Between 1949 and 1951, Lloyd Wright, son of Frank Lloyd Wright, designed the legendary Wayfarers Chapel. The delicate glass-and-wood sanctuary is one of Rancho Palos Verdes’ most beautiful landmarks, conceived as a memorial to theologian Emanuel Swedenborg, and serving as a welcoming, spiritual sanctuary for all “wayfarers.”
It stood on the Palos Verdes bluff for three-quarters of a century before extreme land movement from an ancient landslide forced the chapel’s management to disassemble it in 2024.
Luckily, in May of 2025, the Chapel announced that it had begun the process of securing a new location about 1 mile from its original spot to rebuild: the Battery Barnes military site.
What’s the status of Wayfarers Chapel’s relocation now?
Another year on, and right around the 75th anniversary of the chapel’s opening, no official agreements have yet been made. However, the Chapel’s website states that it is working with the City of Rancho Palos Verdes and other organizations to target groundbreaking in the fall of 2027, pending a community fundraising effort.
The new prospective site is a visible and more accessible location perched on the bluffs, with views of the Pacific Ocean and Point Vicente Lighthouse. The 4.5-acre property has space for a proposed campus, including a visitor center, museum, cafe, and gardens.
“While we honor the past, we are equally inspired by the future,” said Robert Carr, Administrative Director of Wayfarers Chapel, in a recent Instagram post. “The spirit of Wayfarers Chapel endures, and its story is far from over.”
Supporters from California and beyond have already rallied behind the “Rebuilding the Wright Legacy” fundraising campaign in an effort to save the beloved wedding and worship site. Visit WayfarersChapel.org to learn more.
