St James’ Anglican Church Vancouver

St. James Anglican Church is an architectural treasure tucked away in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. This church isn’t just a mash-up of styles but a masterclass in blending Art Deco, Romanesque Revival, Byzantine Revival, and Gothic Revival architecture into one harmonious whole.

The original St. James Anglican was built in 1881 at Main and Alexander, but fate had other plans. Just as the CPR’s tracks were about to force its relocation, the Great Fire of 1886 took care of the move by reducing the church to ashes. The melted bell from that ill-fated building now resides in the Vancouver Museum, a relic of the city’s fiery past.

But St. James was destined to rise again. By 1886, a new church was erected at Cordova and Gore, where it still stands today. Fast forward to 1935, and Adrian Gilbert Scott—fresh off designing a cathedral in Cairo—brought his architectural flair to Vancouver. He dubbed his creation “a modern version of fourteenth-century Gothic,” and it’s easy to see why. The church’s octagonal structure, rising from a Greek Cross plan, is imposing and elegant. Its massive walls, crowned with Art Deco-inspired neo-Gothic fluting, step upward like a ziggurat, culminating in a pyramid-shaped belfry that’s nothing short of iconic.

The renowned Canadian architect Arthur Erickson even hailed it as the best building in the city—a high compliment indeed. With its eclectic design and rich history, St. James Anglican Church is more than just a place of worship but a vibrant piece of Vancouver’s architectural identity.