What a cool experience here today Ms Maggie was wonderful and is filled with all the history of the epic landmark! From the selling and renting of the pews to, General Lee and his wife worshiping at this church! Her stories were wonderful and I could have listened to her all day. The church on the inside was so beautiful and truly a sight. My hubby and I really enjoyed the impromptu private tour we were blessed with today. Amazing is an understatement:) if you are visiting old town Alexandria this place is a must see!! If you are lucky Ms. Maggie is your tour guide read more

One of America's oldest sacred worship spaces is located right in the heart of old town Alexandria. This was the church where George Washington and Robert E. Lee were members of, as well as other historical figures. It is still a place of worship today, and it has been beautifully restored to its 18th century look. The tour guide was very informative, as he was answering everyone's questions about the details of the church. Gift shop was not open during my visit. What I found very interesting was how dated this place was. A lot has remained untouched, with of course the exception of electricity and such! I was not familiar with small pulpits and box pews (you know, the ones with doors). There is also a small graveyard in front of the church, including a mass grave of Confederate prisoners-of-war who died in nearby hospitals during the Civil War. The church served as one of the few places to worship for U.S. Army chaplains during that war. Several early U.S. Presidents have worshiped here on occasion, mostly during the 19th century. I was part of a Gray Line Bus tour from DC (which also went to Arlington and Mt. Vernon), and this was our only stop in Alexandria. I'm glad I had the opportunity to come in to this amazing piece of history. Hopefully, you too. read more

I went into Christ Church as part of a tour I was in of Old Town Alexandria during my family vacation to Washington DC. This church was the family church for both George Washington and Robert E Lee. The church is in its original condition from the time of George Washington except for a few things. 1) electric lighting 2) air conditioning and 3) the pews have been changed. The only remaining unchanged pew is the one used by George Washington. Back during Washington's time they were much larger and were done in a square shape instead of in rows. All other pews were changed to rows as the church had to accommodate more people. They have Washington's pew marked that it was his as well as Robert E Lee's. How do they know it was their pew...well again at that time you could and usually did rent out pews for the use of your family...different time I guess. Certainly was an interesting stop. It's a beautiful church and I really appreciate the tour given by one of the members of the church. Certainly was an honor to see a building actually used by the father of our country and one of its greatest men. read more

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I am constantly amazed by the things I have still yet to explore in the DC metro with Christ Church being one of them. I've past it a thousands times when in Old Town, but never have I had the opportunity to really just get out and explore its offerings. Finally after a long anticipated wait; I made time to see what it was about. I went inside the small, quaint church where they have many rows of pews within the one story main sanctuary. The pews all have doors on them and they're numbered on the outside of the doors. When you walk in late -- you're friend can send you a text and say, 'Hey! I am in pew #32". Saved. You'll be able to find them. Let's just hope this is never the case and that you are on time for church. The church was established when the Truro parish branched off from Pohick and Falls Church in 1764, and they established their own parish. It was once called the 'Church in the Woods' because back in the day when it was first erected; the church was far off from the main part of town where Alexandria started on its original 84 acres. As the city of Alexandria grew; the closer it got to the church. Bear in mind this church foundation has been here since 1767 being completed in 1773 in Palladian style. Notable members include George Washington and Robert E. Lee who baptized, confirmed, and a member here before joining the confederacy. Inside the church there are plaques indicating where both Washington and Lee sat when they went to service. Back then in order to fund the church -- they would sell off pew spaces to people who have their designated seating arrangement. GW and Lee essentially had their own assigned seats. GW wasn't there every Sunday. He primarily did business in Alexandria during the week, and preferred to be at home on Sundays to conduct business from home or enjoy the leisure activities of Mount Vernon. GW was not a permanent resident of Alexandria, but he did have a townhouse he stayed in if he didn't want to venture all the way back. Not to mention that to get to Alexandria from Mount Vernon took half a day's horse ride making it very difficult for him to have attended church every Sunday. He was also a vestryman for Pohick where he found himself occasionally too. Franklin Roosevelt and Winston Churchill visited the church on January 1, 1942 to commemorate World Day of Prayer for Peace. In addition to FDR and Churchill, Mrs. Elanor Roosevelt accompanied them too. They have plaques of where they sat in the pews as well. I sat where Churchill sat, and I got chills! One notable thing you'll see is that the church has no vandalism to it like Pohick had suffered during the Civil War. The reason Christ Church escaped any wrath of the Civil Was was because it remained open as a church during the entire war. War chaplains and generals worshipped here keeping it fully functional and intact. It was never converted into anything for war purposes. Outside you will see a very old cemetery around Christ Church. It is neat to see the old grave stones scattered around the church, however, they're not in their original places of where they laid with the deceased. In the Civil War era, grave markers were removed and stacked elsewhere. Again in 1987 when the church was adding additional buildings on the property; they removed the gravestones to make way for the new parish halls. The deceased who were buried in the church yard in caskets have since gone back to soil. Literally dust to dust. Since the early 1800s, people have not been allowed to be buried on the church grounds due to ground acidity. The only thing that can be done is to have their ashes sprinkled on the ground after cremation which is still allowed today. Christ Church has a rich history that is meant to be explored. It has a congregation of 2,400 that is worth visiting. It is LGBT friendly and open to all who want to worship. It is simply a beautiful church with a simply elegance that can't be explained unless you see it in person. I truly did enjoy my visit and looking forward to return for service. read more

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Since moving to the Alexandria area, always have been taken aback by Christ Church. It's a gorgeous memorising place with a fascinating history and lucky to have had George Washington and Robert E Lee as former loyal parishioners who have left a huge mark on the place which is evident to see. Being Irish, it reminds me of many of the Church of Ireland(Anglican) churches and grounds back home. I have been at afew services, I find it my favourite place for worship. There's been abit of controversy about plaques being removed. Which as I'm somewhat an outsider, I sincerely hope are not removed, as they provide a heart and soul to the church and its environs. I know many in the US are dealing with the ramifications of its past. But history is history and it can't be erased. We can only study and learn from it. For the most part the parishioners seem content with their church and just want to pray in peace, why rock the applecart by removing references to history that by and large have no impact on the great vibe and friendly welcoming atmosphere this church exudes? Anyhoo, cheers to the amazing staff and volunteers who keep the place so well kept and welcoming. read more

Beautiful church that George Washington and Robert E. Lee attended. It's amazing to see the pews where they worshipped, and you can sit in them. Only reason for four stars is that when I asked the tour guide questions about certain things, I got a lot of "I'm not sure" replies. read more

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This church is beautiful and has so much history!!! My friend had her wedding here and I really enjoyed the service and the architecture of the church. The church doesnt have a center aisle to walk down, so if you decide to marry here, the bride will have to walk down the aisle on the left to enter, and walk down the aisle on the right to exit. The priestess was extremely friendly. Communion was held during the non-denominational service and did not last forever (as many church weddings sometimes can...) The outside of the church is extremely beautiful as well. Perfect for wedding pictures! read more

Though I moved out of Alexandria over a year ago, Christ Church will always have a special place in my heart. I used to go there as a parishioner and later was confirmed and had my marriage blessed all in the same weekend! I absolutely love how progressive the church is while still maintaining their historical roots. Robert E. Lee and George Washington both attended the church and I do believe some Presidents over the years have gone as well. Not to mention that it is an absolutely beautiful church both inside and out! The clergy and staff are very friendly and genuine. Reverend Ann Gillespie is a such a delight to listen to during the sermon. She was also the one who performed my wedding blessing ceremony (it's essentially a wedding but since we were already married by the courthouse, the church blesses the wedding). I was also confirmed there which consisted of one week night for several weeks of learning all about the Episcopal church and the service. Nothing felt pushed on me, all were welcome and I genuinely looked forward to that weeknight. At the end of the classes if you wished to, you could be confirmed by the Bishop when he came to the church. It was a wonderful, spiritual journey. And even though I myself am not gay, I respect that the church is very LGBT friendly. And it's extremely empowering to see female (and married!) rectors. I miss attending this church and if I ever happen to find myself in Alexandria on a Sunday morning, you can guess where I'll be :) read more

This is one of my favorite places in Alexandria! We were lucky to have a great tour guide who shared with us so many interesting things about this beautiful building with so much history. Back then, you would purchase your own pew. You can see George Washington's pew as he was a parishioner here. General Robert E Lee also worshiped here. There is a tradition that during his administration, each President of the United States visits around Washington's birthday. Every day, Christ Church opens its doors to the public for worship. The cemetery is amazing. If you get a chance to walk amongst the graves you will see some of the most amazing inscriptions on the tombstones. These make it almost feel as if the people who lived so long ago are walking right along side with you. read more

Although I am long gone from The Episcopal Church, I find visiting Christ Church to be very soothing. It's nice to be inside, where it's cool and quiet, and most of the people are nice. There are a few passive-aggressive types here, but that is true for any church. I also hear good things about the current staff and clergy. read more

Small but pretty church. They have people there giving tours/history facts, which is really interesting if you're a history nerd! :) Sat in the pew (#60!) that Washington himself bought back in the day - pretty cool stuff. read more

Christ Church - Churches Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

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Finally a progressive mindset that invited everyone in the area. I really like the people here. They're super nice and smart.

Just off the main drag of King St this church offers free tours. I was expecting to just wander around, but instead was guided around by a docent. That made it extra nice as I he explained about the building history, famous attendees, the pews, alter and a few facts you'd never figure out on your own (like their baptismal was found sunken underwater when it was struck by a ships anchor). Small place, takes maybe 30 minutes if you choose the unofficial guides tour - which probably differs based on who the docent is. read more

I was here the weekend of June 4th and it was a wonderful experience. When we walked into the church, a wonderful, friendly, and knowledgeable lady gave us such a vibrant history of the place and was so eager to answer our questions. This property is gorgeous and truly a hidden gem in the DC-Alexandria area. If you love American history, definitely go here and listen to the historians talk about the past of this Church. read more

This church is the personification of Old Town -- history in the present day, preserved and respected. The priests here are warm and friendly, even though it's a large congregation -- you don't get lost in the shuffle. This is a wonderful church to visit (George Washington attended and Robert E. Lee was baptized here and attended regularly) and also attend. read more

A center of the community and rightly so. Beautiful, historic building and a caring staff.

I love this church. It's beautiful in its simplicity. I was married there, and our son was christened at this old, wonderful church. It is said that the gold background on which The Lord's Prayer and The Apostles Creed is hand-lettered was originally white, but aged to the color of gold. read more