7. Riverside Church Has Stained Glass from a Cathedral in Europe

Henry C. Pelton, and Charles Collens of the firm Allen, Pelton, and Collens, were commissioned to travel across Spain and France to find inspiration for the church. The duo visited a multitude of churches before they chose two cathedrals; for the nave, they took inspiration from the 13th century Gothic Cathedral of Chartres, France, and their imposing bell tower they modeled after one of the towers Laon Cathedral – again in France.

In addition to calling from inspiration from European cathedrals, Riverside Church features some stained glass from a European cathedral. Over the stairwell in the far end of the narthex are four windows of stainless glass that portray the story of Christ. According to The History of Riverside Church in New York, These windows were originally installed in a 16th century cathedral in Bruges, Belgium. The glass was then moved to the chancel windows of the Park Avenue Baptist Church before being transferred to Riverside Church.