User:Pixelpriest/First Congregational Church of Los Angeles

First Congregational Church of Los Angeles

First Congregational Church of Los Angeles was founded in 1867 and is the oldest Protestant church in continuous service in Los Angeles. The present cathedral style building is the church's fifth home and was completed in 1932. It was designed by Los Angeles architects James E. and David C. Allison in the gothic revival style and built of reinforced concrete. The construction was very forward-looking for its day. Imbedded in the concrete are over 500 tons of steel bars.

The entire structure, including Shatto Chapel and the Seaver Building, encompasses an area of 157,000 square feet. At its apex is a massive tower, which rises to a height of 157 feet. Its design is reminiscent of the tower of Oxford University's Magdalen College.

The First Congregational Church of LA is home to the largest church pipe organ in the world with approximately 346 ranks, 265 stops, 233 voices, 18 divisions and more than 20,000 pipes, as well as the largest draw knob consoles built in the Western Hemisphere. From until 2001, Frederick Swann was the Organist in Residence.