The Orthodox Church in the American city of Vovatos - a suburb of Milwaukee, Wisconsin - is more like an unidentified flying object that made an emergency landing in the Midwest than an Orthodox church in our usual sense. Nevertheless, it is a functioning temple under the jurisdiction of the Patriarchate of Constantinople.
However, this building still has a similarity with traditional temples - and it is much more than it might seem to a person who is not familiar with church architecture. The Church of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary was built with great regard to Byzantine architecture - a sloping dome, a cruciform base ... minimum, painless for him.
A native of the Midwest himself, Frank Lloyd Wright left many expressive buildings to descendants - but alas, he did not have time to see the Church of the Annunciation incarnated in stone. Its construction began after the death of the prominent American architect and was generally completed in 1961. Interestingly, the stained glass windows, which Wright loved to use to decorate the interiors of his buildings, were made for the Church of the Annunciation by another master - and much later: they appeared in the temple only in 1978 year.
An equilateral 'Greek' cross, inscribed in a circle, is found here not only at the base - in the architectural solution of the Church of the Annunciation, this symbol is played many times. The blue dome of the temple, the blue summer sky and the same colored water in the pool at the entrance create a sense of serenity and evoke associations with the Greek coast and coastal islands in the sea. Despite the small, in comparison with other dimensions, the height of the building, it seems light and light and reminds the believer of Hagia Sophia, the majestic temple of Christian Constantinople.
Another element that is repeated here many times is a hemisphere, a semicircle. The openings of the cornice, the windows of the upper tier have this shape - and the semicircle of the dome is reflected in the semicircle of the balcony, under which is the entrance arch of the same shape. Even two vases on massive stands on either side of the entrance are in the shape of a hemisphere.
The Church of the Annunciation is open only during services. There are not many parishioners who visit it constantly. Therefore, you can calmly go up to the second floor, where there is usually no one at all, and from there, from above, watch the unhurried splendor of the Orthodox service. The inside of the temple is very spacious and light; the light plays on the details of the copper decor. Due to the abundance of light in the space of the temple, even its large dome seems to be suspended in the air - such a feeling arises due to the fact that there is a series of round holes. Art deco lamps and blue benches add the finishing touches to the cozy, unique atmosphere of this Orthodox church. Lived Frank Lloyd Wright until the time when the church built according to his project was fully completed - he, perhaps, would have been pleased with the result.
However, this building still has a similarity with traditional temples - and it is much more than it might seem to a person who is not familiar with church architecture. The Church of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary was built with great regard to Byzantine architecture - a sloping dome, a cruciform base ... minimum, painless for him.
A native of the Midwest himself, Frank Lloyd Wright left many expressive buildings to descendants - but alas, he did not have time to see the Church of the Annunciation incarnated in stone. Its construction began after the death of the prominent American architect and was generally completed in 1961. Interestingly, the stained glass windows, which Wright loved to use to decorate the interiors of his buildings, were made for the Church of the Annunciation by another master - and much later: they appeared in the temple only in 1978 year.
An equilateral 'Greek' cross, inscribed in a circle, is found here not only at the base - in the architectural solution of the Church of the Annunciation, this symbol is played many times. The blue dome of the temple, the blue summer sky and the same colored water in the pool at the entrance create a sense of serenity and evoke associations with the Greek coast and coastal islands in the sea. Despite the small, in comparison with other dimensions, the height of the building, it seems light and light and reminds the believer of Hagia Sophia, the majestic temple of Christian Constantinople.
Another element that is repeated here many times is a hemisphere, a semicircle. The openings of the cornice, the windows of the upper tier have this shape - and the semicircle of the dome is reflected in the semicircle of the balcony, under which is the entrance arch of the same shape. Even two vases on massive stands on either side of the entrance are in the shape of a hemisphere.
The Church of the Annunciation is open only during services. There are not many parishioners who visit it constantly. Therefore, you can calmly go up to the second floor, where there is usually no one at all, and from there, from above, watch the unhurried splendor of the Orthodox service. The inside of the temple is very spacious and light; the light plays on the details of the copper decor. Due to the abundance of light in the space of the temple, even its large dome seems to be suspended in the air - such a feeling arises due to the fact that there is a series of round holes. Art deco lamps and blue benches add the finishing touches to the cozy, unique atmosphere of this Orthodox church. Lived Frank Lloyd Wright until the time when the church built according to his project was fully completed - he, perhaps, would have been pleased with the result.
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