If you've been anywhere near Pinterest in the last few years, you've no doubt stumbled on pictures of Arkansas' Thorncrown Chapel in Eureka Springs; it is, admittedly, utterly breathtaking, but it's not the only glass chapel hidden in the forests of Arkansas; in fact, it's only one of three! All were designed by famed architect E. Fay Jones, a native of Arkansas.
1331 East Highland Avenue, Carthage, Missouri
The next glass church was the Mildred B. Cooper Memorial Chapel. It's in Bella Vista, not far from Eureka Springs, where Thorncrown is located. This chapel differs slightly in design: while it's still entirely wood and glass, it features dramatic, swooping Gothic arches instead of the straight lines of Thorncrown's open-beam bracing system. Both are free and open for quiet meditation, and on the four days leading up to Christmas, the Cooper Memorial Chapel is lit up until 8pm-- and if you thought it was pretty during the day, wait until you see it glowing at night!
The last chapel, Anthony Chapel was built mostly by Jones's partner, Maurice Jennings. It's the biggest of the three-- it's an incredible 6 stories tall and can seat 160 enraptured guests. It's less rustic than the other two, since it's located within Garvan Woodland Gardens at the University of Arkansas, so it's especially perfect for weddings and other events. The location within the manicured gardens is simply gorgeous, with waterfalls, bridges, overlooks, and more. Then again, you really can't go wrong with any of the glass chapels... they're all awe-inspiring in the own ways!
Photo Credit: Flickr/Melissa DeFer
It should come as no surprise that Jones was an apprentice to Frank Lloyd Wright-- they both employ a style that not only draws inspiration from nature but blends seamlessly into natural surroundings. But while the two were close friends, Jones preferred the quiet comfort of the Ozark forests to traveling around the country.
It makes sense, then, that his most famous buildings were inspired by and were built within those forests that he loved so much. Thorncrown was the first of the three-- it was commissioned by a retired schoolteacher and was built in 1980. The wooden chapel looks like it's open-air, but it's actually made of glass. In fact, nothing on the chapel was bigger than anything that could be carried by two men; this cut down on transportation costs and allowed it to be built in a more secluded area.
The reaction to Thorncrown Chapel was immediate: people were enchanted by the serene space. In fact, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2000--- a rare occurrence, since almost everything added to the list is over 50 years old.
Photo Credit: Flickr/Ryan Stavely
1321 East Highland Avenue, Carthage, Missouri
"In earlier days all over the face of the earth, there were chapels in glades and the woods which were meeting places for the priests and the people. The Chapel was to be a place for people to meet, and think, and contemplate the forces of nature and God Almighty. The setting of this Chapel is to receive people, the wayfarers.”
