FOCUS TOUR: TWO LANDMARK CHURCHES OF DOWNTOWN
July 18 @ 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
$25.00
First English Evangelical Lutheran Church and Smithfield United Church of Christ
Friday, July 18
10:00 a.m. – Noon
$25 per person
This tour is limited to 20 participants.
Purchase a ticket below. Tickets will not be available after 11:30 p.m. on July 17.
Located 525 feet from each other, First English Evangelical Lutheran Church and Smithfield United Church of Christ seem to hail from different architectural universes. The modest scale and sturdy demeanor of First Lutheran (Andrew Peebles, dedicated 1888) call to mind an English country church. In contrast, Smithfield United (Henry Hornbostel, dedicated 1927) feels more attuned to the tall buildings that had been rising in Pittsburgh since the 1890s. With good reason: it’s built on a steel frame, and its unusually airy steeple is constructed of aluminum, a quintessentially modern material. The churches’ interiors draw attention and encourage contemplation in equally distinctive ways, with exquisite artistry in wood, stained glass, and mosaic.
Spoiler alert for this tale of two churches: First Lutheran Church was formed when a group broke away from the parent congregation of Smithfield United Church of Christ. The two congregations’ histories, in other words, are interwoven. Tour participants will be delighted by the architectural and historical surprises these two churches hold.
Tour meeting point: Courtyard of First English Evangelical Lutheran Church, 615 Grant Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15219. Note: As of this writing, the sidewalk in front of the church is closed from the end of the courtyard to Strawberry Way. Please approach the church from Sixth Avenue
Tour ending point: First floor of Smithfield United Church of Christ, 620 Smithfield Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15222.
Please arrive 15 minutes before start time in order to ensure that the tour gets underway on time.
Accessibility: First Lutheran Church is fully accessible to people with disabilities. Smithfield United Church of Christ’s accessible entrance is located to the left of main entrance; the church does not have wheelchair-accessible restrooms.
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All tour participants under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Children under the age of 13 may attend tours free of charge. By purchasing a ticket for this tour, you acknowledge that you are physically able to undertake the tour, assume all personal risk during the tour, consent to being photographed during the tour, and permit PHLF to use your image in our communications.
All ticket sales are final.
