Interdenominational Protestant Riverside Church is the tallest Church not only in new York, but also in the USA. Its huge Gothic tower with dvadtsatidvuhletny house (119 meters) is visible from afar.

In the early twentieth century financier and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller, Jr., and a famous preacher Harry Emerson Fosdick decided to build a large interdenominational Church, open to all who believe in Christ. To draft Rockefeller sent architects Henry Pelton and Charles Collens in Spain and France that they found inspiration in the works of European masters. Construction took only three years. The first service was held here in 1930.

The Church was immediately struck by the townspeople: it looks like a magnificent example of medieval European architecture. The building is completely clad in limestone, decorated with carved reliefs, pointed arches, pilasters, gargoyles, buttresses, extra long spires. The main Western portal with the figure of Christ surrounded by the symbols of the evangelists and numerous saints, almost completely copies the Central portal of Chartres Cathedral. The bell tower also repeats one of the towers of Notre-Dame-de-LANs, only it is much higher prototype and has a steel frame inside. The Carillon consists of 74 bells, one of which is dvadtsatiletnii Bourdon, the largest Carillon bell in the world.

While outside the riverside Church seems old building, inside it was designed as an office building with elevators, underground garage Parking and air conditioned. Occupying two blocks of the building includes not only the temple, but also a kindergarten, a library, auditorium, sports and conference facilities: the Rockefeller wanted the Church was a social center.

The political center, it also became common. Here 4 April 1967 Martin Luther king Jr. made his speech against the war in Vietnam a Time to break the silence." 2,400 people (accommodates as many temple), with bated breath, listened to his angry words: "When machines and computers, profit and property rights are considered more important than people, it is impossible to defeat a giant Trinity – racism, materialism and militarism." There were Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Nelson Mandela, bill Clinton, Koffi Annan, and even Fidel Castro. The Church participates in the national religious program against torture, fights against the death penalty, helping inmates with AIDS, immigrants.

Tourists usually are not interested in social activities Riverside community Church – they simply enjoy its beauty. The interior is decorated as richly as the building, with the same Gothic motifs. Luxury stained glass in the upper Windows – copies of Chartres, the labyrinth on the floor of the altar. The stained glass Windows in the narthex, a genuine work of Flemish artists of the sixteenth century.