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Chapel of the Holy Cross
Rating Details »
19 reviews for Chapel of the Holy Cross
This place no doubts emits the special aura I can only feel to true holy places. Looking at the ceiling above, the tall yet relatively small space within the chapel made me feel the existence of someone higher even though I'm more of a buddhist/shintoist than a christian. Stone walls and wooden interiors gave that ancient look that made me feel closer to 2000 years ago when Jesus still lived.
Because I felt so warm, selection within a basement gift shop disappointed me. There should be more artifacts that would remind visitors of this special place instead of some handmade stuffs I could easily buy at christian-owned stores. Also, the fact that there were so many casual bystanders (well, I probably was too :P) created the atmosphere more commercialized than spiritual.
Nevertheless, this is a place to go when you are in Sedona if you seek to give you calm and cleanse your soul.
A must see and stop for photographers
I am not sure if I got into the vortex or not. I sure hope my camera did because the church is unique, and photogenic. It feels very Catholic to me. All my catechism classes came back and I had to light candles and make a donation.. Now that I think more about it, I must have been in a vortex to remember all the right things to do in this very modern church perched on very old rocks .
There aren't many typical "touristy" sites in Sedona, but Chapel of the Holy Cross is definitely worth visiting. It's a little chapel built into the rock. From the top, you'll get excellent views of Sedona and the red rocks in all directions. Best of all, it's free, but a small donation wouldn't hurt.
Visiting in the morning seemed to be best because the angle of the sun really highlighted the colors of the rocks. I'm not religious at all, but this was definitely worth a look.
I don't know if it's because I'm not very religious, or because I was amused by the people that were, that I give this place 2 stars.
We drove from Scottsdale out to Sedona. The view of the cross itself from a distance is pretty neat. The cross in the rocks. But once you get close, you just drive up a path and get closer to it. If you're smart, you won't park at the first spot you see. Drive UP the mountain or you will be practically hiking up it. Then you get to wind up the mountain (Wheelchair accessible btw) and reach the doors. It's neat inside, but it doesn't feel "holy" to me. Lots of candles. The crosses were kinda neat too, but they all seemed dusty... nothing fancy. I wanted to go to take pictures, but everyone was so damn serious and praying that I felt RUDE to step in their way. I got some, but I had to disrupt people to do it.
Then you go down stairs and theres the gift shop. But of course! And it was pretty small, stuffy!, and oh yea that place wasn't wheelchair accessible.
I was hoping I could find a place to pee, but that didn't happen. The port-a-potties were back down and around the mountain where we originally came.
Oh the joys that hike was. At least they weren't nasty dirty. I really hate port-a-potties tho. Icky.
So that was my experience. The best part of my trip was eating at Cafe Elote. Gawd I daydream about that place. That's actually the reason I'll go back and visit Sedona. Oh and the view from being up the mountain itself. Jealous of the houses down below. HUGE POOLS!
This church is tucked away in Sedona's Red Rocks and seems like it is almost floating on the Mountain Side. It was quaint, unique, and photogenic. It is well-designed, and you could spend hours looking at the individual details within the church - from the stations of the cross, to the pews, to the engraved tables. But my favorite part of the visit was the overwhelming sense of peace. It's harmoniously entwined with the Sedona's positive ambiance.
As one who tends to run off to Sedona when life turns into a bummer, this is the first place I go.
The gorgeous architecture lend right into a very peaceful experience. There are generally a lot of people there almost every day of the week, but I am able to sit on one of the pews and meditate without being bothered.
The little store under the chapel is cute... lots of Christian items for those who like it.
This is a cute little church with amazing views of the red rocks. Great place for pictures. I always make a donation and light a candle when I come here. Yes, there are no bathrooms, but there is a small gift shop downstairs.
And there is also a ginormous house that you can see being built from the main rode to the chapel. This is also the best view to see how large that house really is.
First visited in March '08 with girlfriends. Took my sister and her kids in April, and then back again with cousin in August! Vortex or not, this location energizes and calms me at the same time. Great space to meditate and reflect and just revel in how beautiful and simple life can be. Time spent here rank among some of the best I've had in my life, spiritually and physically! I can always count on this destination (and Sedona as a whole) to lift my spirits up.
It's not a completely unique idea to put a church into red rocks, but it is very interesting place none-the-less. Very scenic. The religious will be impressed.
My first visit to Sedona was in December '08, and during that visit we stopped at the Chapel of the Holy Cross. I agree with Aileen B - vortex or not, this place has a very calming aura, which is energizing and calming at the same time. It is definitely a great spot for reflection and makes for some great photos as well. :)
Ahhh... even for an agnostic or Atheist, this church is magical. The architecture is a must see on your trip to Sedona.
BRING YOUR CAMERA! The view from the outside of the church built into the red rock, can only be matched by the view from inside the the chapel windows looking out at beautiful Sedona landscape.
For those of you a little more spiritual, giving a donation and lighting a candle is ritualistically cleansing and healing.
I had a tremendous sense of peace here, despite the crowds.
I didn't go when the line to get in was long. I picked a time of day that was between crowds, which meant I went back twice to find a good time. But, it was worth it. If you don't mind walking or hiking, you might also consider parking a little lower on the street and walking up.
There is a small gift shop downstairs that is worth a quick peruse.
Oh, and word from the locals is that Nicolas Cage has his vacation home built across the street from the chapel.
It's got a pretty neat design and the landscaping is very well done, but the place is about as large as a Subway (yes, I just compared a chapel to a fast food joint) so there's not much to see.
There were so many tourists when I visited, the site hardly seemed spiritual or holy in any particular manner. With the large number of "gift-shop" signs, it seemed like it was really just a large funnel to the downstairs business. The selection on relgious items in the shop is pretty good if you're into that sort of thing. The surrounding views are also pretty good, but any hike in the area should do it one better. Be wary of parking, sometimes it gets to be a long wait, so if there's a line, take the nearest spot even if it's a little farther away. Expect about 30 minutes to visit throughly.
Oddly enough, they also state multiple times that there is no public restroom available, but the entirety of the gift shop smelled like a bathroom. Ironic? Perhaps I just came on a funny day.
This is the most amazing church! The view is incredible and the architecture is breathtaking. I especially love that a daughter had this church built in memory of her parents. (if only we could all offer such a loving tribute to our parents!)
It is small, that's for sure but I make sure and visit each time I head up to Sedona. It's a perfect place for photo op's too!
WOW! We were totally amazed at the view! The inside of this Chapel is completely amazing. You cannot help but feel awe, inspiration and extreme peace just being there. They have a gift shop below too with all sorts of inspirational items. Very highly recommended!
Check out the photos: http://www.redrockreal...
WOW! The architecture is very simple but elegant and chic. The workmanship involved must have been exceptional, since it is build on brittle, slippery and unstable sedimentary rock. The views are quite breathtaking. There is a gift shop downstairs, which is a little too Christian for myself, so you can skip it unless you want a memento from the Chapel. The Chapel is rather striking, since it is so sharp and modern, against a rugged, rustic and geologic background. I wonder why they built a Chapel so far up in the rock formation... Oh, bytheway, the approach to the Chapel is under restoration, so it isn't a pleasant drive, but it is really short, so it's almost immaterial. Absolutely worth it.
Interesting try, and a great concept, but much like the LA cathedral, it comes off as being too cold and too modern. At the end of the day the sharp geometric lines are at odds with the rough gorgeous backdrop of natural "red rocks" and it sticks out as alien to the landscape neither complementing, nor becoming part of it.
Very picturesque location, but plan on hiking up the hill to see it, as it is one of the more popular locations in Sedona to visit. The church is not longer used as a church, but the view is spectacular, and there is a cool bookstore that has an assortment of religious artifacts as well as books.
Incredibly peaceful, with amazing architecture and views. A visit here is a must when in Sedona. The gift shop is great, too, with many unique inspirational items.
Great place for the view - come on an off day though. Rather fitting for a social commentary is the ornate estates right at the foot of the church which reduce the original intent of this fine location.
