Rothko Chapel

The Rothko Chapel is a non-denominational chapel in Houston’s Montrose neighborhood, about two miles southwest of downtown. John and Dominique de Menil, who also founded the nearby Menil Collection, commissioned Mark Rothko in 1964 to create a contemplative space filled with his paintings.

Fourteen of those paintings hang inside, in deep blacks mixed with other dark tones. Triptychs fill three walls and single canvases the other five. The building is an octagon set within a Greek cross, shaped largely by the artist’s ideas. Inside there are eight simple movable benches, and holy books from several religions are available.

In front of the chapel, a sculpture by Barnett Newman called Broken Obelisk stands in a reflecting pool. It is dedicated to the memory of Martin Luther King Jr.

Rothko painted the works between 1964 and 1967 and clashed with the first architect over the plans, which passed through several architects. He died in 1970 and did not see the chapel finished in 1971.

From 1973 the chapel also served as a center for gatherings on justice and freedom, and it created awards honoring people and groups who denounce human rights abuses, often at great risk. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2000.

The building has had to be repaired more than once. A renovation closed it in 1999, because the paintings were showing early signs of age. A larger restoration around 2021 gave it a new skylight and a visitor center. Then Hurricane Beryl damaged three of the murals in July 2024, and the chapel reopened in December 2024 after repairs.