I was lucky enough to tour the Unity Temple as part of the Frank Lloyd Wright Plus tour, they had opened up early for the self-guided tours. The check in was handled very well keeping the line moving an explaining how the tour works; you are given a hand held electronic device and a paper map, you go to a location on the map and then put the number into the device and it plays information, history and how everything relates. This works very well as it gives you the tour in a very professional manner, but also allows you to proceed at your own pace and to explore beyond what would happen with a docent guided tour. The Unity Temple is a wonderful example of what FLW did to change the dynamic of architecture, the Temple is not that impressive from the outside, although there are some very interesting details. Where the Temple is most impressive is on the inside, especially the sanctuary which is designed to allow great sightlines and keep everyone close to the pulpit. Not a lot of religious decoration, but an atmosphere that is serene and reverential, I am not particularly religious, but I can understand how this would be a wonderful place to worship. FLW did an outstanding job of designing both the space and the details to make an exceptional space. For me The Unity Temple was the highlight of 3 regularly available FLW tours that are available in Chicago. I would strongly recommend taking the tour and you should consider the self-guided tour if you are comfortable with it. Truly a masterpiece of architecture and a must visit if you are an architecture fan. read more

Glad to finally have had the opportunity to tour this temple. Quite an interesting place, with lovely elements. An extensive tour, and we were given lots of free time to explore the temple on our own afterward to enjoy the space and take as many photos as we wanted. Location is close to both the downtown, and FLW home and studio. In case you wanted to get a bite to eat, or stop by the FLE gift shop after. read more

See all

We attended a super fun event tonight at Unity Temple, a fundraising gala for The Children's School, and thoroughly enjoyed this magnificent space! We were also members of this UTUUC community for 4 years when our children were younger. So I'm happy to give 5-star Yelps to both Unity Temple as a marvelous place to rent for an event, and as a warm and welcoming UU congregation. There is a very strong children's program that draws a lot of young families to this congregation. It's a great option for secular families who want the support of a faith community with a strong social justice component. We loved being members and it was so fun to return to UT tonight for a school fundraiser. read more

See all

An amazing example of Frank Lloyd Wright's architecture genius, this was his first public building. Note that you need to book the tour tickets more than a half hour in advance, but we were able to get a self-guided audio tour that satisfies us just fine. read more

See all

This is truly a remarkable building inside and outside illustrating the profound architectural talent of American Architect Frank Lloyd Wright. It was Mr. Wright's first public commission and was described by German-American Architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe as "The Fountainhead of Architecture." While I am thankful to have visited the "Unity Temple"-the guided tour was rushed and there appeared to be issues with allowing our Docent from the Chicago Architecture Foundation (CAF) to supplement the guided tour information. The guided tour commenced with visitors being seated in the pews on the ground level. There was a brief lecture about the interior space, architecture, and use of color and lighting with a brief description of the symbolism of the rings with the lighting of candles at the beginning of the service. The pews offered books with the Hymns that are sung during the service and ironically individual packages of kleenex? At the end of the tour guide's commentary while still sitting in the pews, our Chicago Architecture Foundation (CAF) Docent (who is of the Unitarian Faith) tried to supplement the guided tour with his own expertise (academic) and personal insight, the Frank Lloyd Wright Trust guide Christina (I believe that was her name) cut him off and basically stated that there simply was not time for his commentary. It seemed unprofessional. The visitors were then promptly ushered out of the pews to the room with the hearth (a trademark) of Mr. Wright's architecture. I was quite saddened by behavior of the guide giving the tour that I really could not concentrate on what she was saying at that point. read more

See all

One of Frank Lloyd Wright's earlier work, the Unity Temple exemplifies many parts of Wright's design aesthetic, with elements that, in various forms, later appear in much of Wright's Prairie-style architecture. The scale here is what's impressive - other projects like Fallingwater and Taliesin West have diminutive interiors, but the more human scale here makes it a warm and inviting space, well-suited to its purpose - form and function. If you're inspired by Wright's design, it's worth the quick ride to the end of the Green Line to enjoy this beautiful contribution to quintessentially American architecture. (Go have breakfast at Delia's first!) read more

See all

Frank Lloyd Wright definitely rose to the challenge on this one. Faced with a low budget, while still standing up to the huge churches in the area, I would say he did a phenomenal job, and one walk through the temple is all it takes to see why this was such a breakthrough then and now. If you're in the area, definitely take the tour, and you're actually allowed to take pictures, so bring a nice camera! read more

See all

Ask the guide about the removed pipe organ--the engineer in me found that fascinating. Truly, you can hear no street noise. From the outside I always thought it looked a little soviet era: not your classic FLW, but within, it's roomy, airy. I liked our guide could answer every question reasonably, didn't tred well-worn territory, & was not afraid to correct a classic FLW know-it-all politely & succinctly. Loved her. read more

See all

On a walk about town to view the Wright designed buildings in Oak Park, the Unity Temple is a must see. Unique in design and sheer audacity for it's time, the design for the Unity Temple stands out. A statement by Wright at the time, unique in it's own brilliance, the Unity Temple is worth the walk to just discover and savor the work of an American genius. read more

Unity Temple Unitarian Universalist Congregation - Historic Unity Temple - Churches Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

UTUUC is a welcoming congregation and a warm and accepting mixture of singles and families of all kinds, with many adopted children. This morning's service was led by the wonderful Minister of Religious Education, who talked about her own experiences growing up gay as well as the current response to suicides by gay teens, including the It Gets Better Project. Unitarian Universalists offer a haven from many more dogmatic religions, and their congregations tend to be refuges for people who have been hurt by religion but still feel religious, as well as many others who just feel affinity for their values. Most congregations have very active social missions, and UTUUC is no exception. I was raised UU so I am used to its odd mixture of elements. Its spirituality is hard to define, and sometimes that's not completely satisfying. But especially if you are raising children and want them to be part of a congregation where they will be taught that they are free to define their own beliefs, UTUUC is a very good choice. The youth programming is excellent, including support for teens by some really dedicated and inspiring adults. Even if you don't have children, you might still like being part of a community in which children may feel able to grow up to be themselves. Sitting in that glorious worship space, a visionary design by Frank Lloyd Wright, really adds to the experience. This congregation also has very good music and an active choir led by an outstanding director. read more

After having apostasized from my Mormon upbringing years ago, this was the first refreshing approach to religion that I have come across so far: all inclusive, thoughtful sermons, somewhat patterned and ritualistic but not too much so, an effort to draw from the wisdom and reflections of great minds from all faiths and walks of life, and hymns not unlike those from my upbringing; add to that one of the coolest chapels on earth and this is a church worth returning to and exploring. Favorite: lecture to the kiddies on the virtues of hitchhiking. read more

I can only speak of my experience as a visitor and NOT as a follower of the Unitarian Universalist faith. Sadly, the church is under renovation, so I was able to see how the church was a bit worn (torn pieces of the wall can be seen). I did like the window works (my favorite part of Wright's designs). Not much to see with the church so the $8 admission to see 2 rooms was too much for me. Oh well, I hope the money can help the renovation go smoothly... read more

Had my wedding here two weeks ago. YAY Pro: Beautiful space, and Meridian, the event coordinator was quite responsive with my thousands of emails and questions. Rules/regulations pretty open and easy to work with. Con: The rehearsal was helter skelter because of our minister's approach (shes not affiliated with UT) but regardless it would have been helpful if a UT staff member were actually participating in the rehearsal - although she was present, she was guarding the door. During our actual wedding we couldnt remember how all the hallways and doors connected, and got lost after the recessional! The venue really needs to provide someone for the door and someone for the wedding party at both the rehearsal and the ceremony. read more

I was taking the FL Wright walking audio tour of Oak Park with a couple of friends & we toured the temple. VERY much worth the $7! Especially if you're doing the walking tour in the colder mos, it's a great place to warm up & be wowed! read more

As a fan of Frank Lloyd Wright designs, this is another must see. The temple is easily within walking distance of his home place which is what we did after our tour completed there. Be sure you check the hours they are open for visitors as this is a functioning church facility and the admissions desk was staffed by a young lady who was extremely nice and helpful. Admission is quite reasonable and the facility is open to be self-guided. We were able to walk throughout the entire facility and take photos from any vantage. The facility is not air-conditioned, which is something she explained they would like to do if they can raise the money. This would help stabilize the building and control the humidity. The build appears to be in good shape though there were a few spots they had been restoring which were easily visible. If you are fan of FLW, then this is certainly a structure you should tour. Enjoy read more

This is the best congragation I have ever been a part of. They really stepped up when I gave birth to my son. The services such as the flower communuion service and the water service were wonderful. I is also so nice to be in a congragation where you are not forced to believe in a certain docturine. read more

an amazing space. if you are a fan of frank lloyd wright you should check this place out, look to see if there are any concerts here because the acoustics here are great and the space is large but still intimate especially for such a massive old poured in place concrete structure. read more