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    Duke University Chapel

    4.7 (37 reviews)

    Duke University Chapel Photos

    Recommended Reviews - Duke University Chapel

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    Chloe T.

    All I can say is wow, what a lovely surprise! I've been in chapels and cathedrals in nearly every continent across the world and the Duke University Chapel ranks right up there near the top. Make sure you spend some time exploring each of the areas inside and outside. It's gorgeous and full of history. Great photo opportunities.

    Exterior
    Lynn R.

    Breathtaking!! I felt like I stepped back in time today while visiting Europe years ago and frequenting many churches. I had no idea something this majestic existed in Durham, much less on Dukes campus. This place is gorgeous. We were so fortunate today as they were having a Christmas concert and the bells were ringing. We were treated to a piano recital and a symphony during a special open house. This was truly special today.

    Kara M.

    My mom and I were strolling around Duke Gardens when we noticed the signs for the chapel. It was only about 1/3 of a mile from a side entrance to the garden and was well worth the walk. I believe the parking near the chapel might be a bit tricky, especially when the college is in session. I'm not an especially religious person, but I really appreciated the architectural elements inside and outside of this building. What a gorgeous spot and so majestic. The campus itself is very beautiful and has an "Ivy League" feel to it. I marveled at the huge organ in the back of the church on my way out. The stain glass windows are vibrant and stunning as well. If you are on the Duke campus, this is a must see and won't take up much of your time.

    Main organ
    Jen L.

    We stopped in quickly on a hot day to cool off and enjoy the gothic architecture. It's a beautiful space and the organs are quite lovely. Since no services were happening on this random Friday, we were able to wander around the space as wished. Definitely a lovely spot to visit if you're in the area.

    Duke Chapel interior. Evensong choir concert
    Mary A.

    I recommend visiting Duke Homestead before visiting Duke Chapel. It's only about a ten minute drive away, and $2 for the tour. You can see the beginnings of the tobacco and pipe fortune that Washington Duke started, and which his son, James Buchanan "Buck" Duke catapulted enough by selling cigarettes to enable him to donate the equivalent of $30-40 million dollars in today's currency to build the massive Duke Chapel and University. It's quite astonishing to see the difference 60-70 years can make in one's fortune, and the monument that resulted which looks hundreds of years old, bus is only about a century old as it was built between the 1920s and early 1930s. Actually, Duke Homestead was middle class to upper middle class for its time. The tour guide told us Washington Duke came from a middle class family, and had two wives, the second of his was wealthy named Artelia from the Roney family (you'll see a fountain called the "Roney" fountain from the sister or Washington Duke's late wife Artelia--in Duke gardens, and was originally put on Duke campus, but was moved). The main house of Duke Homestead was dedicated to Washington Duke's second wife Artelia, and is more upper middle class for the 1850s-60s, and became even more so as Washington Duke started to have success venturing from tobacco farming to pipe tobacco after the civil war. You can see that in the pricy, massive cast iron stove which was twenty years ahead of its time and which has the word "success" emblazoned on its front. But anyway, you can see what was considered upper middle class for the 1850-60, and what was astoundingly wealthy in one generation. See where the son, Buck Duke lived, and where his family's wealth ended up. It should be said that Buck Duke's mother Artelia was a Methodist, and Duke Chapel is a Methodist church. The tour guide said that Methodist Christianity became very popular perhaps around the time Artelia married his father. I am not sure what religion Buck Duke followed, but his mother died when he was two years old, caring for Buck's eldest brother shortly before the beginning of the Civil War. Duke Chapel adjoins the Duke Gardens, so it is possible to go through a latch key iron gate to pass from one to the next. The gardens is called the Sarah P. Duke gardens, who is the wife of Buck Duke's brother Benjamin, who was largely into charity. About the chapel itself, there is a tour on some days, which I believe is free and open to the public. I did not attend the tour, but I did go to the Evensong choir concert on Palm Sunday. That was also free, but had a sectioned off area for some of the pews. Not sure of the reason. I think perhaps it was the regular Catholic congregation, but I might be mistaken. The concert was about an hour long and had three songs, which tells you how lengthy the numbers were. There was an informational pamphlet distributed which had lyrics and translations for the songs, information about who made the songs and their general song structure. Very collegiate writing, with the feel of technical musical appreciation. There was information about why the hymns were selected, which I discovered I needed as it turns out the hymns were selected exactly because they were "overlooked." They were each fairly modern, from the 1960s-2000s even if one was based on a 1600s poem. I am not that familiar with Catholic hymns, but the description said the songs were modern, and they sounded modern as there was somewhat discordant organ playing and a dark abstraction to the pieces. But with points of ethereal as well as massive choral beauty. Perhaps not popular hymns for a reason, but fitting for the college campus, I suppose. The conductor had silver hair and at times was vigorous and made the better moments of the hymns more passionate. I had information from one of the attendants on another day that there is both Protestant and Catholic service at Duke Cathedral, and for the most part unless noted anyone can attend. It's just that for the Catholic service specifically (and perhaps not the Protestant) it would be better not to take the Communion, which is the symbolic bread and wine for the body and blood of Jesus Christ. I am not sure if there's a difference in this if you are Christian vs non Christian. Maybe? There was also some art prints when I visited Duke Chapel, on the walls.

    View from afar
    Michelle M.

    Loved touring this beautiful chapel! It was a short drive from downtown Durham where I was seeing a concert. The grounds are lovely to walk around, including the surrounding buildings and amazing gardens. Be sure to enjoy those places too if you're at the chapel. The place itself had beautiful lighting, allowing you to enjoy the architecture. It really reminded me of my time in England with the structure of the church interiors. The stained glass is beautiful to enjoy. I did not feel that my jeans and tshirt were a problem as one may feel they need to be dressed up to be in this church, the ambiance is inviting and wonderful.

    Absolutely gorgeous. We went on a Thursday at 1 to hear the organist play. The deacon gave us the history and that was an added treat. If you enjoy the beauty of a church- this one is a must!

    Phil H.

    Beautiful old chapel with ornate architecture. Soaring ceiling and stained glass all around. The wonderful pipe organ sounds amazing. The outside of the chapel has that past Gothic look to it, and the steeple rises into the sky. This place is huge and if you're sitting in the back it seems far away from the altar area. We recently attended a graduation ceremony held inside the chapel, but did not have time to explore it more as the place was packed and it was a snowy rainy day. Would love to come back and attend a service, or just walk the grounds and take it all in. Yes, from what we experienced parking can be a bit of a hassle, but we parked in the large enclosed parking garage and had no problems. Yes, there is a fee but it's not too costly.

    Andrew V.

    Been a stop on my bucket list since my childhood Didn't expect to be working down the road Definitely recommended for all tourists

    Program
    Elisa G.

    We were lucky enough to come here this afternoon for my sons baccalaureate service. We waited in line for 45 minutes before being allowed to enter this gorgeous chapel. Stained glass windows are reminiscent of Chagall and the inside is huge and beautiful! Looking forward to the organ prelude by Johann Sebastian Bach!! Congratulations to all the Duke graduates!!

    Charlene C.

    Absolutely iconic center of Duke University. In my one week residency on campus, I must have came here at least 5 times. It is such a monument of rich history and architecture! Book store, dorms, lecture halls, and sports fields are all just a skip from here.

    Donna B.

    In any other country, this building would be called a cathedral. It almost seems sacrilegious to call it a chapel. But I digress... Even though I grew up in a neighboring county before moving to the other side of the state for 20 years (and am now temporarily back), I'd never visited the Chapel at Duke University. I was recently reminded of it and attended the Sunday service this past weekend. WOW. What an incredibly beautiful church and service. I really enjoyed myself and plan to go back this Sunday, and probably many Sundays after that. Living in north Raleigh, it's a bit of a drive but I guess it says something that I don't care. The Chapel's website says it's interdenominational, but the service is decidedly Anglican (which suits me fine - just what I was looking for). Be prepared for the goosebumps and spine chills that only a pipe organ in a cathedral of that magnitude can induce. I've visited numerous very old cathedrals in Europe (Koln, St Elizabeth, St Sebastian, St Bartholoma...). While the Chapel at Duke U wasn't built in the 1500s or even the 1200s, it is no less impressive or breathtaking. Even if you're not church shopping as I have been, I highly recommend taking one Sunday just to visit the church and stick around for a tour afterward. Tip: Follow the driving directions on the Chapel's website, NOT Google Maps!

    Duke chapel, tower 210 feet
    Jim D.

    A century ago, it was common for universities in the United States to have some affiliation with a religious denomination and to have a church on campus for students and faculty. The architect for this English Gothic style chapel was Julian Abele, a prominent African-American architect in Philadelphia. The chapel was dedicated in 1935. The tower is 210 feet tall. The interior of the chapel is 291 feet by 63 feet. There are 77 stained glass windows. The stone came from a quarry twelve miles west of Durham. The chapel had a major restoration in 2016. Today, it is awesome! Admission, of course, is free. Brochures are available for a suggested $1 donation. Religious affiliation was Methodist. Thus, you can find sculptures of John Wesley, Thomas Coke, and Francis Asbury. Other sculptures are of Martin Luther, Thomas Jefferson, and others. A statue of Robert E. Lee was removed in August, 2017 (this was the only statue of a military person in the chapel). The chapel tower has a 50 bell carillon, which can be heard weekdays at 5 pm and Sunday mornings after services. The Duke University Chapel is worth seeing if you are in Durham. Also, the Duke Gardens are just a 5 minute walk away. Take a little time to go there too, weather permitting.

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    7 years ago

    Wow! Phenomenal architecture. You can't park close to chapel so plan ahead and park at gardens and walk over.

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    9 years ago

    Beautiful church. Love the stained-glass windows. A very nice place to take out-of-town guests.

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    11 years ago

    My favorite building in NC. If you have time in December you should attend a Christmas program. The choir sounds like angels singing.

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    Ask the Community - Duke University Chapel

    Is there a charge to visit?

    No charge to visit but good to look up hours before visiting. Parking is not free, might be good to park at the DukeGardens paid lot

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    Review Highlights - Duke University Chapel

    The chapel itself is gorgeous from the stained glass windows, to the art on the walls from local artists.

    Mentioned in 8 reviews

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    NewHope Church - Annual Child Dedication held every Mother's Day

    NewHope Church

    4.1(18 reviews)
    7.8 mi

    We are all entitled to our own opinions, right? Well here's mine:…read more Parking: 4 Location: 4 Decor/ambiance: 5+ Customer Service: 5+ MAN... Mannnn O Mannnnnn... New Hope... This has to be one of the most amazing churches in the RDU area. The experience from beginning to end was top notch. Its churches like New Hope who are leading the way for this new age church. New Hope is such a welcoming atmosphere. I was able to attend church in a pair of jeans, a t-shirt and a beannie and NO ONE LOOKED AT ME AS IF I WAS OUT OF PLACE! I was floored. I actually feel as if I fitted right in. I love the multicultural attendance. There is an amazing ratio of nationalities represented at New Hope. The word from the senior pastor was great. He was detailed yet easy to follow. He was engaging yet full of substance. They offer so much! They have a really sweet looking children's church! It looked so cool I wanted to experience it for myself. Just a few tips, get their at least 15 minutes before service time to enjoy the time to mingle. They have a full service starbucks out front and it was pretty packed at the 10:45 service. Also get there early to take advantage of the best parking options. With that being said, give New Hope a try. I look forward to coming back soon!

    The church is large but they draw to be very engaging. There are a number of community outreach…read moreprograms, volunteering efforts and children's events.

    Photos
    NewHope Church - Our lead pastor Adam Bishop, preaching the word on a Sunday morning.

    Our lead pastor Adam Bishop, preaching the word on a Sunday morning.

    NewHope Church - Lead Pastor, Adam Bishop preaching on a Sunday morning

    Lead Pastor, Adam Bishop preaching on a Sunday morning

    NewHope Church - Guest Experience team are outside waiting to say hello!

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    Guest Experience team are outside waiting to say hello!

    Now Church - A seat left for you

    Now Church

    5.0(3 reviews)
    10.5 mi

    We are all entitled to our own opinions, right? Well here's mine:…read more Parking: 5 Location: 5 Decor/ambiance: 5 Customer Service: 5+ My wife and I had been searching for a church we could attend together for nearly 7 months and were not successful at all. We were invited to attend a service at NowChurch NC and fell in love with the people, the atmosphere, the worship and most importantly the word! Senior Pastor Nate Davis is a man truely after Gods heart. He a people person who has no problem getting to know the people of God. He's such a modest, humble man with a pure heart of love for God's people. We are so glad we found NowChurch! The church has services at the Carrboro Century Center. Services start prompt at 9:30am so don't be late. This past week the clock hit 9:30am and praise and worship kicked off right on time. Again, be sure to arrive early so you won't miss worship! NowChurch offers a kids church where you can bring your little ones as well. They also have a slamming music department! NowChurch offers so much that one must just come to experience the amazing shift that is happening in the town of Carrboro/ChapelHill. The congregation is a welcoming crowd with mixed races of all kinds. Be sure to come check out NowChurch NC! 5 Stars hands down!

    Pastor Nate and First Lady T have started a movement in Carrboro/Chapel Hill. With only 2 Sundays…read moreunder their belts, Now Church is growing tremendously with each passing week! If you're looking for a multicultural, spirit lead, worship experience where God is present, visit Now Church when you get the opportunity!

    Photos
    Now Church - Hard at work

    Hard at work

    Now Church - Senior Pastor Nate Davis - A pastor who can relate to EVERYONE!

    Senior Pastor Nate Davis - A pastor who can relate to EVERYONE!

    Now Church - Our firey praise leader

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    Our firey praise leader

    Duke University Chapel - churches - Updated May 2026

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