St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, Philadelphia, Gothic Revival church in Center City, Philadelphia, United States.
St. Stephen's Episcopal Church is a Gothic Revival building with pointed arches, steep rooflines, and ornate stone carvings located in Center City. The structure rises prominently at the corner of Tenth and Ludlow Streets, displaying the hallmarks of early American Gothic design.
William Strickland designed this church building in 1823 as a departure from the Greek Revival style that dominated Philadelphia's religious architecture at that time. This project represented a turning point in how the city approached ecclesiastical design.
The church displays artwork created across two centuries, with sculptures by Carl Johann Steinhauser and stained glass by Louis Comfort Tiffany that shape how visitors experience the interior.
The building welcomes visitors during regular worship services and is generally accessible at other times for those wanting to look around. It helps to check ahead since hours may vary depending on events or special occasions.
A plaque on the exterior wall references Benjamin Franklin's famous kite experiment, though historians debate exactly what happened at this location. This local connection shows how the community preserves ties to Philadelphia's scientific past.
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