First Unitarian Church of Baltimore

1 W Hamilton St

Baltimore, Maryland 21201

410.685.2330

www.firstunitarian.net

Today, I woke up and asked myself, “What’s the most patriotic thing I can think of?” The obvious answer was church architecture, so I got out of bed and Google-mapped my second church. Recognizing that most institutions are closed on the Fourth of July, I called three churches to see if they were open before setting off to the First Unitarian Church of Baltimore.

The church stands a block or two south of Mount Vernon Place United Methodist Church. In its vicinity are various bus stops, storefronts, and small franchise buildings that begin to resemble twenty-first century Baltimore more than historic Mount Vernon Place. However, the Unitarian church stands as a benchmark of Baltimore history, and like the Methodist Church, is listed on the National Historic Register. 

The church is a dome-topped cube with wall lengths of 53 feet and 6 inches, the same dimension as the dome’s diameter. Though you can’t see the dome in these photos, the cubic rigidity of the building is glaringly apparent. Built in 1818 by Maximilian Godefroy, it follows the proportional canons of nineteenth century neoclassicism. At the same time, the building manifests a bold departure from typical examples of neoclassicism by boasting a relatively plain exterior. The structure’s main visible element, the cube, is emphasized by its lack of ornamentation. Its decoration is limited to a portico and a structural element that juts out approximately two-thirds of the way up, as well as at its top. Incorporating four, arch-supporting columns, the portico bears a pediment. Standing proudly in the middle of the pediment is a terra cotta relief sculpture known as the Angel of Truth, which was designed by Antonio Capellano.

Considering its function as a Unitarian Universalist church, the commission of a neoclassical design was appropriate for this building. Neoclassicism intrinsically recalls traditions of democracy and universality in classical buildings such as the Pantheon, which served as a temple to all of the gods. By choosing this style instead of neo-Gothicism, the church builders forewent a traditionally Christian symbol for one that was more equivocal.

I entered the church through its office entrance, which was donated in 1879 by Enoch Pratt, a Baltimore philanthropist for whom the Enoch Pratt library, located in the church’s vicinity, was named after. In fact, the building is made from bricks taken from townhouses that were demolished to make room for the library. When I rang the doorbell, a young boy greeted me, and I asked if I could come in to take a look around. His face said that the answer was no (I found out later that though I had called earlier, the church was in fact closed for the holiday), but he was too polite to say so and welcomed me inside. He introduced me to an older man who told me that the church offered docent-led tours every first and third Sunday of the month. Luckily for me the boy chimed in that Valerie, one of the docents, was there and that she could tell me about the church. I gratefully followed him into the church, where Valerie was talking to some other guests. As she finished up her conversation, I took in the church’s interior.

From the inside, the church’s dome seems nonexistent. I later found out on my tour that a corbelled barrel vault had been constructed below the dome in the late 1800’s because the acoustics had been terrible under the original structure. In addition to the barrel vault, several other features were added in the late nineteenth century, including a Niemann organ, a Tiffany mosaic, and six Tiffany stained glass windows. Though the mosaic presumably depicts a scene of the Last Supper, the windows make no allusions to any religious iconography, and instead depict architectural elements that can be found in the church, such as columns. Underneath the mosaic are circular symbols representing various religions. Also of interest to me were the three banners that hung in the church, representing support of LGBT individuals, connectivity with the Earth and the universe, and the church’s openness to all people.

Though my decision to visit this particular church was entirely arbitrary, it seems like a fitting choice given today’s role as a commemoration of the Declaration of Independence. The church stands as a tribute to truth and universality, visually communicating the idea penned in the 1776 document that all men are created equal. Happy Independence Day!