Rothko Chapel verses Byzantine Fresco Chapel Museum in Houston, Texas

Sacred places

There are two chapels on the campus of The Menil Collection in Houston, Texas that are worlds apart in most respects and yet one might also see some similarities.

The similarities start from the fact that both are chapels dedicated to quiet reflection.

No interior photographs are allowed to be taken.

They are a quick walking distance apart and were both constructed because of the generosity of Dominique de Menil who has left Houston, Texas with a magnificent legacy consisting of a grand museum filled with a lifetime collection of wonderful art plus these two distinctive chapels.

The exteriors of The Rothko Chapel and the Byzantine Fresco Chapel are modern in design but show little of what is inside to the public.

One must venture inside to see the hidden treasures and determine the striking differences for oneself.

 Both are open and free of charge to the public.

Set in a quiet neighborhood not far from the Museum District of Houston and St. Thomas University, these buildings are nestled in between small bungalow homes.

Were it not for the much larger museum of the Menil Collection drawing art lovers to this location and then the small unobtrusive signs by the streets pointing the way to both of these chapels, they could easily be overlooked and never be noticed by a casual passerby, especially if traveling by automobile.

Byzantine Fresco Chapel

Concrete and stonework plus some splashing water sounds greet one as one draws near the entry door into the Byzantine Fresco Chapel. But upon entering, one encounters a distinctly different atmosphere.

One goes from a normally bright exterior into a softer lit interior. A quietude and feeling of reverence prevails in the space, even in this first passageway to the real jewel of the chapel which is its central interior.

As most all of the links will advise ( and please click on some of them to see some of the professionally photographed interior of this Byzantine Fresco Chapel ) if it had not been for Dominique de Menil paying a ransom for these broken apart 13th century frescoes stolen from a small individually owned chapel in Lysi, Cypress, they might have been swallowed up by collectors of these fragments never again to be seen as a whole.

With the consent of the Church of Cypress and after 2 years of restoration, she had her architect son, Francois de Menil erect this structure to house these largest intact Byzantine frescoes in all of the Western Hemisphere.

Exact dimensions of the original chapel in Cypress have been replicated inside of the larger building but the materials are completely different and showcase the ancient frescoes in a new light. In a darkened space utilizing black steel, dark woods and opaque glass these frescoes appear in this illuminated modern setting.

Benches are provided so that patrons visiting this consecrated space can sit and comfortably look up at the dome representing "Christ, the Almighty" as well as the smaller jewel like frescoes of the Virgin Mary as well as the archangels Gabriel and Michael.

The frescoes are now preserved for posterity and must be seen in person to realize their full magnificence. 

Rothko Chapel

The Rothko Chapel and the Byzantine Fresco Chapel are about one block from one another with the large modern Menil Collection museum anchoring the campus.

Like the Byzantine Fresco Chapel, the outside of the Rothko Chapel is a rather simple and modern looking structure giving no hint of what is inside.

John and Dominique de Menil commissioned the famous modern artist, Mark Rothko, to create his distinctive canvasses specifically for this site in 1964.

Rothko had an interest in working with the architects so that the space would suit his works of art and in that, he was a "hands on" participant. As a matter of fact, he often requested (demanded) that museums and other venues be readied to his exact specifications prior to allowing his work to be shown.

Broken Obelisk by Barnett Newman

The most distinctive thing one first sees outside of the Rothko Chapel is a reflection pool created by Philip Johnson. It is not merely the reflection pool that grabs one's attention but the sculpture titled Broken Obelisk created by artist Barnet Newman that is mounted rising up out of the water.

Tall bamboo outlines two sides of this pretty site and benches are provided for people to sit and rest or even meditate.

When the Menils acquired this Broken Obelisk sculpture and had it relocated here from Washington, D.C., they dedicated it to the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Junior.

Mark Rothko paintings

The non-denominational Rothko Chapel was completed in 1971 and inside the central area one discovers an octagonal shaped room with 14 primarily black canvasses with slight variations of color on these large pieces of art which dominate the interior walls.

Wooden benches are arranged along the walls and are also placed in a somewhat circular pattern in the middle of the room.

We have been there when some large smooth black rocks were situated in the center of the room. 

It almost has a Zen-like feeling to the room.

A hushed atmosphere prevails in this modern art space much as it does in the Byzantine Fresco Chapel.

The Rothko Chapel was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 16, 2000.

Mark Rothko never saw this chapel with his name on it completed as his death, due to suicide, preceded it's completion.

Morton Feldman wrote a musical piece called The Rothko Chapel in 1971 and there are numerous youtube videos playing portions of it for your enjoyment, one of which is included in this hub.

Both of these chapels, the Rothko Chapel and the Byzantine Fresco Chapel Museum are well worth a visit if you live in Houston, Texas or are planning a visit. They are two of the jewels crowning the campus of the Menil Collection which is a very modern museum building housing a vast collection of art. All of these spaces are free and open to the public.

Hope you enjoyed learning a bit about these two unique structures created from the wealth and generosity of the philanthropists John and Dominique de Menil.