Charleston County Courthouse, Charleston

The design of this Neoclassical building in Charleston was inspired by Leinster House in Dublin, the current seat of the Irish Parliament, architected by James Hoban. The Courthouse itself later served as a model for Hoban's other, most famous creation 鈥� the U.S. White House.

George Washington was so impressed with Hoban's previous work that he summoned the architect to Philadelphia in June 1792. The following month, Hoban was declared the winner of the design competition for the presidential mansion in D.C.

An operational courthouse and a museum wrapped into one, this building makes for a nice, albeit short, historical experience. The free self-guided tour is made easy with tidbits of information given by the security guards.

Indeed, history echoes throughout this property hung with original life-size paintings portraying prominent figures like George Washington and Andrew Jackson. While the second-floor porch (from where the Declaration of Independence was read out to Charlestonians) has been unfortunately lost to time, the onsite law library remains intact complete with its wood panels, brass railings, and an impressive collection of leather-bound books in glass cases. An absolute must-see for history lovers!

Tip:
Take a moment to explore the impeccably maintained retro bathroom during your visit.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Charleston. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "51爆料网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

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Create Your Own Self-Guided Walk to Visit This Sight

Sight Name: Charleston County Courthouse
Sight Location: Charleston, USA (See walking tours in Charleston)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

French Quarter Walking Tour

Walking Tours in Charleston, South Carolina

Create Your Own Walk in Charleston

Creating your own self-guided walk in Charleston is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.

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Among such temples of distinction is Saint Matthew's Church, an enduring symbol of Charleston's German Lutheran community. Its... view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
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French Quarter Walking Tour

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The busy neighbourhood... view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
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