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Byzantine Fresco Chapel Museum
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6 reviews for Byzantine Fresco Chapel Museum
Black Eyed Peas said it best:
"Man, you gotta have love just to set it straight
Take control of your mind and meditate
Let your soul gravitate to the love, y'all, y'all"
Has the weight of the world or the stresses of life inhibited your ability to connect with yourself? I agree with all the reviews that this space is truly a magical gift to all who have entered through its doors. Not knowing quite what to expect, I first thought, is this it? The space is not very large and I had expected much more of the restored Byzantine chapel. However, once I sat down and really started to look at the space, I was awestruck with the incredible artistic vision the designer had in weaving both modern and classical elements into as spiritually uplifting place as any as I have seen anywhere. Spend some time in quiet reflection while sitting in the cool quiet of the serene space. When I left, I emerged both humbled and uplifted at the same time.
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I absolutely enjoy every one of my visits to this Chapel! It is very close to where I live, so I visit it when I have free time.
You enter the simple doors and are greeted by a docent in the atrium. You then turn right, and you enter a small room asking you to pause and adjust your eyes to the darkness. And it is dark in there.
The Chapel is beautiful! The frosted glass, the play of light, both man-made and natural, it's all so serene and so beautiful. The Frescoes are awesome and you can't tell that they were ever broken apart and sold in lots by thieves. The Menil family is incredible, they persuaded the thieves to let them buy each of the parts.
This is definitely a place where I take visitors from out of town. There is also some sort of picnic area or park in the Chapel grounds, but I still have yet to find it.
While I prefer visiting this Byzantine Chapel, make sure to see the Rothko Chapel a nearby foot walk away. I must warn you though, you might not enjoy it as much as the Byzantine, like I do!
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I've been all over the world, and never have I experienced the serenity that I did here. The Byzantine Fresco Chapel manages to bridge ancient and futuristic, shadow and light, space and shelter, the spiritual and the material with such inspired clarity that I wonder how anyone could deny that creativity is in union with the divine.
The Byzantine frescoes are cradled by the architecture, but I would not say that you go here to view them as you would in a museum. They're not so much showcased as they are meant to lend support to the broader experience. While it hosts special ceremonies and was sanctified by a Greek Orthodox priest, the purpose of the chapel is almost solely for meditation. There are no weddings or baptisms here as of now; the baptistry is used for storage and occasional removal of the frescoes for upkeep. The slip of courtyard is worth meandering through for the same reason one would stand at the reflection pool outside of the Rothko chapel. Rare is the place with such penetrating peacefulness.
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The fresco chapel is a beautiful thing. The original fresco in Cypress was cut into 38 pieces and sold off by art thieves. The Menil family bought all 38 pieces and sent them to London to be re assembled. The chapel sets off the fresco ceiling and back altar piece to perfection. I am stunned this place was built by the same family as the Rothko chapel. The fresco chapel is art in the highest form and the rothko chapel down the straight is the complete opposite.
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I went to school just a few blocks away from this Museum and never knew it. I finally saw it a few years ago and was blown away. Definitely something you want to check out. It's one of those things that reminds you how strange and eclectic Houston can be.
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It's really small, but it's pretty good.
