New York is one of America’s most historically significant cities. This fact was further proven as the beautiful St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church, located on Park Avenue and 50th Street, was recently named one of ten newly designated national landmarks. The church—commonly called St. Bart’s—adds to a list of more than 100 other sites registered as a National Historic Landmark in New York City. The structure was designed by American architect Bertram Goodhue, and completed in 1930 for a total sum of more than $5.4 million (over $74 million in 2016). St. Bart’s was first designated a landmark by the New York Landmarks Preservation Commission in 1967. Yet it’s one thing to be recognized by the state, and something else entirely to be acknowledged by the federal government. It means, in the words of the U.S. Department of the Interior, that the structure possesses an "exceptional value and quality in illustrating or interpreting the heritage of the United States."

According to U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell, the church is a perfect example of early 20th-century ecclesiastical architecture that must be preserved for the ages. "St. Bartholomew’s Church is a pivotal example of the work of Bertram Goodhue," Jewell said in a statement. "St. Bart’s is a colorful Romanesque structure with Byzantine features and rich decoration. Goodhue’s masterful design is a successful realization of complex functional, aesthetic, and spiritual requirements: a harmonious setting for the Romanesque triple portal and the best spatial arrangement and distribution of masses in which all can see and hear the preacher, view the altar and participate in the service."