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The church was constructed from 1836 to 1842 under the supervision of its missionary minister, Hiram Bingham who led the first missionaries that came to Hawaii. The design and construction of the church was Bingham’s last major undertaking, however, due to his wife’s deteriorating ill health, Bingham left Honolulu for New England in 1840 while the church was still under construction. He was not able to return to Honolulu to see the completed church.
Located in a corner of the cemetery at the entrance to Kawaiahao Church is a mausoleum which was built in 1879 and served as the final resting place of King William Lunalilo. He died in 1874 barely passing his thirty-ninth birthday. Lunalilo, a bachelor who had no direct heirs to the throne and who was often called the "people’s king," reigned for only one year and twenty-five days - the shortest for a Hawaiian monarch. He failed to appoint a successor, saying repeatedly that he had not made up his mind. Sunday services continue to be held at the Kawaiaha’o church in English and Hawaiian. The church has also become a popular venue for Japanese couples who come to Honolulu to get married. |
The Kawaiahao Church is Honolulu’s first and oldest Christian church. It is located at
the corner of South King Street and Punchbowl Street and directly
across the street from the City Hall of Honolulu. During the heyday of
the monarchy, it functioned as the royal chapel where kings, queens,
princes, and princesses came to pray. It was also the site of royal
weddings, funerals, and inaugurations.
More than 14,000 coral blocks were cut by natives from nearby reefs to
build the structure. This was the fifth and current structure to bear
the name Kawaiaha’o Church. The previous structures were smaller and
less permanent, being constructed from grassy materials that
deteriorated under the influence of the elements. Its 158-year-old
weather-beaten façade remains a hearty testimony to the craftsmanship
of the early builders in the island.
