St. Stephens Church

Location: On the main Church Mission Road, near the Old Delhi Railway Station

Open: On Sundays only but the caretaker opens it on request on any day.

Admission: Free and open to all.

How to Reach: Tourists can either take local buses from various points within the city to reach the church in old Delhi, or they can hire auto-rickshaws, taxis and metro rail.

Preferred Timings: Sunrise to sunset

Photography charges: nil

Nearest Railway Station: Old Delhi Railway Station

Nearest Metro Station: Delhi Main

Functional Metro Station: Delhi Main

Nearest International Airport: Indira Gandhi International Airport

Time required for sightseeing: 25 minutes

After crossing the Fatehpuri Masjid while moving towards the Old Delhi Railway Station, St. Stephens' Church is located on the left hand side of the main Church Mission Road just opposite the police booth. Built with local material in the year 1862, this rectangular Romanesque church reflects the typical gothic style and has a very high ceiling with baroque style of decoration.

One of the main attractions of the church is the stained glass rose window and is said to be the only of its kind in the whole capital. The nave of the church has arched openings between the circular pilasters allowing the sunlight from the window. The church also has a series of fine plasters forming an arcade on the either side with lined columns. The columns are made up of sandstone and are beautifully carved. The interior of the church has also been well maintained with all its motives, icons, carvings and furniture. There is also a very tall bell tower situated to the north east of the nave of this red colored church.

According to the local belief of the people, the buildings associated with St. Stephens (college as well as the hospital) are red in color because the pious saint was a martyr who was stoned to death with blood everywhere on his body while preaching the tenets of Christianity. The church is closed on all days except Sunday. However, it is opened on request as the caretaker lives nearby. It would be a nice gesture on visitor's part to give baksheesh (tip) to him.

Special Event / Annual Event

Prayers are held on every Sunday. The church is attractively decorated during Christian festivals. Various cultural and social programmes are organized round the year. For details contact the local authority or Church of North India office on Pandit Pant Marg.

Nearby Tourist Attractions

Jama Masjid, Chandni Chowk, Salimgarh Fort, Kashmeri Gate, St James Church, Dara Shikoh Library, Lothian Cemetery, and Rajghat.

Nearby Places to Eat

Karim Hotel, Ghantewala sweet shop, food stalls near Jama Masjid, Paranthewali gali, Natraj hotel, Chor Bizarre of Broadway Hotel, Daryaganj's Flora, Peshwari, Moti Mahal Restaurant, Worker's canteen of Inter-State Bus terminal and many roadside food stalls are there for refreshment.

Nearby Shopping Venues

Chandni Chowk (curios, souvenirs, silver and glass bead jewellery) Nai Sarak (books), Chor bazaar (electronic goods), Daryaganj book market (on Sunday) and Chatta Chowk in Red Fort (traditional and contemporary jewellery and handicrafts)

Last Updated On: 2011/07/04