Step Inside These Spectacular Buffalo Churches

Published on December 24, 2017 | Last Updated June 23, 2022

On a clear day, from the top of City Hall’s observation deck, look out in almost any direction. You’ll see a city and its neighborhoods defined by soaring church steeples that have stood the test of time.

Buffalo’s churches were the center of community life at a time when the city was organized in tight-knit, ethnic neighborhoods – Italian parishes in West Buffalo, German & Polish in East Buffalo and Irish in South Buffalo. After a long workweek, parishioners gathered for church suppers and community dances in the parish lyceums and halls – and gave thanks every Sunday at Mass.

Today, these churches continue to be a spectacular component of Buffalo’s world-renowned architectural fabric. As Christmas is almost here, check out these 9 spectacular churches:

: Our Lady of Victory Basilica, 767 Ridge Rd., Lackawanna – photo by Mike Shriver

: Trinity Episcopal, 371 Delaware Ave.

: St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral, 128 Pearl St.

: St. Louis Church: 35 Edward St.

: First Presbyterian, 1 Symphony Circle

: St. Stanislaus, 123 Townsend

: Blessed Trinity, 317 Leroy Ave.

: St. Joseph’s Cathedral, 50 Franklin St.

: Corpus Christi Church, 199 Clark St.

Brian Hayden

Brian Hayden served as Visit Buffalo Niagara's Communications Manager from 2014 to 2020 after working as a newspaper reporter and social media manager in Northern New York. Tweet to him @brian_hayden.