St. Mark’s in the Bowery Church

St. Mark’s is Manhattan’s second‑oldest church building, with continuous worship on the site since the 1660s, and its current structure, a Georgian‑style fieldstone church, was built between 1795–1799 under architect John McComb Jr. and later adorned with a Greek Revival steeple by Ithiel Town and Martin Thompson in 1828. Over time, Gothic‑Egyptian Revival elements appeared, including cast‑iron columns and a porte‑cochère by James Bogardus in the mid‑1800s .

Culturally vibrant, the church has been a hub for artistic expression since the early 20th century, hosting performance events like Isadora Duncan and Martha Graham dances, avant‑garde theater (Ontological‑Hysteric), the Poetry Project (since 1966), and Danspace Project (since the 1970s). The interior, with its rose window and vaulted galleries, retains an atmosphere both sacred and community‑oriented.

Interesting Facts

• Historic site: Continuously worshipped since Peter Stuyvesant’s 1660 chapel—second‑oldest church structure in Manhattan.

• Arts incubator: Nurtured dance pioneers (Duncan, Graham), poets (Gibran, Millay), Patti Smith’s debut reading, avant‑garde theater, and live jazz.

• Stained-glass revival: Post‑1978 fire, new abstract windows by Harold Edelman (upper level) complement historic lower panels.

• Landmark status: Designated NYC Landmark (1966) and listed on the National Register (1972).

• Public art: Bronze statues “Inspiration” & “Aspiration” by Solon Borglum from 1920s flank the portico.