It’s one of Arizona’s most notable landmarks. Growing up, I have visited this place more often than I’ve visited the Grand Canyon.
The Chapel of the Holy Cross is a standout attraction set against Sedona’s red rocks, especially if you drive along State Route 89A on your way to northern Arizona.
But did you know the Chapel of the Holy Cross almost wasn’t built in Arizona at all?
According to the chapel’s website, the chapel was conceived in 1932 by Marguerite Brunswig Staude, a native Californian who was inspired by the construction of the Empire State Building. But the original location wasn’t planned for Arizona — or even the United States. The initial plan was to build the chapel in Budapest, Hungary. Staude had even commissioned Lloyd Wright,
son of architect Frank Lloyd Wright, to help.
But the start of World War II changed those plans, and the chapel project eventually moved to Arizona.
Years after the original plans fell apart, Marguerite married Tony Staude, a writer from Texas. The couple bought a ranch in Sedona, where Marguerite would later pick the perfect spot for her crucifix-shaped chapel.
According to the website, the chapel was built on Coconino National Forest land. To do that, then-U.S. Sen. Barry Goldwater helped Staude obtain a special-use permit to make the project a reality.
The chapel was completed in 1956 by the architecture firm Anshen & Allen. In an Arizona Republic article from May of that year, the chapel was called “an architectural triumph which would take the eye in any region.”
The chapel was reported by The Republic to be the first Catholic church in Sedona when it was built, but it wasn’t officially transferred to the Diocese of Phoenix until 1973.
As the years have gone by, the chapel has continued to be a popular tourist destination. In a December 1982 column for The Republic, Nyle Leatham wrote, “It is entirely possible that the Chapel of the Holy Cross in Sedona is the most photographed object in Arizona.”
Staude left a legacy in Sedona. Hundreds of thousands of tourists visit the Chapel of the Holy Cross each year. And as a June 25, 2000, article in The Republic read, “Now, the 90-foot cross that stretches to the sky from a twin-peaked spur is a testimony to her tenacity.”
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Sedona's Chapel of the Holy Cross wasn't always meant for Arizona
