Six historical churches in Bengaluru that withstood the test of time

By Team Newsable | First Published Dec 17, 2018, 6:12 PM IST

As Bengaluru embraces the pleasant Christmas season with fervour, let's take a look at some of the oldest and most prominent churches of the quaint Bangalore that once was, which still stand today

Bengaluru which is now home to IT giants was not known for high rise structures. While most of the houses and small structures have paved way for the buildings of today, the churches in Bengaluru still stand tall and resplendent in all their glory bearing testimony to the British, French and Portuguese cultures that thrived here once upon a time.

Let's take a look at six historical churches in Bengaluru.

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1. St. Francis Xavier's Cathedral

This church is located on Cleveland Town in Bengaluru which was initially built in 1851 and was reconstructed in 1911. The church is formed in the shape of a cross and is made of granite with a dome above the sanctuary. The construction of the church was interrupted due to World war I and the two columns of the church plan was incomplete due to lack of funds. In 2009, the construction of the church was completed.

2. Holy Trinity Church

The church was built in 1851 and is located near MG Road's Trinity circle. The church was a product of a protest that broke the East India Company's 'One Station, One Church' policy. With the growing population of the British cantonment, St Mark's Cathedral was insufficient to accommodate their congregation and later, the church was taken over by the Indian military after independence. Earlier, the tower of this church was visible from the west end of MG Road. The marble decorations on the wall represent the men and women who helped to build it. The administration and management of the church is now under the purview of the Church of South India

3. St Mark's Cathedral

The foundation stone for this church was laid 1808, and the construction was completed in 1812. This church is one of the most popular churches in Bengaluru and is located off MG Road. It is the oldest Anglican Church in Bengaluru. The structure also follows the English renaissance architecture formed after the 17th century St Paul's Cathedral in England. This church in Bengaluru is known for its community services including services in slums, prison ministry and education of the underprivileged.

4. St Mary's Basilica

The church was consecrated in 1882 and is one of the oldest churches in Bengaluru located in Shivajinagar. This church is also called as the mother of all parishes in Bengaluru. Earlier, it was a small chapel formed by the Christian Tamilians in the area. Even today, the number of Tamil Christians are high, and carries services in Tamil. St Mary's Basilica was the first church in Bengaluru to be hoisted to the status of a Basilica by Pope Paul VI. The church lends itself to the gothic architectural style with added columns.

5. All Saints' Church

The church was consecrated on October 17, 1870 and is located near Hosur Road junction on Richmond Road. The church is not named after any saint. Earlier, the church had been housed as a library and reading room for the army officials and retains its quaintness. The church also got its electricity in 1912.

6. St Andrew's Church:

Located on Cubbon Road, the foundation stone was laid on November 22, 1864, and was completed by November 18, 1866. This church is named after a saint from Scotland, St Andrew. It displays gothic architecture. This bilingual church offers prayer services in both Kannada and English and the church campus and has a garden with more than 31 species of trees. One of its key highlights is the church has a pipe organ dating back to 1881. It also boasts of a stain glass depicting key characters from both testaments of the Bible.

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