A stone church built in 1852 at Forsyth Ganj, famous for its Belgian stained-glass windows and the memorial of Lord Elgin, a Viceroy of India.
Set among deodar trees on the road between Dharamshala and McLeodganj, the Church of St. John in the Wilderness was built in 1852 and is one of the finest colonial buildings in Himachal. It survived the 1905 Kangra earthquake, although its bell tower was destroyed; the original bell now stands in the churchyard.
Inside are beautiful stained-glass windows, and the churchyard holds the memorial of James Bruce, 8th Earl of Elgin and Viceroy of India, who died in Dharamshala in 1863.
Highlights
- 1852 neo-Gothic architecture
- Belgian stained-glass windows
- Memorial of Lord Elgin
- Peaceful deodar forest
How to reach
On the Forsyth Ganj road to McLeodganj — an easy stop on any local sightseeing tour.
