THE MAGNIFICENT CHAPELS OF THE U . S . NATIONAL PARKS
by Howard A . Kramer thecompletepilgrim . com
Millions of visitors flock to America ’ s national parks every year , intent on embracing and being awed by nature ’ s wonders . But few who come realize that hidden among America ’ s mountains , deserts , canyons and forests are a collection of beautiful and historical churches waiting to be discovered . While some seek out these places of spiritual contemplation , most do not , which is a shame . These chapels at U . S . National Park Service sites , all architectural gems , are set amid spectacular scenery and are definitely worth a visit .
CC WIKIMEDIA COMMONS / RENNETT STOWE : bit . ly / 2liIJGh
GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK
THE SHRINE OF THE AGES AND THE CHAPEL OF EL CRISTO REY Grand Canyon National Park ( Arizona ) nps . gov / grca / planyourvisit / shrine-of-the-ages elcristorey . org
YOSEMITE VALLEY CHAPEL Yosemite National Park ( California ) yosemitevalleychapel . org
Yosemite Valley Chapel is one of the oldest structures standing in Yosemite National Park and among the oldest churches located in any of America ’ s national parks . Commissioned in 1878 by the state of California , the chapel was constructed the next year and relocated from its original site in the Lower Village to the Old Village in 1901 . It has been there ever since , serving the park as an interdenominational facility , and it is one of the most popular places for weddings in the entire national park system .
Designed by renowned San Francisco architect Charles Geddes , the small , wood-frame structure has the magnificent backdrop of El Capitan , the immense stone cliff that is Yosemite ’ s signature feature . The charming church , painted red and framed in yellow beams , is crowned with a high-peaked steeple and surrounded by evergreens ; it looks as though it might have been lifted straight out of the Bavarian Alps . Yosemite Valley Chapel is located a short walk from Yosemite Village and the Yosemite Lodge .
The Shrine of the Ages and the Chapel of El Cristo Rey are located at the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park . The shrine is just west of the park headquarters , while the chapel is less than a half-mile south of the world famous El Tovar hotel and the canyon rim . These two very distinctive buildings are historical pieces of Grand Canyon Village and are must-visits , both for the spiritually inclined and for photographers .
As early as the 1910s there had been a push to build a chapel near Grand Canyon Village . This vision was not realized until the 1950s , and the structure , now known as the Shrine of the Ages , was not completed until 1970 . The resulting stone and glass building — simultaneously modern and naturalistic — serenely blends into its surroundings . Next door is the Grand Canyon Pioneer Cemetery , where many people associated with the park have been buried over the years .
The Chapel of El Cristo Rey is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix . At the elegant , wellmaintained adobe structure , a stately old bell tower flanks the main entrance . The sanctuary is reminiscent of the mission chapels that can be found up and down the California coast . Although the chapel is an active Catholic church , people of all faiths are welcome to visit .
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