Stop, Look, and Linger

There are so many magnificent buildings in Charleston that go unnoticed, especially if you’re driving. Even if you’re walking, you have to make a concerted effort to stop and really look. Next time you have the chance, pause for a few minutes in front of one of these jewels—be it a public building, church, or residence—and grant yourself the luxury of just looking. Try to linger longer than you think you have time for.

First Baptist • 61 Church Street

For instance, the First Baptist Church has one of the simplest facades in the city. Its neoclassical design includes Doric motifs of simple columns and capitals, a bare frieze with triglyphs, and an empty pediment. The columns lend grace, grandeur, and generous access to 3 sets of doors that are capped by arched Palladian windows.

Take a good look (preferably in person) and try to imagine this facade without the arched windows. Notice how they not only ‘lift’ the doors, but how they soften the effect of so many right angles in the rest of the design. Then try to picture the facade without the three rectangular windows that are 8 feet above the doors.

The empty space would be too much; the upward motion would be too emphatic. As it is, these small windows imperceptibly slow the eye as it is drawn up by the columns and doors. Their slightly rectangular shape—the effect would not be the same if they were square—also serves as a visual weight that keeps the pediment (the triangle up top) from jumping skyward.

What’s fascinating is that these three windows are the least spectacular part of the facade, yet they are the modifying ingredient in the upward thrust and the hinge that unifies all the other parts—columns, doors, frieze, and pediment. The overall harmony of proportions also enables the church to coexist unobtrusively in a residential neighborhood. Although its scale is larger than the houses, it does not feel at all out of place.

Don’t forget to study the wrought iron fence in front. The box-shaped stanchions with pointed caps reinforce the vertical thrust of the church. Without them, the fence (as only a horizontal line) would hold the eye down. Notice, too, the built-in lamp posts—an elegant and uncommon feature in wrought-iron fences around town. Their perfect placement serves almost as a frame to the front view of the church. The fence designer(s) obviously took great care to complement the architect’s precision.

Trinity United Methodist • 273 Meeting Street

For fun, here’s a comparison: Trinity United Methodist Church. This design is more massive, based on a more elaborate (Corinthian) style, with more columns, and only one door (see the detail below).

This time, try to imagine the effect if there were no decorative cornice above the door, or if the door was larger or smaller. If you’re there in person, you’ll also see that this building is higher off the ground than First Baptist Church. There is a different feeling as you walk up two flights of steps to this ‘house of worship’. In fact, it’s nice to do just that and spend a few minutes appreciating the massive doors and the spaciousness of the tall ‘porch’. After all, lingering—especially if you’re really looking—is good for the soul, and what better place to nourish it than in front of a beautiful church. ¶

Detail of carved doors

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First Baptist Church
61 Church Street
Robert Mills, architect
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Trinity United Methodist Church
273 Meeting Street
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