Here at LOUtoday we endeavor to bring you the most relevant, timely, and exciting news + events around Derby City. But sometimes, our best ideas come from you.
Reader Marcie A. recently emailed us with a question: “Louisville has many cool old churches (perhaps historic) that I’ve often wished I could tour. Is there such a tour available?”
Marcie is right on — Louisville is sometimes even called the City of Beautiful Churches. This one’s for you Marcie, here are four historic Louisville churches worth paying homage.
Last Refuge
This historic church in NuLu was built in 1880, but has since been converted to a tasting room for Heaven’s Door Distillery. The “high church of bourbon” has two bars and an event space, but much of the original church structure is still intact. Don’t miss the stained glass windows, which you can see from inside and out.
St. Martin of Tours
According to Father Paul Beach in an interview with the Courier Journal, doors of this church “haven’t been locked since 1996.” The Phoenix Hill church is open at all hours, and has the remains of two saints killed almost 2,000 years ago and shipped to Louisville from Rome in 1901. The church is open for self-guided tours and peaceful reflection.
St. Boniface has been continuously active in LOU for almost 200 years.
Photo by Nheyob via Wikimedia Commons.
Saint Boniface
Founded in 1836, Saint Boniface is the oldest currently operating Catholic Church in Louisville, and the current building was built in 1900. Many artifacts from the original building were transferred to the current one, including several statues and altars. The church offers a self-guided tour booklet, but guided tours for groups or individuals are available as well.
Town Clock Church
This historic church is a small jaunt across the river in New Albany, IN, but you can take a tour without leaving home. The site, which was a fixture on the Underground Railroad, has an online virtual tour with 360-degree images of the basement and both chapels. The church is occasionally open for in-person tours as well.
