No, I’m not talking about some ancient city in a far off land. I’m here to tell you about Charleston, South Carolina, which earned the moniker the “Holy City” in part because of the many steeples that penetrate the heavens above an otherwise low-rise skyline. This physical trait is unmistakable whether approaching the city by land or sea.

Charleston also earned its nickname because it was one of the most religiously tolerant cities of those established in the original 13 colonies. This fact is evidenced by the many denominations that thrive in the city to this day.

Within the approximate 7.2 square-miles that comprise Peninsula Charleston there are about 70 different churches, temples and mosques. Of course not all of the houses of worship that have played such a large role in the city’s history have these notable spires but each is equally important. A few of the most prominent structures are included in the list below:

• In the center of the city, at the intersection of Broad and Meeting Streets also known as the “four corners of the law,” stands St. Michaels Episcopal Church. Originally built as a small wooden structure called St. Phillips, St. Michael's later burned down and the existing structure was erected in 1751 and given its current name.

It is one of the few American city churches to retain its original architecture. It has survived the Revolutionary War, an earthquake, hurricanes and a direct hit by a tornado and damage from the American Civil War. The scars from a bomb burst are still visible at the base of the pulpit, and the chimes from its  bell tower are electronically generated from a keyboard in the choir loft.

• St. Phillips Church was originally constructed on the site of the present St. Michaels in 1681 and was rebuilt in its current location on Church Street to provide a larger facility for the growing congregation. The church held its first service on Easter Sunday 1723. In 1835 the church burned down but was rapidly rebuilt and reopened in its current form in 1838. At the beginning of the American Civil War, the church’s 11 bells were melted down for weaponry for the Confederate.

This seems rather generous, but it was a practical move, as the excessive height of the church steeple made it a perfect target for a Union canon. On one particular Sunday, a shell exploded in the courtyard, but the service continued unabated. In later years the beacon in the church tower would be used to assist seafarers navigate into the harbor.

• Two blocks north of St. Michael’s on Meeting Street is the Circular Congregational Church. Though not a towering structure, the church’s round exterior walls and Greek cross interior layout make it particularly distinct. This was a major change from the Romanesque style architecture traditionally used for church construction.

The congregation was founded in the late 1600s by a group of Protestant dissenters comprised of French, Scottish and English settlers. Their original meeting house, located on the northwest corner of the walled city, is responsible for the name Meeting Street, or more correctly Meeting House Street, later shortened to its present form.

• Congregation Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim on Hassel Street near the College of Charleston campus was established in 1749 by Jewish settlers to the area. The current building was erected in 1841 in the Greek Revival style, notable for its massive colonnades.

Early on in its history, Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim established a cemetery on nearby Coming Street, which is purported to be the oldest continuously operated Jewish burial grounds in the South. A museum is also on site and depicts the history of the congregation and notable individual members. Guided tours are offered during the week.

• The French Protestant (Huguenot) Church was established in 1681; the current structure was built in 1845 in a Gothic Revival style and is unique among the structures downtown. The church houses a distinctive tracker pipe organ carved in the style and shape of a Gothic chapel and provides the baroque resonance that is affiliated with Bach and Handel compositions. The French Protestant church is the only remaining independent Huguenot church in America.

• Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal (AME) was founded in 1791 by freed and enslaved African Americans. Within its congregation was Denmark Vesey, who was convicted of organizing a slave rebellion to overthrow the city. The rebellion led to a ban of all-black churches in the city, forcing the congregants to go underground until 1865 when the churches were formally reorganized. The current stucco structure was completed in 1891 after fires and an earthquake ravaged the prior wooden structures.

When you visit this beautiful city, take some time during your trip to become a “holy stroller” and check out these edifices, all of which are within easy walking distance of one another. Also, don’t overlook the adjacent graveyards as they have a unique story to tell as well that covers the history of this country from before the Revolutionary War to the present day.