There’s a church in New York City that few people know about, but it’s rumored to be the most visited church in the United States. This is St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, and its history is truly astonishing.
It begins at the beginning of the last century, when the church acquired a rather modest residential building, which was converted into a church that existed until September 11, 2001. Look at the photo to see how close the church stood to the Twin Towers.
The Greek St. Nicholas Church was the only building outside the original World Trade Center complex that was completely destroyed. Almost none of the church’s contents were recovered. Among the most valuable lost artifacts were the relics of Saints Nicholas, Catherine, and Sava, donated to the church by Nicholas II. They were removed from the safe on holy days for veneration.
After years of disputes and even lawsuits, a 198-year lease was signed (until 2215, with an option to extend for another 99 years), and Santiago Calatrava, a man you’ll surely know from his work on the World Trade Center, was appointed architect.
The new church building takes the form of a round, domed church with four towers, a nod to the Byzantine churches of Hagia Sophia and the Holy Savior in Chora (both in Istanbul). Architect Santiago described the church as “a human presence in an ensemble of giants,” a metaphor for how the religious building appears among enormous skyscrapers and transportation hubs.
By the way, the temple is also officially a community center and a “house of prayer for all people,” so they will be glad when you decide to visit.
📍St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church / 130 Liberty St, New York, NY 10006
