Traversing the Trails: Lakewood Cemetery Memorial Chapel

We were told that when visiting Minnesota a spectacular example of religious architecture with a Byzantine influence could be found in the Lakewood Cemetery and should not be missed.

This proved to be the Lakewood Memorial Chapel, 3600 Hennepin Avenue South, Minneapolis, Minnesota. Some say it is in all likelihood, the most beautiful sacred structure in the Twin Cities Metro.

The Memorial Chapel is the centerpiece of the cemetery and a priceless architectural treasure—the most perfect example of Byzantine mosaic art in the United States. When it was completed in 1910, it was the only building in America with an authentic mosaic interior. Through the years, visitors have been astonished to find such an outstanding architectural jewel in the heart of the Midwest. Many experts now believe that a work of such magnitude could not be recreated at any price today, as artisans possessing the necessary skills have passed into history.

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. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The chapel interior was created by New York designer Charles Lamb and many consider it the most perfect example of Byzantine mosaic art in the United States.

Note: Much off the information presented here comes from the Visitors guide for the Chapel and the blog page of "Daybreak and the Shadows".

Daybreak and the Shadows

When you approach the chapel you are met by double doors of solid bronze. 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 chapel dome is 40 feet high and ringed with stained-glass windows that serve as a sundial telling the time of day and season.

12 Angels (all done in mosaic) adorn the dome overhead. This piece is highly symbolic. 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.

Four large mosaic figures representing Love, Hope, Faith and Memory are situated on the side walls below the dome. The figures were based on paintings by Lamb’s wife, Ella Condie Lamb, ,a noted portrait artist of her time. The above imagine represents Faith.