Answering the Hard Questions: What the Heck is a Trinity?

“The Father, The Son & The Holy Spirit.”

Don’t worry, we’re not taking a trip to church. We’re talking about Philly real estate! 

Confused? You’re not alone. To those unfamiliar and pretty much anyone outside of Philadelphia, the word “trinity” might evoke images of the divine (or at least some snazzy stained glass windows). To Philadelphia real estate professionals and those that have visited or lived in these little gems, this word means a certain style of house that is quintessentially Philly. The name comes from the layout of the home which typically involves three rooms split between three floors with a kitchen in the basement. You enter into the living room, take the stairs to the smaller bedroom and a bathroom on the second floor and up again to a bigger main bedroom on the top floor. Each level can be referred to as “the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit,” or the much easier to say “trinity!” 

The most defining feature of this triple-level layout are the stairs that narrowly spiral up the center of the home. Imagine a metal spiral staircase in a loft, now make those stairs wood and connected. Now add walls. That’s a trinity staircase. The most compact, space saving solution to multi-level living.

One might say that the trinity is the OG Tiny House, long before HGTV caught wind. These cozy dwellings clock in between 500 and 1000 sqft, the majority of them on the smaller end. Construction of trinities began in the City of Brotherly Love way back in the 1680’s as affordable living options for the local working class. At this time, the second floor was entirely a bedroom. The bathroom was built out in the courtyard for communal use.

Where might you see a trinity? The simple answer is “Philadelphia.” You will be hard pressed to find these heavenly-named houses outside of our great city. They are just one more thing that makes Philly so unique. Most trinities are built in rows with a courtyard down the center. These little communities are nestled off the street behind homes within the large Philly blocks, giving off the feeling of a quaint and charming hideaway. I would definitely recommend checking out the inside of these relics if you get the chance. They are truly unlike any other house you have seen before, and even better, they are still an affordable option all these years later! There are trinities on the market every day. Want to check one out? Let me know. I never pass up a chance to walk into (and spiral up and down) history!