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Stanford Memorial Church

Stanford Memorial Church at Night

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, also known as "MemChu", was built in the early 1900s, (actual construction began in 1899), and has hosted approximately 7,500 weddings since it was completed in 1903. Some of the artwork was not completed until 1905.The church has four organs, and a façade decorated with colorful mosaics. The mosaic was the largest in America at the time it was completed, and took 12 men two years to complete. The original organ, called the Romantic Organ, was built in 1901, and has 3,355 pipes.

The 1906 San Francisco earthquake shook the church with such force 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 decided to be 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 mosaics were damaged. The church reopened in 1993.

A stained glass window inside Stanford Memorial Church depicting the ascension of Leland Stanford, Jr, after whom Stanford University is named, to Heaven.

Jane Stanford once remarked: "While my whole heart is in the university, my soul is in that church." 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 cost more than $1,000,000 to build (early 1900's dollars), and the mosaics alone cost $97,000. Three architects were involved in the project: Charles A. Coolidge, Clinton Day, and Charles Hodges. The exterior of the Church is 190 feet long and 86 feet high at the façade. There is seating for 1,250 people on the main floor of the building. The interior of the Church is 152 feet long, and the main aisle is 98 feet long. The nave is 50 feet across at its center.

The Church is available to people of all faiths, but daily and Sunday services are generally Protestant. Catholic masses are also held. The Reverend Scotty McLennan is the minister of the church and serves as the current Dean for Religious Life at Stanford. McLennan and his staff at the Office for Religious Life oversea and coordinate all aspects of the church.

Facade (high resolution)

• Memorial Church History - [1]
• Stanford Memorial Church, An Appreciative Guide For the Not-so-casual Visitor, 1980, pgs. 1-4
• Stanford Office for Religious Life - [2]
• William Kreysler & Associates article on the restoration work, including detailed summary of the angels
• Maps and aerial photos Coordinates: 37.42700° -122.17034°
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  • Topographic map from TopoZone
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The Rev. Scotty McLennan is Stanford Memorial Church Minister and serves as the current Dean for Religious Life at Stanford.

• Rabbi Patricia Karlin-Neumann (Acting Dean Winter 2007)
• The Rev. Joannne Sanders

• Dr Rev. Diana Akiyama