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The white gabled front and clock tower of St Andrew's Church seen from a grassy bank under a blue sky with clouds
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Photo: Pinakpani · CC BY-SA 4.0
monument3 min from Darjeeling

St Andrew's Church, Darjeeling — the town's oldest church

St Andrew's Church in Darjeeling, the town's oldest church, established in 1843 for Scottish soldiers and tea planters, with a clock tower added in 1883.

What it is

St Andrew's Church is an Anglican church of heritage value in Darjeeling, and Wikipedia calls it the oldest church in the town. It was established on 30 November 1843 for the Scottish soldiers and tea planters who lived here in the early British period.

Photos: Pinakpani (CC BY-SA 4.0) — via Wikimedia Commons, resized.

History

A lightning strike in 1867 did heavy damage, and the church was rebuilt in 1873. The clock tower was added in 1883. So the church you see is a rebuilding of the founding date's church, which is how many of the hill station's early buildings survive.

What you see

A gabled nave with a clock tower, set on a grassy slope with the town around it. We have no verified details of the interior or of services, so ask locally.

Getting there

It is in the old centre; see the quick facts for the measured road time. Walking in from Chowrasta is the usual way.

Combine it with

Chowrasta and the Mahakal temple are close, and the two-day plan takes in the church with the rest of the old centre. Read things to do in Darjeeling and when to visit.

Plans that include this

All 1 plans that stop here →
A blue Darjeeling Himalayan Railway train with blue carriages running beside a road between green forest and a stone drain
Two days in Darjeeling — the old town, the tea estate and the toy train
1 night · 2 days · First visit · Temples & heritage
A two-day Darjeeling plan: Chowrasta, the Mahakal temple, St Andrew's Church, the botanical garden and tea, then the toy train to Ghum, the loop and pagoda.
Best Mar–May · Oct–Nov
See the plan →

Nearby places

All of Darjeeling →
Mahakal Temple, Darjeeling — the Shiva shrine on Observatory Hill
Mahakal Temple, Darjeeling — the Shiva shrine on Observatory Hill
temple · 120 m away
Chowrasta, Darjeeling — the town square on the Mall
Chowrasta, Darjeeling — the town square on the Mall
area · 306 m away
Darjeeling Himalayan Railway — the toy train and its loops
Darjeeling Himalayan Railway — the toy train and its loops
monument · 321 m away
Lloyd's Botanical Garden, Darjeeling — the Himalayan plants below the town
Lloyd's Botanical Garden, Darjeeling — the Himalayan plants below the town
monument · 525 m away
Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park, Darjeeling — the high-altitude zoo
Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park, Darjeeling — the high-altitude zoo
park · 1.7 km away
Peace Pagoda, Darjeeling — the white Japanese stupa on Jalapahar
Peace Pagoda, Darjeeling — the white Japanese stupa on Jalapahar
temple · 2.3 km away
Batasia Loop, Darjeeling — the spiral of the toy train and the Gorkha memorial
Batasia Loop, Darjeeling — the spiral of the toy train and the Gorkha memorial
monument · 4.0 km away
Yiga Choeling Monastery, Ghum — the Old Ghoom Monastery and its Maitreya statue
Yiga Choeling Monastery, Ghum — the Old Ghoom Monastery and its Maitreya statue
temple · 4.3 km away

Nearby destinations

All destinations →
Pastel-coloured buildings of Gangtok climbing a steep, forested hillside, seen from a viewpoint across the valley
Gangtok
47 km away · 4 itineraries · 11 places
A wide view over the houses of Shillong spread across forested hills under a sky of towering white clouds
Shillong
396 km away · 3 itineraries · 6 places
A deep, steep-sided green valley filled with low grey cloud seen from the Mawkdok Dympep viewpoint near Cherrapunji
Cherrapunji
397 km away · 1 itineraries · 2 places
The town of Almora spread across a terraced ridge under a blue sky with clouds
Almora
890 km away · 2 itineraries · 4 places
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Questions people ask

What is St Andrew's Church in Darjeeling?

An Anglican church of heritage value in Darjeeling, founded on 30 November 1843, which Wikipedia calls the oldest church in the town. Its worshippers were mainly Scottish soldiers and tea planters living in Darjeeling. It stands on a slope near the centre, with a clock tower that is the most visible part of it.

When was St Andrew's Church rebuilt?

Wikipedia says it was heavily damaged by a devastating lightning strike in 1867 and rebuilt in 1873, and that the clock tower was added in 1883. The building you see today is therefore later than its founding date of 1843. We have no verified details on services or opening, so ask locally if you wish to go in.

How far is St Andrew's Church from Chowrasta?

It is in the old centre of the town, close to Chowrasta and the Mall; our measured road time is in the quick facts above. Most of the old centre is walkable, though the lanes are steep. We have no verified opening hours, so ask locally, and be quiet and modest in a place of worship.