Delve Into the History of the ST. John Church – Mcleodganj, Dharamshala

Mcleodganj, Dharamshala is a place where you can escape from the reality and have a peace of mind. And the best thing here you can visit is the ST. John Church – where you find beauty and history collaborating with one another.

The ST. John Church in Mcleodganj is an old and beautiful church that is situated at the dense forest that comes between ForsythGanj and Mcleodganj. The church has a rich history and the place is extremely beautiful that you cannot explain in just mere words.

The history of ST. John Church

The church has an important and beautiful history. It was built in the year 1852, during the British rule. It was built in the memory of John the Baptist. It has the most beautiful architecture one can find in the entire Himachal Pradesh.

The building of the Church is made of Gothic Stone and it is highly noted for its Belgium stained-glass windows that were donated by Lady Elgin. Lady Elgin was the wife of Lord Elgin and in the year 1861, Lord Elgin became the Governor-General and the Viceroy of India. Upon his death in the November 20, 1863, and he was buried at the courtyard of the same Church.

The structure of the church building is extremely strong and powerful. During the 7.5 magnitude earthquake that occurred in the year 1905 in Kangra, over 20,000 people and 50000 livestock lost their lives. But, by the God’s grace, the church survived the massive earthquake with only the Bell Tower destroyed.

About ST. John Church

The church is located 8 kms from Dharamshala and the way to the church is extremely beautiful. The neo-gothic structure of the place is what attracts the people towards the place and people love visiting the church.

It is not just about religious sentiments; but also about the beauty and serenity of the place that makes everyone fall in love with the church. You can see the precious stones and structure of the church, standing tall – making the place look enormously beautiful. The deodar forest and the fine long pine trees are other things that make the place worth a visit. The surrounding of the Kangra Valley and the Deodar forest is so beautiful that you can sit down for hours and fall in love with the place.

The church gates open from 10 am to 5 PM. You can visit the church during these hours. If you would like, you can also visit on Sundays to be a part of the prayer session.