American Church in Paris, Protestant church in 7th arrondissement, Paris, France
The American Church in Paris is a Gothic Revival church at 65 Quai d'Orsay, built in 1931 to designs by architect Carrol Greenough. Its light beige stone tower rises above a wide pointed-arch entrance, with two tiers of pointed windows, carved bands, pinnacles and a pierced parapet. Inside, a nave with clustered columns and pointed arches leads to an altar, stained glass and a large pipe organ.
American Protestants began worshipping in Paris homes in 1814 and moved to the Oratoire du Louvre in 1816 under Talleyrand's protection. The first American chapel was built in 1857 on rue de Berri, and Napoleon III officially recognised the church in 1858. In 1925 the congregation bought land on Quai d'Orsay and commissioned architect Carrol Greenough; the first stone was laid on 1 March 1926 and the building was completed on 6 March 1931.
The church draws worshippers from around the world who gather to share services conducted in English, making it a crossroads for expatriates and international visitors. This cosmopolitan character has shaped its identity as a gathering place beyond national boundaries.
The church stands at 65 Quai d'Orsay in the 7th arrondissement, near the Invalides métro station (lines 8 and 13) and the Invalides RER C station. The entrance is through the pointed-arch doorway at the base of the stone tower on the quai side.
The church's organ, built by the Beckerath workshop of Hamburg, has four manuals and 3,375 pipes and was inaugurated with concerts on 7–9 October 1988. Its Gothic-carved wooden case took the sculptor Günther Hamann some 900 hours of work.
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