The Scottish Rite Cathedral is a historic building in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. It is owned by the Valley of Indianapolis Scottish Rite, an affiliated body of Freemasonry. It was built between 1927 and 1929 at the cost of $2.5 million.[2] It was built with every measurement being evenly divisible by three (reflecting the three degrees in Freemasonry), with many being divisible by 33 (reflecting the degrees a member of the Scottish Rite can achieve).[3]
The Cathedral is the largest Masonic building, and considered by many[4] as the finest example of Neo-Gothic architecture, in the United States. The main tower features a 54-bell carillon and rises 212 feet (65 m) above Indianapolis.[5] It also has a floating ballroom.[4] Other features are patterned ceilings, ornate carved woodwork, and artistic stained-glass windows. The auditorium has 1200 seats, and has been called a beautiful testimony to craftsmanship.[6] It also has a large pipe organ.
The main entrance is known as the Tiler's Room, which is a cube of 33 feet (10 m). It features both Masonic symbols and the signs of the Zodiac.[7]
The ballroom again reflects the number 33 by being 99 feet (30 m) square, pillars defining the dancing area as 66 feet (20 m) square, and the white oak floor panels are 33 inches (840 mm) square. The chandelier has 200 lights and weighs 2500 pounds. The ballroom was done in Elizabethan architecture.[8]
The Indianapolis Business Journal in 1996 ran a poll that had the Cathedral as the most popular historic building in Indianapolis, and second-most favorite overall. The last few years it has seen 100,000 visitors a year.[9]
Guided tours are available on weekdays and the third Saturday of each month.
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