First Presbyterian Church (Pittsburgh) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids First Presbyterian Church of Pittsburgh |
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| 40°26′29″N 79°59′57″W / 40.441522°N 79.999121°W | |
| Location | 320 Sixth Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15222 |
| Country | United States |
| Denomination | Presbyterian |
The First Presbyterian Church of Pittsburgh is a church in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. It is a very active community of people. The building you see today was finished in 1905. It has been a special place for many years.
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Amazing Church Design
The church building was designed by an architect named Theophilus Parsons Chandler. It was built in 1905. The style is called neo-Gothic, which means "new Gothic." This style looks like the grand churches built a long time ago in Europe.
Beautiful Stained-Glass Windows
Inside the church, there are 253 stained-glass windows. These windows are made of many pieces of colored glass. They create beautiful pictures when light shines through them. Thirteen of these windows were hand-painted by a famous company called Tiffany Studios. Their windows are known for their amazing colors and designs.
Giant Oak Doors
The main worship hall has two huge oak doors. Each door is 30 feet tall and weighs two tons! That's like the weight of two small cars. Even though they are very old, these doors still work. They can be rolled open to connect to the choir area.
A Long History
People aren't exactly sure when the church community first started. But there are clues from as far back as 1783. A person named Mr. John Wilkins wrote about arriving in Pittsburgh. He noticed that there wasn't a Presbyterian church yet.
Early Days of the Church
Mr. Wilkins felt that something needed to be done. He wanted to help start a Presbyterian church in Pittsburgh. After some time, a minister named Rev. Samuel Barr came to town. He preached a few sermons, and people liked him. They offered him a job, and he became the first minister. This was for what is now called the First Presbyterian congregation in Pittsburgh.
Official Recognition
The church became officially recognized in 1787. A special law was passed in Philadelphia. This law allowed the Presbyterian Congregation in Pittsburgh to be a formal organization. This helped the church grow and become an important part of the community.
Images for kids
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First Presbyterian Church of Pittsburgh in 2016
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One of the stained glass windows created by Tiffany Studios
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Wooden ceiling and the eastern wall of stained glass windows
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The cemetery
