(Image Source: Church History Library) |
The chapel for the Takaroa Branch was built in 1891. The walls were constructed using large blocks of coral that were bound together with a cement made out of smaller coral stones. Wood was used to frame the vaulted windows (which have stained glass) and doors.
(Image Source: Church History Library) |
A lot of the pictures from the Church History Library appear to be taken when the building was in a state of disrepair. A cyclone in 1906 destroyed virtually everything on the island except the chapel. Other cyclones in 1982 and 1983 also destroyed many buildings, but the chapel remains.
(Image Source: Mormon Newsroom) |
The chapel looks in great condition today. Excepting the Gadfield Elm chapel (in Great Britain), it may be the oldest chapel outside of the United States. It's a lovely piece of Mormon Architecture, in what many would consider to be an unlikely place!
Thank you so much for this post! I had cut these photos from an old Church News ages ago and then promptly lost them. A building such as this really is a monument, and I was thrilled when the church chose to restore it.
ReplyDeleteIt really is lovely! I was glad to stumble across the images of it as well!
DeleteThank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteGlad you enjoyed it!
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