Thorncrown Chapel

About the chapel:

Majestic glass and wood beam chapel nestled in the Ozark Mountains, designed by Arkansas native E. Fay Jones, a nationally-honored and recognized architect. The chapel was chosen in 2001 as one of the Top 10 Designs of the 20th Century by The American Institute of Architecture. It has also won the institute's Design of the Year for 1981 and Design of the Decade for the 1980s. Non-denominational services; weddings.Thorncrown was the dream of retired school teacher, Jim Reed. In 1978 Jim enlisted the help of renowned architect E. Fay Jones to design a place of worship for the visitors to Eureka Springs, Arkansas. The result was a forty-eight foot tall wooden structure with 425 windows.

Since the chapel opened in 1980, over six million people have visited this woodland sanctuary. It has won numerous architectural awards such as the American Institute of Architecture's Design of the Year Award for 1981 and the American Institute of Architecture's Design of the Decade Award for the 1980's. Recently, members of the American Institute of Architects placed Thorncrown Chapel fourth on its list of the top buildings of the twentieth century.

Worship CenterTo help accommodate the needs of our visitors, we opened the Thorncrown Worship Center in 1989. Designed by the same architect, the worship center stands as a sister building to Thorncrown Chapel. As you walk in its doors, you gaze over the rolling Ozark hills through a fifty foot window. This magnificent structure seats over 300 people and is available for retreats and weddings.