Calvary Episcopal Church

By Ralph Adams Cram - American Churches, Volume 1. New York, The American Architect, 1915., Public Domain

Location:

315 Shady Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15206

Description:

Calvary Episcopal Church is a prominent Gothic Revival landmark located at 315 Shady Avenue, at the corner of Walnut Street, in the Shadyside neighborhood of Pittsburgh. The parish was founded in 1855 and the current limestone building, designed by noted architect Ralph Adams Cram, was completed between 1906 and 1907. Its soaring spire reaches approximately 220 feet, enhancing the building’s vertical emphasis, and the structure measures about 208 feet long and 108 feet across the transepts, with a seating capacity near 1,000. The sanctuary features exquisite stained-glass windows crafted by firms such as Heaton, Butler & Bayne of London, C. J. Connick of Boston, and William Willet of Pittsburgh, paired with richly detailed woodwork and an oak rood screen carved by Johannes Kirchmayer. Cram regarded this church as one of his finest works, reflected in his architectural memoirs.

The building was recognized as a Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation historic landmark in 1969 and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2012. Calvary remains an active Episcopal parish, hosting multiple services each Sunday and offering accessible facilities for visitors, including ramps and an elevator.