Why churches? Why temples? Why this blog? In short…because I love them. There are many reasons why that is for me. A primary reason why I love beautiful examples of temple architecture, is because they are works of art, inside and out. When I approach a gorgeous church, the entire edifice reminds me of a sculpture. Except, unlike most sculptures, these are sculptures that you can climb inside of. Sculptures that represent the spiritual legacy of humanity. With that in mind, I am kicking things off by showcasing what is in all likelihood, the most beautiful sacred structure in the Twin Cities Metro. The Lakewood Memorial Chapel. The chapel itself sits unassumingly within the Lakewood Memorial Cemetery in Minneapolis, MN.
The chapel was designed by Minneapolis architect Harry Wild Jones who modeled the structure after the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul which was originally an Orthodox Christian Church built for Emperor Justinian in 537 AD. The Lakewood Memorial Chapel structure was fully completed in 1910.
When you approach the chapel you are met by double doors of solid bronze as pictured above. These doors are embellished with ancient religious symbols: Alpha and Omega symbolizes the beginning and the end, an Alisee Patee cross represents the four evangelists, and a peacock represents resurrection and immortality.
When you enter the chapel a visitor is greeted with one of the most perfect examples of Byzantine art in the United States.
To complement the Byzantine exterior, interior designer Charles Lamb of New York suggested a Byzantine Mosaic design modeled after the interior of San Marco Cathedral in Venice. Lamb traveled to Rome and enlisted the services of 6 of Italy’s most accomplished mosaic artisans who had just completed a project at The Vatican. Working in Venice, they created more than 10 million mosaic pieces called tessellae, from marble, colored stone, and glass fused with gold and silver. The pieces were shipped to Minneapolis and the artisans themselves traveled here and assembled the masterpiece.
The 4 figures shown above which appear on the primary pillars were designed by Charles Lamb’s wife, Ella Condie Lamb and they represent the 4 virtues: Love, Hope, Memory and Faith.
12 Angels (all done in mosaic) adorn the dome overhead. This piece is highly symbolic. I will not go into exhaustive detail here but a few cool points: 4 of the angels are holding red roses and they are positioned at the 4 points of the compass, symbolizing the 4 corners of the earth. The fully extended wings of the angels represent their protective spirit. Also, the feet are not rendered because according to lore, they never touch the earth.
*Visitor’s note: If the chapel doors are locked go next door to the information center and ask them if they would unlock the chapel for you which they gladly will.
The information on the construction and design of the chapel was largely taken from the visitors guide that is provided in the chapel to visitors. Detailed information on the symbolism of the chapel is included. Here is a link to that guide.
Day Break and the Shadows 