This SC church ranks as the state’s most beautiful building. Why tourists love it
Tourists love the views at one South Carolina church — and now it ranks as the state’s most beautiful building.
The Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Charleston topped the list after visitors raved about the stained glass windows, soaring ceilings and other features of the imposing religious structure, according to results published on Dec. 8.
To create the rankings, the home repair service tool Angi said it studied online travel reviews in each state. Using data collected from the website Tripadvisor in August, analysts looked at reviews that most often contained the word “beautiful.”
“We narrowed our analysis to buildings in the following categories: architectural buildings, churches and cathedrals, government buildings, religious sites, historic sites and points of interest,” Angi wrote in its report.
The Cathedral of St. John the Baptist has roots dating back to 1821, when a bishop purchased land in South Carolina. A church was built on the site but burned in the mid-1800s before it was reconstructed, according to the S.C. Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism.
More than a century after the cathedral reopened in 1907, photos posted to Instagram show the building filled with a decorative ceiling and windows. Several Tripadvisor users said they were fans of the inside of the church as well as its towering outside appearance, helping it to earn an average of more than four out of five stars.
The cathedral is a Catholic church located on Broad Street in Charleston, where the tolerance of religious beliefs helped lead to the nickname “Holy City,” according to state tourism officials.
Though the cathedral ranked No. 1 for beauty in South Carolina, it wasn’t named among the nation’s most beautiful buildings. Nationwide, the top honor went to North Carolina’s Biltmore House, which also was found to be the third-most attractive place in the world.
The cathedral was recognized for its appearance after Charleston earned a similar honor. In October, the tourist destination made it onto a list of the most breathtaking cities across the globe, McClatchy News reported.
Angi didn’t immediately share additional information with McClatchy News on Dec. 19.
