Built in 1960, The Roofless Church is one of New Harmony’s premier architectural and spiritual, treasures. It is a brick-walled church without a roof and open to the sky. The architect Philip Johnson did not want a roof on the church, because “all religions hold the heavens in common” and the sky is the only roof large enough to encompass a world of worshippers.
The church is a plaza-like area within a 9,800 square foot rectangular brick wall and paved with limestone. Its most prominent feature is a 50-foot cedar-shingled dome which is a cover for the bronze sculpture by Jacques Lipchitz called “The Descent of the Holy Spirit.” The inscription in French on the back of it translates: “Jacob Lipchitz, Jew, faithful to the faith of his ancestors, has made this virgin for the good will of all mankind that the spirit might prevail”. Some interpret the shape of the dome as an inverted rosebud, and it is said that the structure casts the shadow of an open rose. The golden rose was the symbol of the utopian community that founded the town. Lipchitz also created the monumental entry gate and doors. Unique as the missing roof, the gate ornaments are gilded gold. Roughly 6000 sheets of 23.75-carat yellow gold leaf, cover the ornamental gates.
The Roofless Church is significant not only for its historic location, however, but for the prominence of its architect. Philip Johnson was one of the most important figures in 20th-century American architecture. As the primary proponent of the International Style, he was responsible for the glass and steel structure of many of the country’s most famous skyscrapers, including the Seagram Building in New York City, which he designed with Mies van der Rohe. Philip Johnson’s Roofless Church won the American Institute of Architects Gold Medal in 1960.
Today, in addition to being a tourist attraction, The Roofless Church is a popular site for weddings and other ceremonies. It is also a special place for me because my grandparents used to live in the house across the street. My sister and I would come to the Roofless Church as kids and play inside and sometimes even ride our bikes through it. That wasn't a very respectful thing to do in a church I guess but, we were young and I’d like to think God was smiling down on us then as we were "Just kids being kids." Also, back then there was only limestone paving and no grass. The picture at the top of the cache page depicts this. I’m not sure when it changed and I couldn’t find anything documenting the change-over.
Almost every weekend during the summer there was a wedding at the church. My sister and I would sit on the back porch steps of our grandparent’s house and watch the processions in and out of the church. We knew that when we grew up, our weddings would be held there. I am happy to say that my sister made that dream come true. August 11th, 1990 her wedding was held there and it was just as beautiful as the ones we had watched as kids from across the street.
To get credit for this cache, please post of picture of yourself with the dome and sculpture in the background with your online log. If you are there during the time of a ceremony, any outside picture of you with the church in the background will do. Although, you may want to come back and see the inside of the church. It is simply amazing! Please, no night caching. Daylight hours only here. Thank you for visiting this place I hold dear to my heart!
Virtual Rewards 2.0 - 2019/2020
This Virtual Cache is part of a limited release of Virtuals created between June 4, 2019 and June 4, 2020. Only 4,000 cache owners were given the opportunity to hide a Virtual Cache. Learn more about Virtual Rewards 2.0 on the Geocaching Blog.