36 Breathtaking Churches Across the U.S. to Add to Your Bucket List

30. Mother Bethel A.M.E. Church – Birthplace of a Denomination (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)

Stand on historic ground at Mother Bethel A.M.E. Church, the mother church of the African Methodist Episcopal denomination – the first independent Black denomination in the U.S. Founded by Richard Allen in 1794 on land purchased by him, this site is the oldest piece of real estate continuously owned by African Americans in the country. The current striking Romanesque Revival building (1889) houses Allen's tomb in the basement crypt. Visiting Mother Bethel offers a profound connection to African American history, religious freedom, and the fight for civil rights.