St. Joan of Arc Chapel

[low_delta]

There is a chapel in Milwaukee, that was built in the 1400's. This makes it the oldest building in the Western Hemisphere, that was built by Europeans. Of course it wasn't originally built here.



Originally named Chapelle de St. Martin de Sayssuel, the chapel was built over several generations in the French village Chasse-sur-Rhône, south of Lyon. Estimates are that it was built around the 15th century. The building was abandoned after the French Revolution and fell into ruin. After World War I, the young architect Jacques Couëlle rediscovered the chapel and negotiated a transfer to the Brookville, New York home of Gertrude Hill Gavin, the daughter of James J. Hill, best known as the founder of the Great Northern Railway.

The chapel was shipped to New York in 1927 where it was reconstructed. John Russell Pope oversaw the reconstruction in New York for Gavin, the new owner. There it was attached to a French Renaissance chateau, which burned down in 1962; however, the chapel was not damaged in the fire. After Gavin died, her estate passed on to new owners, Marc B. Rojtman and his wife, who decided to present the chapel to Marquette University in 1964.



Mystery has also surrounded the "Joan Stone," which sits at the base of an opening behind the altar. Legends say St. Joan prayed to the Virgin Mary while standing on this stone. After finishing her prayer, St. Joan knelt down and kissed the stone. Ever since, the stone has remained colder than those around it.



The stained glass behind the altar was commissioned by the new owners in New York, and made in the style of centuries prior.







There is a little room off to the side of the chancel. It's used as an office. This is the back door, and it had a charming, narrow stained glass window.





There were quite a few artifacts around the chapel. None were original to the chapel, but some were contemporary, within a century or so. Like a banner that they guess the embroidery was done on what was once green velvet. They're not really certain of the original color. Some were "new," such as a reconstruction of a tapestry that dates to the 19th century. Or a banner that they don't really know when it was made. The kneelers were only a couple of centuries old. There was a carved wooden Jesus-on-the-cross, with companion carvings of Peter and Paul. They were all missing their arms, as they had otherwise survived the bombing of their original church, during WWII. That particular crucifix was said to be of a rare type, since Jesus was depicted as being alive. *shrug* But I enjoyed hearing these stories. I just wish I could remember them better.

Comments

[pondhopper.livejournal.com]

This is all fascinating to me. The stained glass is well-done and almost looks like real Medieval stuff.
When I first saw the pictures without reading the text I thought "wait! I didn't know they were coming to Europe".
:D

I could show you a place or two like that in their rightful setting.
;)

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

Well, it's not as old as the Seville Cathedral, and you know I've seen that.

[pondhopper.livejournal.com]

I'm not talking about anything as grandiose as the Sevilla Cathedral but more along the lines of what you show here or much older even. Pre-romanesque e.g.

[ravenfeather.livejournal.com]

It doesn't seem to have suffered from being moved around so much. I love the little back door.

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

The stonework is the only part that's original, and it did look pretty beat-up to me. But that may be from the "discovered in ruins" part rather than the multiple shipping and reconstruction part.

[sirreal13.livejournal.com]

That is a great post. Nice pictures and narrative. I grew up in Milwaukee and never heard about the chapel!

chapel

[likethebeer.livejournal.com]

Those are lovely photos. Thanks for getting them.

[cierrablue.livejournal.com]

Breathtaking!