The beautiful Romanesque-Revival Central Christian Church in Austin was designed by the head of the Architecture Department of the University of Texas, who added elegant and subtle relief details everywhere he could to amplify the meaning and significance of this gorgeous church building.
Examples of reliefs that caught our eye are the relief Ten Commandments on an exterior window frame, the intricately carved round windows along the front of the building, the carved reliefs over the doors, and the instructive garden of Eden relief in the courtyard, depicting two doves kissing, a fruit-laden apple tree, and an intertwined serpent.
From the Church website: (
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""In 1847, eight years after the City of Austin was platted, ten members of the Disciples of Christ Brotherhood met to organize this congregation. Although early records of the church are scarce, it is known that the early congregation met in a log cabin near what is now 6th Street and Congress Avenue and that regular worship services were being held in a local school building by 1852. The Christian Church of Austin, as the congregation was originally known, acquired its first property at Eighth and Colorado and worshiped at that site until moving to its current location in 1929. An early dispute over theological and procedural matters split the congregation in 1888. Until 1896, when the Rev.S .D. Dutcher was appointed pastor, leaders of the church were selected from among the laity. The fellowship adopted its current name during the early years of the twentieth century, after other Disciples of Christ congregations had been organized in Austin.
The building you see today was built in 1929 and was designed by co-architects, church member Robert Leon White, chairman of the Department of Architecture at the University of Texas and Samuel Charles Phelps Vosper. The Central Christian Church built in 1928-29 in Austin represents the Romanesque Revival in overall style, planned through the Beaux-Arts architectural approach to eclectic historicism. The interior of the Sanctuary is similar to the Basilica San Miniato Al Monte in Florence, Italy with its repetitive arches, column spacing, painted trusses and semi dome over the choir and baptistery.
The congregation saw significant growth during the ministry of Rev. Dr. Sadler between 1936 and 1941 but reached its peak membership during the 28 years of leadership under Rev. Dr. John Barclay from 1941 through 1969. Dr. Barclay represented Protestants by giving the prayer at John F. Kennedy’s presidential inauguration in 1961. President Lyndon B. Johnson was a member and attended Central Christian while serving as a U.S. Senator.
In 2010, a major restoration project was conducted on the church building, bringing back the beauty the original designers had envisioned and providing protection to the structure for many years to come.
In 1985, the building was entered onto the Texas State Historical Commission list of historical places, and in 1992 was listed on the National Register of Historical Places.
After 1960, this corner of downtown Austin hosted a new trend of deterioration of urban fabric, growth of nearby businesses and county and state government facilities, and movement of residential occupants away from the city center. The Central Christian congregation occasionally considered following residents to the suburbs, but on each occasion renewed its commitment to the downtown facility. Fortunately, their pride in the building resulted in the preservation of the beauty and integrity of this urban landmark. Although much growth has occurred in the outlying sections of the city, Central Christian Church has remained a vital force in the downtown area. Its ministry has included the establishment of several other congregations. As one of the oldest churches in Austin, Central Christian has provided the city with significant service and leadership."