Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania, was founded as a religious community in the late nineteenth century by members of a Christian denomination known as the New Church. Just a mile from the Philadelphia border, this small borough is home to some of the area’s most remarkable architecture, buildings that reflect the religious faith and vision of the community’s earliest residents.
Bryn Athyn Cathedral was built between the years 1913 and 1928 with work on the stained-glass windows and interior decoration continuing into the early 1940s and beyond. The main Cathedral building is Gothic, while the northern and southern buildings are in the early Romanesque style. The symbolic plan is based on the teachings of the New Church. The tour highlights the religious symbolism of the building's architecture and stained glass, as well as the Cathedral's function within the community.
Glencairn, built between 1928 and 1939 in Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania, was once the home of Raymond and Mildred (Glenn) Pitcairn and their children. The building now serves as a not-for-profit museum of religious art and history. Collections include the art and objects of ancient cultures such as Egypt, Ancient Near East, Greece, and Rome, as well as medieval Christian, Islamic, Asian art. Raymond Pitcairn (1885-1966) designed Glencairn in a style based on medieval Romanesque architecture. Pitcairn, who had no formal training in architecture, had previously supervised the construction of Bryn Athyn Cathedral. Glencairn, above all a home, was also designed to house Pitcairn’s outstanding collection of medieval objects, which were purchased as inspirational models for the artists who worked on the Cathedral. A tour of the collection and the original artworks created by Bryn Athyn craftsmen explores art as a form of religious expression.
Meet at the Cathedral entrance at 900 Cathedral Rd, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009 (map)
Know before you go:
This tour is approximetely 2.5 hours long.
This tour is nearest to the Bethayres Station and will require a 10 minute car share for the rest of the way.
Parking is available on site.
Preservation Alliance walking tours utilize an audio system that transmits from a headset worn by the guide to earpieces worn by tour attendees. The equipment is thoroughly sanitized before and after each use. Tour attendees can also plug in their personal headsets or earbuds that use a standard headphone jack (Not compatible with Bluetooth or Apple earphones).
A limited number of $2 tickets are available for PA ACCESS or Art-Reach ACCESS card holders. Please email us at [email protected] for discount.
