Antiquity at its best Monday, Dec 23, 2002 From http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/mp/2002/12/23/stories/2002122300660100.htm Visakhapatnam is fortunate to have many churches but there is one church that deserves special mention. This church is located 18 km. from Visakhapatnam in the coastal town of Bheemunipatnam. It is the St. Peter's Church that was consecrated in 1864. Its architectural splendour, location and the history connected with it make it stand apart. This church was constructed at the time when a small European community comprising 80 persons inhabited this picturesque coastal town. The Dutch, who were present there since 1750, ceded the town to the British in 1825. But until 1840, there was practically no activity either militarily or commercially. It was only after George Russell took it over, the town began to attract European capital. Many big firms, including the Arbuthnot and Company opened up their agency offices and this town housed a regular port of call for ships sailing between Madras and Calcutta. This facilitated the growth of inland trade also. Till 1858, the chaplains of Vizagapatam used to visit occasionally the small community of European merchants and hold the service at the Magistrate's cutcheri. The seed of building an exclusive church for the community was sown in the minds of the young merchants by John Griffith, the then Chaplain of Vizagapatam. (more) --- Harshawardhan_Bosham Nimkhedkar