Wade Memorial Chapel
Wade Memorial Chapel, built in memory of Jeptha Wade, founder of The Western Union Telegraph Company and the first president of Lake View Cemetery, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is one of the few interiors left in the world that was totally designed by Louis Comfort Tiffany and his studios. The Chapel is open daily, April 1 through November 19, from 9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. The four-ton bronze doors open into a glorious interior with the theme, “The Voyage of Life.”
Wade Chapel’s interior is illuminated by the awe-inspiring stained glass window, The Flight of Souls, by which the consummation of the Divine Promise is depicted. Created in Tiffany’s signature “Favrile” method, where opalescent, iridescent, and translucent pieces of glass are layered to create rich, deep colors, it’s apparent the intended focus of the Chapel is the window. Before being installed, the window won a gold medal during the 1900 Exposition Universelle in Paris, giving it credibility as an important example of Tiffany’s highly- prized ecclesiastical work.
The mosaic on the west wall of the Chapel symbolizes the prophecy and the law of the Old Testament. The east wall of Wade Chapel symbolizes the fulfillment of the laws of the Prophets through the birth of Christianity. Both 32’ X 8’ mosaic walls, designed by Frederick Wilson, were constructed in the Tiffany Studios in New York and re-assembled in Wade Chapel.
Local architects, Hubbell and Benes, designed the exterior of Wade Chapel; consisting of a pediment, columns, Ionic capitals and portico, all in the Neo-Classical style.
Occasional Closing of Wade Memorial Chapel
The chapel is occasionally closed for private funeral services, weddings or special programs. Please feel free to check Today’s Schedule on our home page or contact our office at 216-421-2665 if you plan to visit.
