Old St Ferdinand Shrine

The Old St Ferdinand Shrine in Missouri was built in 1821 and is the oldest church in Saint Louis County. It was built by Spanish settlers just three years after Spain ceded this area to France in the Treaty of 1819, which took place in St. Louis, Missouri next to the shrine itself (Florissant). The settlement had been called Les Petites Côtes (Little Hills) before the change of ownership, but it was renamed after the treaty.

The shrine is built in Andalusian style to honor St Ferdinand, who shares his name with Florissant's namesake. The image of St Ferdinand used inside the church is a replica of an original imported Spanish statue dating back to 1761 which can still be seen in the church of St. Ferdinand in Madrid. The church was once a parish with a school, but it has been closed since 2002 due to low student numbers and therefore not generating enough income for the Archdiocese of Saint Louis.

The shrine was nominated as a National Historic Landmark by the United States Department of Interior on January 19, 2001.

The Old St Ferdinand Shrine is built of brick and stone. It has a bell tower, as well as two rooms inside housing various religious artifacts. The shrine is currently open to the public daily, where visitors can pray or make reflections at any time. Reservations are not necessary for visiting the building.

If you plan to visit the Old St Ferdinand Shrine, you should dress conservatively and bring a bottle of water as there is no drinking water available. The shrine is located at 2101 New Florissant Road in Saint Ferdinand, MO.

Information Provided by ABC Environmental Contracting Services.

If you are looking for a park to have fun in, Koch park is the place for you.