Hidden · Eureka Springs, Arkansas, United States
Thorncrown Chapel
A pine and glass chapel in the Arkansas woods, designed so no beam is bigger than two people could carry, with 425 windows letting the forest in.
A chapel with 425 windows and no beam too heavy to carry.
Thorncrown Chapel stands in the woods near Eureka Springs, Arkansas. Architect E. Fay Jones designed it and it was built in 1980. It rises 48 feet, is 24 feet wide and 60 feet long, and its 425 windows add up to about 6,000 square feet of glass. The chapel looks open to the air but is an enclosed, air-conditioned space that seats up to 100 people.
To protect the forest, Jones decided that no structural piece could be larger than two men could carry through the trees. The builders used materials native to northwestern Arkansas, mainly pressure-treated Southern pine, with flagstone for the floor and the surrounding wall. A small ornamental skylight in the roof was later enlarged to bring in more natural light.
A retired teacher's idea of a place apart.
Jim Reed, a retired schoolteacher, bought the land in 1971 with the idea of a non-denominational pilgrimage chapel set apart from town for meditation. He hired Jones, who had apprenticed with Frank Lloyd Wright, and whose design echoes the Prairie School. Jones took inspiration from Sainte-Chapelle in Paris, a Gothic church lit by narrow stained-glass windows. That church held the Crown of Thorns, and the relic gave the Arkansas chapel its name.
The building has drawn recognition. The American Institute of Architects gave it its 2006 Twenty-five Year Award. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2000, three decades before the usual 50-year cutoff. Budget Travel and Bored Panda have both included it on lists of remarkable churches.
The chapel inside and out.
Practical notes.
Before you go.
Who designed Thorncrown Chapel?
Architect E. Fay Jones, who had apprenticed with Frank Lloyd Wright. The chapel was built in 1980 and its design draws on the Prairie School.
Why is it called Thorncrown?
The design was inspired by Sainte-Chapelle in Paris, which held the Crown of Thorns believed to have been worn by Christ. That relic gave the chapel its name.
Is it really open to the air?
No. It looks open, but it is an enclosed, air-conditioned space with 425 windows that seats up to 100 people.
Can you visit Thorncrown Chapel?
Yes, it is open to visitors for most of the year and closes for part of the winter except for weddings and special events. Check the official website for current details.
Around Arkansas
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