Thorncrown Chapel
A glass chapel in the forest designed by architect E. Fay Jones. Its wooden grid and more than 400 windows blend into the Ozark forest, and it is often called one of America's most beautiful churches.
Completed in 1980 and designed by E. Fay Jones, a student of Frank Lloyd Wright, the chapel stands about 15 meters tall and is built almost entirely of local pine and glass. Crisscrossing wooden trusses look like tree branches, and sunlight filters through the forest into the interior, with views that change with the seasons. The chapel received the American Institute of Architects' 25-Year Award and is often named one of the best American buildings of the 20th century. It is on Highway 62, about 5 kilometers west of town. Park and walk a few minutes along the forest trail. Entry is free, though donations are welcome. It is usually open daily from March to December, about 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with shorter hours in winter. It is closed in January and February. Services are held on Sundays, and the chapel is often booked for weddings, so check the official website before you go.
Opening hours
Usually Mar–Dec 09:00–17:00 (shorter in winter); closed Jan–Feb
Nearby sights
- Lake Leatherwood City Park
- Pivot Rock and Natural Bridge
- Eureka Springs Historical Museum
- 1886 Crescent Hotel & Spa
- St. Elizabeth of Hungary Catholic Church
- Basin Spring Park
- Eureka Springs Historic District (Spring & Main Street)
- Eureka Springs & North Arkansas Railway