Illinois is full of stunning architecture, and is fortunate to have many pieces by Frank Lloyd Wright. But one piece of great Frank Lloyd Wright architecture you might not know about is the Belvidere Pettit Chapel. It is an example of Frank Lloyd Wright’s prairie style. But it was also only one of two buildings that Wright ever meant for cemetery settings. So it is not only rare for what it is, but also for its intended purpose.

A grieving wife commissioned a chapel by Frank Lloyd Wright to commemorate the loss of her husband.
IvoShandor/Wikimedia
Mr. Pettit was a well-known and respected doctor and humanitarian.
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It was meant to be a grieving place for not only those who knew Pettit, but others in the cemetery.
IvoShandor/Wikimedia

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The exterior hallways were meant as waiting areas for those as cars approached to pick them up.
IvoShandor/Wikimedia
Well into the 1920s, the chapel was used as a funeral parlor for several deceased.
EarlRShumaker/Flickr
Depending on how you look at it, the building is symmetrical or asymmetrical--one of the most subtle but amazing examples of Wright's work.
EarlRShumaker/Flickr

Looking for more pieces of architectural brilliance? Check out these 20 stunning wonders.

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