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The MIT Chapel. Photo by darajan.
A recent StumbleUpon adventure has lead me to discovering the MIT Chapel. Designed by architect Eero Saarinen, the non-denominational chapel was constructed in 1955. Viewed from the outside, the windowless brick cylinder is extremely uninviting and for the most part, looks pretty mundane other than this shit on top that looks like a rocket ship. Approaching the building, I was reminded of an abandoned silo where I would go to light off fireworks in high school, except that it isn’t covered in penises spray painted by eighth graders.
Luckily, the interior is much more cozy than the inside of a silo and the odds are pretty low that you’ll be shot in the chest with a roman candle. Inside, there is a spectacular use of natural lighting, created by a larger circular skylight. A tall sculpture created by Harry Bertoia dangles metal shards from the skylight and further emphasizes the light from above, creating an eerie effect. Despite the lack of fireworks, the MIT chapel is still a beautiful building that is definitely worth a visit.
The MIT Chapel is located at 48 Massachusetts Ave. near the corner of Massachusetts Ave. and Amherst St and is open to the public throughout the week.
Its even better in the summer, as the moat around the chapel is filled with water, which throws dancing reflections up the undulating walls inside