Westminster Church Cemetery

The final resting place of Edgar Allan Poe; both his original grave and the memorial grave he was later moved to. Westminster Hall is a beautiful historic building located at the intersection of Fayette and Greene Streets in downtown Baltimore. The church, which was completed in 1852, was built more than 60 years after the Westminster Burying Grounds were established. The Burying Grounds are the final resting place of many famous people, including Edgar Allan Poe, General Sam Smith, and General James McHenry. To avoid disturbing the existing graves, the original church building was constructed on brick piers above some of the tombs, creating catacombs, which can be toured by visitors. The church’s congregation disbanded in 1977 and the Westminster Preservation Trust, Inc., a non-profit organization, was established to take care of the building and the grounds. The Trust was able to raise more than $1.7 million for the renovation of the building, which was completed in 1983. The renovated building is now used as a rental facility and is the perfect place to hold a unique and memorable event! A creative restoration of this converted Gothic church combines the elegance of stained glass windows, carved oak woodwork and and 1882 Johnson pipe organ with the conveniences of track lighting, handicapped accessibility and flexible seating options.