The Metroplex’s skyline is as much defined by soaring steeples and buttressed walls as by glass-and-steel towers. From mid-19th-century parish foundations to post-World War I revival masterpieces, these churches reflect the communities that built—and still sustain—them. Below, explore eleven standout landmarks, each with its own story of faith, art, and civic life.
Cathedral Church of Saint Matthew (Dallas)
510 N Akard St, Dallas, TX 75201
Founded in 1856 to serve early Episcopalians in frontier Dallas, Saint Matthew’s moved into its current C.D. Hill–designed Gothic-Revival cathedral in 1929. Its cruciform plan, twin spires, and Indiana limestone façade echo English medieval prototypes.
Inside, Scottish stained-glass windows by James Powell & Sons depict local saints and Dallas landmarks—a rare nod to civic identity—and a 1930 M.P. Möller pipe organ still fills the vaulted nave each Sunday at 11 am.
The cathedral’s weekly “Downtown Eucharist” draws office workers at 12:05 pm, while spring “Spire Tours” let visitors climb for 360° city views.
Central Congregational Church (Dallas)
1530 N Carroll Ave, Dallas, TX 75204
Organized in 1895 by progressive Protestants, Central Congregational’s 1915 Romanesque-Revival home by Walter Ahlschlager stands out for its massive rounded arches and rusticated limestone walls. The sanctuary’s 60-foot-high barrel vault and exposed wooden trusses create both warmth and drama.
Each Sunday at 10:30 am, congregants gather beneath a rare Tiffany ring-chandeliers installation rescued from the 1930s Dallas World’s Fair, and first-Saturday “Heritage Open House” tours highlight WPA-era murals in the fellowship hall.
Emanuel Lutheran Church (Dallas)
418 Young St, Dallas, TX 75202
Emanuel’s congregation dates to 1892, but its current Gothic-Revival sanctuary—completed in 1908—is a downtown standout with lancet windows and a crenellated bell tower. Inside, Art Nouveau floral motifs mingle with traditional German Lutheran iconography on the original pew ends and pulpit, carved by immigrant craftsmen.
Sunday services at 9 am and 11 am resonate with music from its 1912 Skinner organ, and seasonal “Chapel Concerts” showcase local chamber ensembles.
Grace United Methodist Church (Dallas)
4105 Junius St, Dallas, TX 75246
Serving East Dallas since 1913, Grace UMC replaced a wood-frame chapel with its striking 1927 Tudor-Gothic sanctuary. The façade’s decorative half-timbering and steep gables recall English country churches, while the interior’s hammerbeam ceiling and glazed tilework reflect the Arts and Crafts movement.
Beyond Sunday worship at 9:30 am, Grace’s “Community Table” ministry in its adjacent mission hall provides free meals and job training to local residents, continuing a century-old outreach ethos.
Oak Lawn Methodist Episcopal Church, South (Dallas)
3014 Oak Lawn Ave, Dallas, TX 75219
Founded in 1920 to serve the burgeoning Oak Lawn neighborhood, this Late Gothic Revival church erected its landmark sanctuary in 1928. The battered brick buttresses, traceried windows, and octagonal bell tower give the building both gravitas and neighborhood charm.
Inside, original Pewabic tile flooring and a 1928 Holtkamp organ survive beneath the lofty vaults. Oak Lawn ME hosts Sundays at 10:45 am and an annual “Steeple to Street” festival, converting its front lawn into a block party of live music and food trucks.
St. Paul United Methodist Church (Dallas)
1816 Routh St, Dallas, TX 75201
One of the city’s earliest African-American congregations, St. Paul UMC began worship in 1873 and moved into its current Gothic-Revival home in 1911. The church’s soaring stained-glass windows portray the Exodus story alongside local civil-rights leaders, and its carved wooden pulpit was hand-crafted by Black artisans in the 1920s.
Today, Sunday worship at 11 am features a dynamic gospel choir, and monthly “Social Justice Sundays” bring speakers and discussions on community uplift.
First Presbyterian Church of Dallas
1717 Pacific Ave, Dallas, TX 75201
Organized in 1873, First Presbyterian’s soaring Neo-Gothic sanctuary was completed in 1911, anchored by flying buttresses and a towering rose window. Inside, the vaults are supported by stone columns whose capitals are carved with local flora—cotton bolls and bluebonnets—blending Texan identity with European form.
Worship services at 8:30 am, 9:45 am, and 11:15 am draw 2,000 congregants weekly, and the church’s “Steeple Tours” offer panoramic views of downtown from the bell-tower gallery.
Morning Chapel C.M.E. Church (Fort Worth)
903 E Third St, Fort Worth, TX 76102
Built in 1921 for the local Christian Methodist Episcopal congregation, Morning Chapel’s Late Gothic Revival sanctuary now serves as the landmark home of Cathedral of Hope. Its pointed arches and stained-glass medallions remain, framing a re-imagined interior used for worship at 10:30 am and LGBTQ-affirming ministry events.
Annual “Chapel Concerts” celebrate both gospel and classical genres beneath the original stained-glass ceiling.
St. James Second Street Baptist Church (Fort Worth)
1020 Second St, Fort Worth, TX 76102
Founded in 1895 by African-American congregants, St. James built its Romanesque-Revival home in 1921. The sanctuary’s thick stone walls, rounded arches, and twin towers convey permanence amid the evolving downtown.
Inside, clear-glass windows flood the nave with light, spotlighting hand-woven African textiles donated in the 1970s. Sunday worship at 11 am is followed by “Legacy Lectures” on the church’s role in civil-rights-era Fort Worth.
Allen Chapel A.M.E. Church (Fort Worth)
106 S Lamar St, Fort Worth, TX 76104
Dating to 1878, Allen Chapel moved into its brick Gothic-Revival sanctuary in 1914. The exterior’s pointed-arch portals and carved stone tracery reflect late-19th-century trends, while the interior houses a rare Tiffany mosaic of the Good Shepherd above the baptismal font.
Today the congregation meets at 10 am on Sundays and hosts an annual “Founders’ Day” celebration of worship and community service in its adjoining fellowship hall.
St. Patrick Cathedral (Fort Worth)
1206 Throckmorton St, Fort Worth, TX 76102
Fort Worth’s mother church, St. Patrick’s parish began in 1876; the current limestone Gothic-Revival cathedral was dedicated in 1892. Its twin towers—originally capped with spires—frame a massive rose window imported from Munich.
Inside, the carved rosewood pews face a marble high altar beneath ribbed vaults painted in 1920 with Celtic knotwork motifs—an homage to the city’s Irish founders. The cathedral’s weekday Mass at 12:10 pm and Sunday liturgies at 9 am & 11 am welcome a diverse urban flock, and “Cathedral by Candlelight” evensongs offer a contemplative winter-evening experience.
Visiting Tips
Most congregations welcome visitors after their final Sunday service—plan your Metroplex pilgrimage around worship schedules and check parish websites for guided-tour times. Whether you’re admiring the rose window at St. Paul UMC or tracing stone tracery at Central Congregational, arriving post-service provides a quiet, respectful setting for exploration.
Preservation Efforts
Behind each façade lies decades of care: NRHP-mandated restorations at First Presbyterian (1999) and Oak Lawn ME (2004), volunteer-led stained-glass repairs at Cathedral of Saint Matthew, and grant-funded masonry repointing at St. Patrick’s.
Local historical societies and congregational foundations continue fundraising for roof repairs, climate-control upgrades, and preservation of original woodwork—ensuring the Metroplex’s historic churches remain living monuments for generations ahead.
