Chapel of the Chimes, Oakland

Elite '08

45

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kimberly v.

Berkeley, CA

And today, on top of everything else, they are having a Father's Day Celebration featuring a tribute to the great and recently-deceased Hal Stein, a jazz fixture in the Bay Area for a million years.  There will be scads of fantastic local musicians jamming in Hal's memory...

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Elite '08

102

128

Laura T.

Redwood City, CA

Thanks to Lainie L. for posting the benefit event for Christopher Rodriguez, the kid who was shot by a stray bullet during his piano lesson.

The benefit concert was held here. I was only able to attend the last hour of it but it was really touching, and the church was just beautiful. What happened to Christopher Rodriguez has made so many people feel sick and angry - it was nice that they had his benefit concert in a place that was so peaceful and uplifting.

I have hope that Christopher is going to go on to be a great musician - or whatever he decides to become, despite his injuries (paralyzation from the waist down). Maybe one day he'll even be able to walk again.

Being in this beautiful church, surrounded by so many people who wanted to offer their help to support a great cause, made me feel more hopeful than ever. I guess that's what this church was built for - to give people a reason to come together and share in their hope for the future. I'll always remember my visit here. Just beautiful.

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2

15

Michael M.

San Leandro, CA

My Grandmother and Grandfather are buried here. Beautiful to roam. Quiet with birds chirping inside. Amazing architecture too.
I hear they even have concerts here ocassionally.
Even if you do not have a loved one buried here, take a few hours to check this place out. It's not a morbid dark place at all. Quite the opposite.

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Elite '08

64

217

Melissa B.

San Francisco, CA

Magnificent and ethereal. Chapel of the Chimes has amazing architectural detail. Heavenly arches and tranquil fountains, and handsome furnishings. Every wonderful review you see here is  1000% accurate.

The Chapel reminded me of something you might find in Sienna or Salisbury, but its right here in our own back yard. This is another reason why theres "no place like home."

If you must have a send off for someone you loved and adored, I would feel good about having it here.

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0

12

Maylene D.

Cupertino, CA

What a peaceful and beautiful place to honor the departed and just meditate and be quiet!  Who knew this majestic place existed?!! and right here in the Bay Area!  Take the time to wander through the rooms and look at the names and dates on the book urns.  The architecture is quite amazing and the lighting provided by Mother Nature and the beautiful windows and colored glass is mesmerizing.  One of my closest and dearest Aunts was buried at this beautiful cemetery and we said our last goodbyes to her in the Chapel.  What a beautiful memory I will always have of her and how her family honored her.

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18

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Jolt G.

Berkeley, CA

This is a truly beautiful place. Things to look for here are the small private chapels, the little birds that sing for their neighbors, the collection of old bibles, and the interesting names, dates and urns of the residents that rest here in Julia Morgan's wonderful building. Yes, there are funerals here, but also weddings, recitals and concerts. At Christmas they a gi-normous Christmas tree and people donate poinsettias to fill the building.

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Elite '08

45

196

Leanne V.

Oakland, CA

my first time inside the chapel of the chimes was when my grandmother was interred here this fall.

what a stunning, jaw-dropping example of julia morgan's work. every detail is magnificent.

the sound of running water and the sun through the skylights make for a serene, heavenly  experience. i had always pictured a columbarium as being dark, death-filled and musty. i'm sure many are. such is not the case here.

my stepmother and i half-joked about what a wonderful resource cotc would be for indecisive expectant parents. the names in that place are fantastic! fern, pearl, ezra...all those great names are so old, they're new again.

make sure to check out the glass cases in the front near the chapel that encase various little bibles. they've been donated over the years by family members and are pretty bad ass. if a bible can in fact be bad ass.

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Elite '08

361

532

Irene S.

San Diego, CA

i had never been here before last night, despite many trips to the cemetary. and i was sorely missing out.

this chapel is amazing. so many rooms to wander in and out, plants sprouting up everywhere, statues, mosaics, art, just beautiul and secret feeling.

even though...

last night was the 10th anniversary of a yearly event held here called "garden of memory." the garden of memory concept is pretty sweet: musicians play music in many of the rooms, and attendees wander around, finding sounds they like and hanging out, wandering around to find other sounds they like, exploring both the chapel and the music. most of it is sort of ambient and maybe even a little spooky, but there was one room last night in which a woman was leading a group of little guys in a rousing chorus of "down by the banks of the hanky panky" which was pretty awesome.

so last night, the chapel of the chimes was full up, of people, of music. this did not marr it's charm, nor dissuade me from wanting to go back again and again and again.

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12

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ananda z.

Berkeley, CA

What a beautiful place.  I've been to a coupke of funerals here and the beauty and te stillness are amazing.  There is something almost eastern, but feminine about it.  Julia Morgan, who designed buildings all over the bay area (and Hearst Castle maybe?)  was the architect, and the nearby cemetary is also quite scenic.

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James E.

Oakland, CA

The Julia Morgan gothic, moorish fantasy that began as a streetcar station. This is a wonderful building and the columbarium is beautiful too. My chorus once had a rehearsal in the beautiful chapel. Kinda of like Hogwarts, Exeter, or the reading room at Neuschwanstein..

The nouveau and deco book-shaped containers in the columbarium are interesting.   Continue on into the cemetary and check out the Jewish mausoleum.

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5

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jamie m.

Oakland, CA

if you want to be lost and quiet, wander the halls of this place.  talking feels wrong, as does walking quickly through any of the rooms (which have names like "hope" and "patience", and amazing architecture).  many many families and friends rest here, so if you're not in the mood to be completely respectful of the dead (and the loved ones that visit them), please go elsewhere.  there are fountains inside, a small bird that sometimes sings, and ashes kept in containers that look like books...many stories of many lives.  it's a beautiful place; a calm in oakland.

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Amber A.

Oakland, CA

a grand place!  

oh yeah this place is full of dead people's remains but it isn't creepy.  there is a serenity here, which makes this a good place to walk, and meditate. the hills  provide spetacular views of the bay,  and you can check out the famous folks buried here.

some bay area notables of the last century have chosen this place as their final resting spot----crockett, creed, merritt, ghiradelli,  but even paying your respects to the lesser known residents is cool too.

i understand that they are going to be having a pumpkin festival here next week.  and there are holiday concerts too.

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