Photo gallery: A dozen of the most divine outdoor chapels in the US

By Kit Doyle · July 2, 2021

Fred W. Symmes Chapel, better known as Pretty Place Chapel because of its amazing views, is part of YMCA Camp Greenville in Cleveland, South Carolina. The current chapel was built in 1941 and offers a sweeping view of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Pretty Place is open to the public but is regularly reserved for camp functions. Photo by Mechy Myagi/Flickr/Creative Commons

Cathedral Park is situated under the St. Johns Bridge in the northernmost section of Portland, Oregon. It was given its name due to the Gothic arches that support the bridge, which resemble cathedral arches. The idyllic park setting is often used for weddings, yoga classes and outdoor services. Photo by Noël/Creative Commons

Vesper Hill Children’s Chapel is a nondenominational, all-denominational outdoor chapel in Rockport, Maine. Built atop a rock ledge in the manner of a Swiss chalet, the chapel is constructed of pine and overlooks Penobscot Bay. Photo courtesy of Vesper Hill Children’s Chapel

The Roofless Church is an open-air interdenominational church in New Harmony, Indiana. It was designed by Philip Johnson and dedicated in 1960. There is one rooflike structure inside the compound, which is a cover for the statue “The Descent of the Holy Spirit” by Jacques Lipchitz. Photo by Carol M. Highsmith/LOC/Creative Commons

LivingWater Chapel is in Westminster Park in Rock Hill, South Carolina, along the banks of the Catawba River. Facing East, the open-air chapel enjoys a direct view of the sunrise each morning, making sunrise services a popular option for use. The Westminster Presbyterian Church oversees the site, which is used by a variety of community and church groups, ranging from choirs to the local Boy Scouts. Photo courtesy of J.M. Cope Construction

LivingWater Chapel is in Westminster Park in Rock Hill, South Carolina, along the banks of the Catawba River. Facing East, the open-air chapel enjoys a direct look at the sunrise each morning, making sunrise services a popular option for use. The Westminster Presbyterian Church oversees the site, which is used by a variety of community and church groups, ranging from choirs to the local Boy Scouts. Photo courtesy of Westminster Presbyterian Church

Cathedral of the Pines is an open-air cathedral and meeting space overlooking the mountain Grand Monadnock on a little over 230 acres in Rindge, New Hampshire. Sitting in the southwestern part of the state, the site was originally built to honor the memory of members of the military lost during World War II. The founder of the site lost his son in the war and wanted to create a space for remembering those lost. In 1957, Congress recognized the cathedral’s Altar of the Nation as a national memorial for all American war dead, and the site is open to everyone regardless of faith or spirituality. The 75th anniversary of the cathedral’s first service was last year, but a celebration of the event was rescheduled to August 2021 because of COVID-19. Photo by John Phelan/Wikimedia/Creative Commons

The University of California Botanical Garden’s redwood grove is home to the Townsend Amphitheater, an outdoor amphitheater used for a variety of events, from weddings to large meetings. Dubbed by some as a “redwood cathedral,” the space is secular and open and available for anyone’s use. Photo by Melinda Young Stuart/Flickr/Creative Commons

Lost Pines Chapel was built on the banks of Lake Bastrop for Boy Scouts of America outside Austin. The interfaith chapel was designed to include movement with the upper cedar pieces free to sway with the wind, connecting the structure with the always-moving lake water behind. The open-air concept was chosen to complement the nondenominational intention of openness for the structure. The chapel can accommodate roughly 50 people and frames the lake behind it through the arc. Photo courtesy of Murray Legge/LLL art and architecture collaborative

Lost Pines Chapel was built on the banks of Lake Bastrop for Boy Scouts of America outside Austin. The interfaith chapel was designed to include movement, with the upper cedar pieces free to sway with the wind, connecting the structure with the always-moving lake water behind. The open-air concept was chosen to complement the nondenominational intention of openness for the structure. The chapel can accommodate roughly 50 people and frames the lake behind it through the arc. Photo courtesy of Murray Legge/LLL art and architecture collaborative

Wayfarers Chapel overlooks the Pacific Ocean in Rancho Palos Verdes, California. The chapel was designed by Lloyd Wright, son of the famous American architect Frank Lloyd Wright. Surrounded by trees, the chapel is an example of organic architecture, which uses nature as a framework. Wayfarers Chapel is an ecumenical ministry of the Swedenborgian Church and the National Memorial to Emanuel Swedenborg. Photo courtesy of Creative Commons

Wayfarers Chapel overlooks the Pacific Ocean in Rancho Palos Verdes, California. The chapel was designed by Lloyd Wright, son of the famous American architect Frank Lloyd Wright. Wayfarers Chapel is an ecumenical ministry of the Swedenborgian Church and the National Memorial to Emanuel Swedenborg. Photo by Corey Seeman/Flickr/Creative Commons

Camp Mitchell’s open-air chapel sits atop Petit Jean Mountain overlooking the Arkansas River Valley. The camp opened for operation in 1949 and hosts everything from summer camps to weddings. It is run through the local Episcopal church but is open for use by other denominations. Photo courtesy of Camp Mitchell