The oldest building in Milwaukee, by far, is hidden away on the Marquette University campus. The gothic St. Joan of Arc Chapel is something of an immigrant – it spent the first centuries of its life in France. Today the little chapel is stateside, and it’s a cherished building that’s worthy of a campus visit. Here’s what you need to know about the St. Joan of Arc Chapel.

The story of St. Joan of Arc Chapel begins around 1420 when it was built in a little French village called Chasse. It’s a town in the Rhone Valley, southeast of Lyon.
Google / Aurora Vintilescu
The chapel served for centuries before it gradually fell into disrepair. In the 1920s, architect and historian Jacques Couelle came upon the ruined building and was taken by its beauty. He took measurements and photographs, and he counted its stones.
Google / brian holzhausen
A wealthy American purchased the building, had it dismantled, and had it shipped stateside. The new owner was Gertrude Hill Gavin, the daughter of a railroad magnate. She was an avid devotee of St. Joan of Arc.
Google / Marquette University St. Joan of Arc Chapel

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The chapel accompanied a chateau that Gavin also had shipped from France. Eventually, France banned these cultural exports.
Google / David C. Ramirez
Gavin sold her estate in 1962, and after the sale, there was a fire on the property. The new owners, Marc and Lillian Rojtman, offered the chapel to Marquette University.
Google / Aurora Vintilescu
The university had the chapel dismantled once more and shipped it to Milwaukee. It was carefully rebuilt and restored, and it reopened in 1966. For decades, it’s been a place of comfort and beauty on campus, and it continues to hold regular masses.
Google / Pauline Simon

Learn more about the St. Joan of Arc Chapel and see hours and visitor information on the Marquette University website. Milwaukee has some incredible churches – here are some of the most beautiful in the city.

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St. Joan of Arc Chapel, 1421 W Wisconsin Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53233, USA