Shutter Mike Photography

My post yesterday gave an overview of St. Anthony’s Greek Orthodox Monastery and highlighted some of the churches and chapels that are on the monastery grounds.  However, there is so much detailed work that has been done in constructing and furnishing the buildings as well as in the layout and design of the surrounding gardens.  So I am doing another post to show some of the details.

Fountain of the Cross

Unlike the standard Christian “plus sign” cross the Orthodox cross has three horizontal bars.  The top bar represents the sign that was placed on the original cross that read “Jesus the Nazarene, King of the Jews.”  The middle bar was where Jesus’ arms were stretched out.  The third bar at the bottom (not shown in this image) represented the foot rest.  It is slanted with the right side pointing up and the left pointing down.  This is to represent the two thieves who were crucified on either side of Jesus.  The one on the right is said to have gone to heaven, so the bar slants up, and the one on the left to hell, so the bar slants down.

Beautiful Wrought Iron Details

The stasidia are tall seats that line the walls of the churches and chapels.  They are similar to the pews you may find in other curches but usually more intricately carved.  Also, since the monks stand during their services these are only used for occasional rests during the long services.

St. Seraphim is one of the most respected and renowned saints in the Russian Orthodox church.  This Spanish style fountain and the nearby outdoor Russian peasant chapel are dedicated to St. Seraphim.

You would not expect to find a place like St. Anthony’s Greek Orthodox Monastery in the middle of the Arizona desert.  But there it is, in Florence, between Phoenix and Tucson off of highway 79.  This is a true oasis in the desert and consists of several acres dotted with beautiful Greek, Romanian, Russian and Byzantine architecture as well as gardens, fountains, gazebos and wandering paths.  The monastery is home to about 40 Orthodox Christian monks who maintain its orchards, olive groves and vineyard as well do construction, publishing and hosting guests.  There are 5 chapels and churches as well as a gift shop all in the architectural styles mentioned above.  The Monastery is open to the public daily from 10:30 to 2:30 for self-guided tours.  One thing to keep in mind before visiting is that visitors must adhere to a dress code consisting of long pants and  long sleeve shirts for men and skirts, long sleeves and head scarves for women.

The architecture and gardens are beautiful and well worth a trip out towards Florence, AZ to see and photograph.  The monks are very accommodating to photographers and welcome photography of the buildings, inside and out.  They just ask that you not photograph the monks or guests of the monastery.

The main church of the monastery, St. Anthony’s Church, is in the classic Byzantine basilica style with a central dome.  Its bright red exterior walls with white accents and black roofs make it standout as the center point of the monastery.

Hilltop Chapel at St. Anthony’s Greek Orthodox Monastery

This chapel sits on a hilltop overlooking the monastery grounds and the desert for miles in all directions.  It is designed in a very traditional Greek style with its curvy lines, stark white walls and pop of deep blue in the dome.

St. Nicholas’ Chapel, like St. Anthony’s Church, is done in the Byzantine style of architecture.  It is much smaller than the main church and the detail in both the exterior and interior is amazing.

The Chapel of St. George is done in a Romanian architectural style.  Its white stone walls, red clay tile roof and large bell tower make it a very substantial building on the monastery grounds.

Tumacacori National Historic Park is about 45 minutes south of Tucson in Southern Arizona.  The park is made up of the mission, San Jose de Tumacacori, the remains of a cemetery, a round mortuary chapel, a store house and a visitors center with a museum.  Unlike the San Xavier Mission a little further north, Tumacacori Mission has not been restored and there are no plans for restoration.  Instead it has been preserved with emphasis on preventing further decay.  The interior is just a shell with faint remnants of what were once beautifully decorated walls.  The exterior and its surrounding buildings and grounds however, are very photogenic.  Tumacacori Mission offers some great Arizona photography opportunities and is worth a trip to explore and shoot.

Tumacacori Mission

f/9.0 – 1/400 sec – ISO 100 – Focal Length 75 mm

Established in 1752 as a Spanish presidio Tubac, AZ is now touted as an artist colony.  The little town south of Tucson on Interstate-19 is packed with galleries, trinket shops, restaurants and history.  Situated in Southern Arizona’s desert grasslands the temperatures are generally a bit cooler than Tucson and Phoenix.  You can easily spend several hours exploring and photographing the towns building, art and scenery.  Tubac is also home to the Tubac Presidio State Historic Park which is worth a visit to as well.

The 1960’s were an age of architectural experimentation. Designers of both residences and public buildings were branching out from the traditional and embracing the modern and space-age. Materials such as concrete and glass were being stretched to previously unheard of limits allowing for designs that were anything but conventional. The style of architecture that emerged form this period of experimentation came to be known as mid-century modern. It can be seen in track homes of the day as well as banks, churches and civic buildings.

In the Phoenix area, mid-century modern architecture was embraced full force. The city was experiencing a surge in its population and designers of the day such as Ralph Haver, Wendell Rossman and the fellows of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin were designing multiple projects all over the valley.

These buildings stand as monuments to that era and today offer some fantastic photography opportunities.  I have focused on churches in the mid-century modern design here and have included a map of several of the churches in the Phoenix area.
View Mid-Century Modern Church Architecture in Phoenix in a larger map

Heard Museum – Phoenix, AZ

The Heard Museum in Phoenix celebrates Native American culture, heritage and art.  The museum sits in central Phoenix and houses both permanent and rotating exhibits of ancient and modern Native American art.  The original  buildings of the museum complex have undergone numerous renovations and expansions since the early 20th century and now include both indoor and outdoor spaces that act as an ode to Native American culture as well as a gathering place in central Phoenix.