center church & crypt

Cheerfulwanderer

This little-known attraction is rarely open, so check the hours. The crypt contains the old New Haven cemetery with some interesting occupants and lovely gravestones carved with interesting decorations. Some gravestones are from the late 1600's. The stained glass in the church is also lovely and shows the founding of New Haven.

440JohnS440

Be careful, because they only open the crypt on a couple days / week and its for a short time. A couple church volunteers guide the guests, and the two that greeted us were great people. Lots of interesting information, very nice. The crypt was incredible...very interesting, and the volunteer told us all sorts of stuff about it. There's a donation jar near the front door, but no pressure to put anything in it.

jstock2431

This was a very cool crypt. Not very large, but has a lot of history. If in he area make sure you stop by.

MaryFHodson

The Center Church is the oldest religious congregation in New Haven. At one time, thousands of the early colonists of New Haven were buried on the Green. The current church was built in 1813, over part of that early cemetery. The crypt contains tombstones from 1687 to 1812, including that of Benedict Arnold's first wife. Tours are given on Thursdays and Saturdays from 11-1. Our tour guide gave a very informative talk about the church, crypt and early settlement of New Haven.

chairduck

Man, I wish I had found out about this years ago! We would've taken all our family members.I don't want to spoil too much about it, but the haphazard array of 300-year-old tombstones—many of which created by, let's say, people who weren't expert stone carvers—is a sight to behold. The tour is free; our guide kept things speedy while telling us some of the more interesting stories of the church and the people that are buried there. We were even given the chance to explore the crypt on our own (I mean totally on our own; it was spooky) and read the elaborate descriptions on some of the grave markers. Look for the one that goes on for what feels like paragraphs about how smart and wonderful and beloved the interred was; I wanted to laugh out loud...before remembering where I was and what I was reading.Sadly the "still dead after all these years" t-shirt mentioned in a previous review is no longer available, although they do sell small commemorative plates of the church. Don't forget to leave a donation on the way out; it's worth it.

BobbieB853

Take a tour of this historic church and see the tombstones of early New Haven residents in the basement that used to be part of the cemetery in the Green.

NewY0rkTraveler

We really enjoyed the "underground tour" of the cemetery under the church. (for full disclosure our teenage son was not so enamored). If you're interested in colonial history it's certainly worth the time.

heidi224

The church itself is beautiful but the crypt tour was so interesting. Creepy to have headstones in the basement but so well preserved. A must see.

sunshin3daydr3am

If you get a chance to visit the church and crypt, do it! If you're a planner, like I try to be, do call ahead. We were surprised when we arrived during the crypt tour times posted online (11am-1pm) to find the church completely locked and with no signs indicating why. We walked to the church office a block away and eventually the person there figured out they cancelled tours for the day, but told us to try to visit around 4pm when they were holding a special event. Tours are available for the cost of a donation and are very interesting. In the church, you can see Eli Whitney's pew and the crypt tour was very informative (with Benedict Arnold's first wife being one of the burials). Definitely check this one out!

06410cheshirect

This tour is the neatest thing. Church elders guide the tour which includes tons of info on the history of New Haven, the NH Green as well as the Grove Street Cemetery. Duck your heads and experience a graveyard in the basement of a church. They used to sell t-shirts ("Still dead after all these years") and I hope they still do! I visited almost 10 years ago, and that wasn't a timeline choice on Trip Advisor when reviewing, but I encourage you to go if they are still touring.

shelleyhc

Who knew that Benedict Arnold's first wife lies under the church on the Green? The tour guide was knowledgeable and helpful, the headstones are so well kept, and the history is so interesting!I have lived in New Haven for 43 years and just now discovered this jewel of a piece of American History!

Patricia29

A beautiful church with early graves still in the basement from Colonial times. Open occasionally with guided tours of limited numbers of sightseers.

Kittery

I've been looking forward to visiting the crypt for several years now, but yesterday was the first time that both of our schedules lined up. The crypt is in the basement of the Center Church, and it feels very basement-y with its harsh lighting, low ceilings, and ventwork. I thought it would be more like the crypt scene in THE SOUND OF MUSIC--a little spookier, with larger/different monuments that the typical gravestones you can see in most old CT graveyards. The visit is free and donations are accepted. Our tour guide was very sweet but wasn't any help in understanding the importance of anything. I'd say this is the perfect way to kill 30-45 minutes, but it's not a destination by itself. If you are a history buff or a cemetery fan, then there's more here for you, but only if you already know the facts/history/lore coming into the visit. The Center Church is quite beautiful and there are three restrooms, one handicapped accessible.

OwnedByCatsInConn

A must visit for anyone interested in a brief history of New Haven, this tour starts in the church (look for Eli Whitney's pew!) and proceeds to the crypt downstairs. The Center Church was built over a portion of the upper New Haven Green, which was the area's original cemetery. During the yellow fever epidemic of 1794 and 1795 it became too crowded, and starting in 1797, further interrments were held in the New Burying Ground, now known as the Grove Street Cemetery. The last burial on the Green was 1812. The tour runs on Thursdays and Saturdays by volunteers. Visit their web site for current times.A tad too creepy for the very young, but I imagine children 10+ will enjoy it. Bring your camera, as photography is allowed. There's no charge for the tour, but they will accept donations. Map out a walking tour of New Haven including the Center Church, New Haven Green and Grove Street Cemetery for a fun afternoon.

nkp

Center Church is one of the 3 historic churches on the New Havven Green.