Charleston sights and landmarks guide

Charleston is a beautiful and historical treasure trove of America. Its heritage spans over 300 years, and its magnificent structures and sights made Charleston one of the top travel destinations of the world.

The restored houses and churches of Charleston give the city a medieval, European look that beckons the heart of any history lover. One such house is the Calhoun Mansion found in downtown Charleston, which was built by a rich merchant in 1876. This mansion is really huge, and worth visiting.

The Museum on the Common offers some before and after photos of the catastrophic Hurricane Hugo that hit Charleston in the year 1989. You can also find some local East Cooper history here.

There is a wonderful example of neoclassical architecture in the Joseph Manigault House, the once home of the rich French Huguenots who had immigrated to America to avoid persecution in Europe.

The Battery Park is a great place for relaxation, from where you get a beautiful view of the harbor. The Aiken Rhett House was first built in 1818, and refurbished and enlarged in the 1830s.

This house was occupied by the Aiken family till 1975 and has outhouses like stables, slave quarters and kitchens to visit. Being frequent visitors to Europe, you can see some souvenirs of the Aiken family here in the form of portraits, statues and candelabrums.

Enjoy yourself fishing

Besides all these colonial houses and the historical structures of Charleston, this is a city that supports various art forms, found in the ten museums of the city. If you love fishing, then this is something you have to do when in Charleston. Take a fishing charter from Historic Charleston and just wait for your winning catch.

There are also various dolphin cruises you can take while in Charleston, which will give you close up experiences with sea creatures. If the sea world fascinates you, visit the South Carolina Aquarium which has thousands of aquatic animals on display. You also get to see spellbinding views of Charleston harbor from the aquarium.

Fort Moultrie, built in 1809, boasts of 171 years of defense to the sea coast, and is the place where the first important victory of the American Revolution took place, and the first encounter in the Civil War took place.

Charleston is also the home of one of the first black churches that was founded and built by the African Americans of Charleston. It was designed by the black architect John P. Hutchinson where its first gathering was h held in August, 1893.