Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant – temples and churches of all denominations found their home and adherents in the small Canadian city of Saint John on the shore of the picturesque Bay of Fundy. Some of them are no older than a hundred years, their walls covered with frescoes still exude fresh scents of raw plaster and paints. Others humbly serve for more than a century and cherish the heritage of the past. Such temples inspire visitors to snuggle up to them and listen to sacral stones whispering their story. Here you can see the remains of barely preserved frescoes, icons and ancient altars once touched by ancestors: priests and parishioners.

The early Anglican Church of Saint John is one of these old churches, witnesses of the mysterious past, and a true treasure of the present. It was built in the early 19th century on Carlton Street in the heart of the city. Mostly known as Stone Church, the Anglican shrine is considered a significant monument of temple architecture and one of the main landmarks in Saint John. Since this majestic construction, erected by the famous Scottish architect John Cunningham, adorned the provincial city, it has been standing out of other buildings and impressing fans of ancient architecture with a unique romantic style of the Gothic Revival. The combination of the main construction in the Classicism style of the 18th century with Gothic elements (gabled arched windows and scalloped cornices) impresses even those who are not interested in temple architecture.

The interior of the medieval temple with an old altar at the head astounds no less than the appearance. The fascinating altar dating from 1872 was designed by the Canadian architect Matthew Stead who made the project of the entire Hinckley Hill Historic District in Calais, Maine, United States. The unique colorful stained-glass windows perfectly preserved to this day in their original form deserve particular attention.