Rosicrucian Park
| Rosicrucian Park | |
|---|---|
 Rosicrucian University building in the Park | |
 | |
| Location | 1660 Park Ave,San Jose, California |
| Coordinates | 37°20′02″N121°55′23″W/ 37.33389°N 121.92306°W |
| Created | 1927 |
| Operated by | Ancient Mystical Order Rosae Crucis |
| Website | rosicrucianpark.org |
Rosicrucian Parkis the headquarters of the English Grand Lodge for the Americas of theAncient Mystical Order Rosae Crucis,located inSan Jose, California.
History
[edit]The Rosicrucian Park was established in 1927 byHarvey Spencer Lewis.It grew from one single lot to a 5-acre city block.[1]TheRosicrucian Egyptian Museumwas built in 1932, the Planetarium in 1936, the research library opened in June 1939. The Akhenaton Shrine was built in 1949.[2]
The Peace Garden was added to the park in 2004 and dedicated byRosicrucianImperatorChristian Bernard.In 2013, a new Alchemy Museum was announced for 2020.[3][4]The opening ceremony for the preliminary exhibit in the Lecture Gallery of theRosicrucian Egyptian Museumoccurred during the Summer solstice of June 2015. The new museum in the former Rose-Croix University International building will include a working alchemy laboratory. The Alchemy garden in front of the new museum is composed of four elemental gardens representing the four elements.[5][6]
From 2009 to 2015, the Park reduced its water consumption by 4.5 million gallons.[7]
Description
[edit]The park takes up nearly an entire city block and includes theRosicrucian Egyptian Museum,the administration building for the Order, the Rosicrucian Planetarium, the Rosicrucian Peace Garden, the Rosicrucian Research Library, the Grand Temple, and a central fountain plaza and gardens. Arosegarden is incorporated in the Park next to the Research Library. Adawn redwoodgrows outside of the Rosicrucian Research Library as a memorial toH. Spencer Lewis.[8]It was planted in 1950 from a seedling from the lot brought from China by Dr.Ralph Chaney,[9]and donated by an unnamed donor to H. Spencer Lewis's widow for this purpose.[8]
The park also includes the Akhenaten Shrine (named for the18th dynastyPharaohAkhenaten), which contains the ashes of AMORC founderHarvey Spencer Lewisand other former officials of the order.
With the exception of the planetarium, all buildings in Rosicrucian Park were constructed with exteriors inspired by theAncient Egyptianarchitectural tradition. In tribute to their claimed Egyptian heritage,cyperus papyrusplants are also incorporated into the landscaping.
Gallery
[edit]Photographs of various buildings and statuary within the block comprising Rosicrucian Park.
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Tree side -
Park pillar -
Statues -
View on the park -
Walkway -
Statues -
Park flower -
University building
References
[edit]- ^Gary Singh,Ring Around the Rosy Cross,Metroactive,9 December 2002
- ^Rosicrucian Park,Us-history
- ^Gary Singh,Alchemy Museum Coming to Rosicrucian Park,Metroactive,22 October 2013
- ^Rosicrucian Order, AMORC."New Rosicrucian Alchemy Museum".
- ^Gary Singh,Alchemy for You,Metroactive,1 July 2015
- ^Gary Singh,Alchemy Garden Opens in San Jose,Metroactive,23 December 2014
- ^Rosicrucian Park and Egyptian Museum Reduced Water Usage by 4.5 Million Gallons,Ecologicalconcerns,16 April 2015
- ^abCampbell, Clara (March 1980). "Tree from the Dawn of Time".Rosicrucian Digest.58 March 1980: 22–23.
- ^"Temple Echoes".Rosicrucian Digest.29 #5: 180. May 1951.
External links
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