Trinity Church

Trinity Church review

The unabashedly ornate Trinity Church is the visual centrepiece of Copley Square. And now that a much-needed, $47 million restoration project is complete, its interior murals and stained-glass windows are equally impressive. The original church was on Summer Street, but was destroyed by fire in 1872. Commissioned to build a replacement, architect Henry Hobson Richardson rejected the Gothic Revival style prevalent at the time and instead took inspiration from the ancient churches of southern France. It proved to be his masterpiece, so much so that the term 'Richardsonian Romanesque' entered the architectural jargon. The church is also known for its extensive murals - almost every inch of wall was handpainted by a team led by American artist John La Farge. The impressive stained-glass windows include four that were designed by the English Pre-Raphaelite painter Edward Burne-Jones and made by Arts and Crafts pioneer William Morris.