Cornell University’s Sage Chapel would be surely a frontrunner in a hypothetical list of the most beautiful university chapels ,with its ornately decorated ceiling, exquisite chandeliers and stained glass windows.Until I visited Cornell University’s Sage Chapel in Ithaca, New York, I’d never been to a church that has a figure named Philosophia behind its main altar. What’s more, this thoughtful gentleman is surrounded by beautiful women representing other academic subjects, including mathematics, chemistry, theater, literature and music.
Built in 1873, Sage Chapel was named after Henry Sage, a trustee at the university. Designed by Charles Babcock, a professor of architecture at the university, its mosaics, stained glass, and decorative motifs blend Christian iconography with symbols of learning in a way that totally charmed me.
