Rothko Chapel

In Houston’s Montrose neighborhood, the Rothko Chapel unites non-denominational worship, modern art, and public dialogue. Founded by John and Dominique de Menil, it was developed beginning in 1964 as a meditative setting for Mark Rothko’s fourteen paintings, with Rothko shaping the design before the building was completed in 1971, after his death. Its octagonal interior, lit from above, centers quiet reflection, while Barnett Newman’s Broken Obelisk outside links the site to the memory of Martin Luther King Jr. Over time, the chapel also became a forum for justice, freedom, religion, and culture, while undergoing repeated restoration to protect the building and artworks.

Houston, Texas · United States