has separate chapels for Protestant, Catholic, Jewish and Buddhist worship, plus an all-faiths room used by Muslim cadets. Designed by Walter Netsch of the famed firm Skidmore, Owings and Merrill, “its soaring Modernist architecture is certainly worth a visit,” says Meeks. usafa.af.mil

Sacred Heart Parish
El Paso
Jesuit priests have continuously staffed this congregation since its founding 120 years ago. The present church, completed in 1929, was built to serve 2,000 worshipers, spurred by an influx of Mexican refugees during a period of religious persecution. sacredheartelpaso.org

Touro Synagogue
Newport, R.I.
The nation’s oldest standing synagogue building is celebrated for the letter George Washington wrote to its congregants in 1790, assuring the Jewish community that the new country would welcome all faiths. “This stands as a symbol of religious freedom for all Americans,” Meeks says. The 1763 building is open for tours on Sundays only, through April. tourosynagogue.org

First Church of Christ, Scientist
Berkeley, Calif.
Considered one of the San Francisco Bay area’s architectural masterpieces, this 1910 church was built in the American Craftsman style with Gothic and Byzantine elements. A Christian Science congregation still meets there, and offers tours of the National Historic Landmark on the first Sunday of every month following morning services. friendsoffirstchurch.org

Quinn Chapel AME Church
Chicago
Chicago’s oldest African-American congregation dates to 1844, and played a key role in the abolitionist movement, serving as a stop on the Underground Railroad. “This is a very, very important African-American church. I felt the weight of history when I had a chance to speak there,” Meeks says. quinnchicago.org

Basilica of Saint Josaphat
Milwaukee
Founded in 1901 by Polish immigrants, this Renaissance-style Catholic church in Milwaukee’s Lincoln Village neighborhood was modeled on St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, and has one of the largest copper domes in the world. The interior features murals and Austrian stained glass. A visitors center is open Monday through Saturday, and tours are offered after Sunday’s 10 a.m. Mass. thebasilica.org

First Baptist Church
New Bedford, Mass.
The steeple on this Greek Revival church once served as a landmark for whaling ships returning from sea. Built in 1829, it was the home church of Henry Robert, an army engineer who developed the famous Robert’s Rules of Order when he was unexpectedly elected a church leader and had to run a raucous meeting. While the congregation has moved, preservation groups are working to restore the building and eventually operate it as a theater. destinationnewbedford.org

Ebenezer Baptist Church
Atlanta
Martin Luther King Jr.’s home church holds a special place in our nation’s history, Meeks says. The congregation, located next to the King National Historic Site, welcomes visitors at services, and at other times plays recordings of the civil rights leader’s famous sermons and speeches. “I find it profoundly moving. Going into the space and hearing Dr. King’s words and voice stops me in my tracks,” she says. historicebenezer.org

Wilshire Boulevard Temple
Los Angeles 
Los Angeles’ oldest Jewish congregation stands out for its landmark Moorish-style building and ornate interior. The domed sanctuary features Hollywood-inspired Biblical murals commissioned by the Warner Brothers of movie studio fame. “It’s a beautiful building that has recently undergone a gorgeous multimillion-dollar renovation,” Meeks says. wbtla.org

Washington (D.C.) National Cathedral
This Episcopal building, one of the world’s largest cathedrals, hosts state funerals and national prayer meetings. “This is our nation’s church,” says Meeks, who recently addressed a meeting of the National Trust in the sanctuary. “It was really moving to stand and speak in a place like that.” Open daily for tours. cathedral.org