Charleston Landmarks and Monuments

(Charleston, West Virginia - WV, USA)



West Virginia's capital city is home to a number of historical buildings and state landmarks, which boast a real mixture of different architectural styles and add a great deal of character to areas of Charleston.

Within the downtown district, some of the oldest sights date back to the very end of the 19th century and the early years of the 20th century. These include the former Daniel Boone Hotel, the Kanawha County Courthouse and the Union Building, all of which sit on Capitol Street.

The riverside West Virginia State Capitol is by far the most famous of all Charleston's many historical landmarks and dominates the Kanawha Boulevard with its gleaming dome, which is covered in gold leaf and is clearly visible from a distance. This state house measures in at almost 90 meters / 294 feet in height, which interestingly makes it the tallest building in the entire state.


West Virginia State Capitol

Address: 1900 Kanawha Boulevard East, Charleston, West Virginia (WV), 25305, USA
Tel: +1 304 558 4839
The West Virginia State Capitol was built between the years 1925 and 1932, after a fire destroyed much of the previous capitol. Together with the West Virginia Executive Mansion (Governor's Mansion), the Holly Grove Mansion and the Culture Center, this structure is part of the West Virginia Capitol Complex, which is regarded as a historic district and is understandably listed on the National Register. Do take time out to explore the grounds and the many important statues standing in strategic places around the building, such as those of Abraham Lincoln and Thomas Jonathan 'Stonewall' Jackson.
Open hours: guided tours, Monday to Friday - 09:30 to 11:00, Saturday - 13:00 to 16:00
Admission: free

Sacred Heart Co-Cathedral

Address: 1114 Virginia Street East, Charleston, West Virginia (WV), 25301, USA
Tel: +1 304 342 8175
The Basilica of the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart stands on Virginia Street East, where it was completed in the late 1890s and is known for its Romanesque Revival-style architecture. Dominated by its square copper-roofed bell tower, the cathedral enjoyed extensive renovation work in the middle of the 20th century, while in the year 2009, Pope Benedict XVI decreed that its status should be raised to that of a Minor Basilica.
Open hours: Monday to Friday - 08:00 to 17:00, Saturday - 08:00 to 18:00, Sunday - 07:30 to 18:00
Admission: free, donations suggested

St. George Orthodox Cathedral

Address: Court Street, Charleston, West Virginia (WV), 25301, USA
Tel: +1 304 346 0106
Sited just across from the Charleston Town Center Mall and close to St. Francis Hospital, St. George Orthodox Cathedral started its life in the early 1890s, when Christian immigrants began meeting in a rented building on the Kanawha Boulevard. A church was built on this site in the year 1930 and over the subsequent decades, surrounding buildings were bought and demolished, allowing for expansion and remodelling work to be carried out. In the year 2006, Metropolitan Archbishop Philip Saliba decreed that this church should function as the Diocese of Charleston's principal cathedral.
Open hours: daily - hours vary
Admission: free

St. Marks United Methodist Church

Address: 900 Washington Street East, Charleston, West Virginia (WV), 25301, USA
Tel: +1 304 343 2115
St. Marks United Methodist Church is located on Washington Street East, although this building appears more like a government building than a church, with a grand portico comprising six fluted columns. Sunday masses are held at 11:00 and 12:15, with the congregation welcoming visitors. This religious landmark was completed in the year 1912 and features two stories, with its design being influenced by the Pantheon in Rome, Italy.
Open hours: daily - hours vary
Admission: free

West Virginia State University

Address: 123 Summers Street, Charleston, West Virginia (WV), 25301, USA
Tel: +1 304 342 6522
The West Virginia State University was founded in the year 1891 as a segregated school for the African American community. In 1954, the landmark US Supreme Court case of Brown v. Board of Education saw the state laws for separate black and white schools being declared as nothing short of unconstitutional. Today, some 2,500 students attend the university, with roughly three-quarters of the students being white.
Open hours: daily
Admission: free

West Virginia State University Capitol Center Theater

Address: 123 Summers Street, Charleston, West Virginia (WV), 25301, USA
Tel: +1 304 342 6522
Located on Summers Street and just down the road from the Charleston Town Center Mall, the downtown Capitol Center Theater also goes by its old name of the Plaza Theater and dates back to 1912. The theater's rather elegant Classical Revival facade incorporates a number of Greek elements and is bounded by commercial storefronts. At the beginning of the 1920s, silent movies were regularly shown here, along with vaudeville shows, although a major fire occurred in 1923 and caused the roof to collapse. The theater was soon rebuilt to its former glory and in 1985, this landmark was added to the National Register of Historic Places. It was not until 1991 that the building came under the ownership of the West Virginia State University and was officially renamed as the Capitol Center. Each year in April, the theater screens movies as part of the eight-day West Virginia International Film Festival.
Open hours: guided tours, Monday to Friday - 08:00 to 15:00
Admission: free

University of Charleston

Address: 2300 MacCorkle Avenue Southeast, Charleston, West Virginia (WV), 25304, USA
Tel: +1 304 357 4800
Standing along MacCorkle Avenue Southeast and fronting the Kanawha River, the campus of the University of Charleston has its origins way back in the latter part of the 1880s, when it was named the Barboursville Seminary of the Southern Methodist Church. At the beginning of the 20th century, the institution became known as the Morris Harvey College, while in 1947 it moved to its present riverside setting, where it is now home to approximately 1,300 students and is perhaps best known for the distinctive architecture of its Clay Tower. This seven-storey glass tower has become an instantly recognisable downtown landmark and contemporary symbol of the university, and now appears as a logo on its letterheads.
Open hours: daily
Admission: free

West Virginia Veterans Memorial

Address: 1900 Kanawha Boulevard East, Charleston, West Virginia (WV), 25305, USA
Tel: +1 304 558 0230
The Veterans Memorial stands next to the West Virginia State Capitol Building and was erected between the years 1990 and 1992, in order to pay tribute to over 10,000 natives from this state, who sadly lost their lives defending the United States during the various conflicts of the 20th century. These battles include the Civil War, the Spanish American War, WWI, WWII, the Korean War, Vietnam and the Gulf War. The monument itself is oval in shape and is dissected into four sections by crossing pathways, with each of the sections being adorned by poignant statues and framed by reflecting pools.
Open hours: Monday to Saturday - 09:00 to 19:00, Sunday - 12:00 to 19:00
Admission: free

West Virginia Governor's Mansion

Address: 1716 Kanawha Boulevard East, Charleston, West Virginia (WV), 25305, USA
Tel: +1 304 558 3588
The West Virginia Governor's Mansion stands directly opposite the University of Charleston, being separated by the Kanawha River. This historical red-brick building serves as the official residence of the state's governor and was built in the middle of the 1920s, belonging to the West Virginia Capitol complex. There are many features that give this mansion a rather opulent appearance, such as the front portico and the side balcony supported by a series of columns, as well as the twin staircase in the foyer, where the black and white checkered marble flooring makes quite a statement in bold design. In total there are some 30 rooms, including both a state dining room and a very spacious ballroom.
Open hours: guided tours, Thursday and Friday - by appointment between 09:30 to 11:00
Admission: free