{{short description|United States historic place at Rollins College, Winter Park, Florida}} {{Use American English|date=July 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}} {{Infobox NRHP | name = Knowles Memorial Chapel | image = Rollins College Knowles Chapel03.jpg | caption = Knowles Chapel tower | location = Rollins College<br /> Winter Park, Florida | nearest_city = Winter Park | coordinates = {{coord|28|35|33|N|81|20|53|W|display=inline,title}} | locmapin = Florida#USA | built = 1932 | architect = Ralph Adams Cram and builder, G. W. Hessler of Jacksonville | architecture = Mediterranean Revival | added = December 8, 1997 | area = less than one acre | refnum = 97001448<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|version=2010a}}</ref> }}
'''Knowles Memorial Chapel''', built between 1931 and 1932, is an historic Mediterranean Revival building located on the campus of Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida, in the United States. On December 8, 1997, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. On April 18, 2012, the AIA's Florida Chapter placed the '''Knowles Chapel at Rollins College''' on its list of ''Florida Architecture: 100 Years. 100 Places''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.floridapeopleschoice.com/|title=Start Voting for Your Favorite Florida Architecture!|website=2019 People's Choice Award (Florida Architecture)|accessdate=August 10, 2019|archive-date=April 15, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190415151925/http://www.floridapeopleschoice.com/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
==History== Knowles Memorial Chapel was given to Rollins College by Frances Knowles Warren in memory of her father, Francis Bangs Knowles (1823–1890),<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.wppl.org/wphistory/FoundersBio.htm#FRANCIS%20BANGS%20KNOWLES|title=Founders of Winter Park|accessdate=August 10, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110712135106/http://www.wppl.org/wphistory/FoundersBio.htm#FRANCIS%20BANGS%20KNOWLES|archive-date=July 12, 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> one of the founders of both Rollins College and the city of Winter Park. It was designed by church and collegiate architect, Ralph Adams Cram, who considered it his favorite of the more than 75 churches and cathedrals he had designed. In the summer of 2007 it underwent a masonry restoration paid for by a trust set up by Frances Knowles Warren.<ref name="Knowles Memorial Chapel history">{{Cite web|url=http://www.rollins.edu/knowles/history.shtml|title=Knowles Memorial Chapel history|accessdate=August 10, 2019|archive-url=https://archive.today/20050208160042/http://www.rollins.edu/knowles/history.shtml|archive-date=February 8, 2005|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,753725-3,00.html|title=Letters, Jul. 10, 1933|date=July 10, 1933|accessdate=August 10, 2019|via=content.time.com}}</ref>
===Organ=== The chapel organ was built in 1932 by organ builder, Ernest M. Skinner. In the mid 1950s it was renovated by Skinner's firm, Aeolian-Skinner. Between 1999 and 2002 the organ was completely overhauled and renovated by Randall Dyer & Associates. At the same time the Dyer firm also built and installed a "completely new, free-standing antiphonal organ at the rear of the balcony and surrounding the Rose Window." Deeply involved in the work by the Dyer firm was its associate, John J. Tyrrell, former president of Aeolian-Skinner.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.rollins.edu/knowles/organ.shtml|title=Knowles Memorial Chapel organ|accessdate=August 10, 2019|archive-url=https://archive.today/20050208172431/http://www.rollins.edu/knowles/organ.shtml|archive-date=February 8, 2005|url-status=dead}}</ref>
=== Stained Glass === The rose window at the rear depicts the seven liberal arts and is a collaboration between Cram and stained-glass artist William Herbert Burnham.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lane |first=Jack C. |date=2021-08-25 |title=Guest Post - A Fusion of the Liberal Arts and Christianity: The Rose Window of Knowles Memorial Chapel |url=https://christianscholars.com/guest-post-a-fusion-of-the-liberal-arts-and-christianity-the-rose-window-of-knowles-memorial-chapel/ |access-date=2022-05-23 |website=Christian Scholar’s Review |language=en-US}}</ref>
==Current use== Knowles Memorial Chapel continues to be used as the Rollins College Chapel and its dean is the pastor of the college.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.rollins.edu/knowles/whatwedo.shtml|title=Knowles Memorial Chapel - What we do|accessdate=August 10, 2019|archive-url=https://archive.today/20050208163230/http://www.rollins.edu/knowles/whatwedo.shtml|archive-date=February 8, 2005|url-status=dead}}</ref> The chapel is also the venue for many musical events, especially during the annual Bach Festival of Winter Park.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.bachfestivalflorida.org/pages/calendar.shtml |title=Bach Festival of Winter Park |access-date=February 21, 2008 |archive-date=March 6, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080306023110/http://www.bachfestivalflorida.org/pages/calendar.shtml |url-status=dead }}</ref>
==See also== * List of Registered Historic Places in Orange County, Florida
==Gallery== <gallery> Image:Rollins College Knowles Chapel01.jpg|Knowles Chapel detail over entrance Image:Rollins College Knowles Chapel02.jpg|Knowles Chapel side view </gallery>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== {{commons category-inline}} *[https://archive.today/20050208162348/http://www.rollins.edu/knowles/index.shtml Knowles Memorial Chapel homepage] *[https://archive.today/20050208172431/http://www.rollins.edu/knowles/organ.shtml Knowles Memorial Chapel organ] *[https://archive.today/20050208160042/http://www.rollins.edu/knowles/history.shtml Knowles Memorial Chapel history] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20100313164747/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,753725-3,00.html Time magazine July 10, 1933] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20080123203507/http://www.flheritage.com/services/sites/fht/record_t.cfm?ID=652&type=c&index=48 Florida's Office of Cultural and Historical Programs listing for Knowles Memorial Chapel] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20100609213930/http://news.rollins.edu/07campus_renovation.shtml Rollins College's 2007 renovation of Knowles Memorial Chapel] *{{HABS |survey=FL-407 |id=fl0422 |title=Knowles Memorial Chapel, 1100 Holt Avenue, Winter Park, Orange County, FL |photos=27 |data=10 |cap=2}}
{{Rollins College}} {{National Register of Historic Places}} {{Winter Park, Florida}}
Category:National Register of Historic Places in Orange County, Florida Category:Properties of religious function on the National Register of Historic Places in Florida Category:Churches in Orange County, Florida Category:Rollins College Category:Buildings and structures in Winter Park, Florida Category:Ralph Adams Cram church buildings Category:University and college chapels in the United States Category:Historic American Buildings Survey in Florida Category:1932 establishments in Florida