An Architectural Work of Art

One of the most prominent landmarks in Vicksburg is the towering slate steeple of the Holy Trinity Episcopal Church.

Built between 1869 and 1880, the church contains 34 stained glass windows, six of which were designed by Louis Tiffany of New York. Holy Trinity also houses the only known set of stained glass windows honoring the deceased of both the North and the South. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

I was downtown yesterday and had my cameras with me, so I decided to capture some of the truly amazing architectural details of this magnificent old church. The sky was a brilliant blue and it was a perfect backdrop for my pictures.

I actually began my photo shoot at the back of the church, which you can see is as beautiful as its more-photographed front.

You can click on the pictures if you would like to get a closer view of the artistry and intensive labor that went into building the church.

Can you imagine the skill involved in building those parapets ... especially while being suspended that high off the ground!

And speaking of "high off the ground," it not only took the skills of master craftsmen, but also the courage of a superhero to build the awe-inspiring steeple which rises several hundred feet high. It is truly a work of art.

To put the sheer size of the steeple into perspective, this is a picture I took (with a zoom lens) of the steeple a couple of years ago. I was standing on a hill several blocks away from the church, and you can see the clock tower of the old courthouse in the background.

I also discovered this beautiful
little door at the back of the church.

Do you notice anything odd about it? There's no doorknob!

I've always been in awe of the beauty of this magnificent church, but seeing it up close through the lens of my camera made me appreciate it even more ... especially the vision of its architect and the skill and labor that went into making it a reality. Everywhere I looked I saw individual works of art, that when put together like a puzzle, create one of the most beautiful churches in the South. I've never been inside the church, but I'm sure the inside is even more breathtaking than the exterior.

Lagniappe for the day: This old stained glass window is in a building next door to the church. I'm not sure if it belongs to the church or not, but I couldn't resist capturing it with my camera, too.