Saint Paul’s Chapel at 209 Broadway (between Fulton and Vesey Streets) New York, N.Y was built in 1766. St. Paul’s was the tallest building in New York when it was finished. It is Manhattan’s oldest surviving church building. Land for the church was granted by the Queen of Great Britain at the time, Queen Anne, and was designated in the Parish of Trinity Church.
In 1776, during the American Revolution, the Great Fire of New York destroyed one-third of the city. But a bucket brigade saved St. Paul’s.An archivist discovered an ancient bucket int he rafters of the church which could have been from that historic effort.
On April 1789 General George Washington took the oath of office as the first President of the United States and then went to worship at St. Paul’s Chapel.
The chapel regularly hosts community events, concerts, and art exhibitions. It is open to visitors daily and worship services are held in the chapel every Sunday. Saint Paul’s Chapel welcomes over 1 million visitors every year.
In 2016, the church underwent an extensive restoration to modernize and repair the building. The interior was repainted, and landscaping was added outside. The church got air conditioning installed, repairs to the steeple, and a production room for webcasting.
St. Paul’s Chapel was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1960 and an official New York City Landmark in 1966.