The Chapel of the Holy Cross stands as a striking architectural landmark built into a butte in Sedona’s red rock landscape. Constructed between 1956 and 1957, the structure is immediately recognizable by its dramatic cross that appears to emerge from the natural stone formations.
Architect Marguerite Brunswig Staude, who studied under Frank Lloyd Wright, designed this chapel to integrate seamlessly with its natural surroundings. The all-glass wall behind the altar and the 360-degree view from the plaza in front of the chapel showcase the building’s elegant simplicity and connection to the landscape. The chapel rises 200 feet above the valley below, offering expansive vistas of the surrounding terrain.
The area features several distinctive rock formations with spiritual significance. Nearby hillsides display two similarly shaped rock pillars known as “the Two Nuns,” while another natural formation resembles the Virgin Mary cradling the Christ Child.
The design philosophy emphasizes restraint and beauty through simplicity. By building directly into the butte rather than imposing upon it, the chapel creates a sense of the structure emerging organically from the red rocks themselves, establishing harmony between the sacred space and its geological setting.
