Stanford Memorial Church

24 Feb 2008, by Scott DuBose

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanford_Memorial_Church

Stanford Memorial Church stands at the center of the Stanford University campus in Stanford, California. It was built by Jane Stanford as a memorial to her husband, Leland Stanford. The church was completed in 1903. The 1906 San Francisco earthquake shook the church such that "The clock tower and spire plunged through the roof of the church with such force that the entire north face of the building with its wondrous mosaic was blown out and totally destroyed." It was reconstructed without the clock tower, and it wasn't until 1917 that all the repairs were finished. The church was closed after the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, when the exterior mosaics were damaged. The church reopened in 1993.

Mrs. Stanford chose the life of Christ as the theme for the original 19 large windows, and hoped from the beginning that Catholics, Jews and Protestants would share the Church. Stanford Memorial Church also gave respectful attention to eastern Asian religions since the original University community included Asians.

The Church is available to people of all faiths, but daily and Sunday services are generally Protestant. Catholic masses are also held.

Equipment Used

Canon 400D, 18-55mm kit lens. 108 images, three exposures, blended with Photomatix and stitched with PTGUI.

Location & Nearby - United States

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