Kora Temple facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Kora Temple
|
|
 |
|
 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | 11 Sabattus St., Lewiston, Maine |
|---|---|
| Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1908 |
| Architect | George M. Coombs |
| Architectural style | Exotic Revival, Moorish |
| NRHP reference No. | 75000088 |
| Added to NRHP | September 11, 1975 |
The Kora Temple is a really cool historic building in Lewiston, Maine. It was built in 1908 by a group called the Ancient Arabic Order, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, usually known as the Shriners. The Shriners are a special club connected to Freemasonry. They are famous for their amazing charity work. For example, they run the Shriners Hospitals for Children. These hospitals give free medical care to kids who need it. The Kora Temple is where the Shriners meet and hold their events. This unique building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. It was recognized for its awesome Moorish-inspired design.
What Does the Kora Temple Look Like?
The Kora Temple is located near downtown Lewiston. It's a three-story building made of brick. The roof is flat, but it has two cool onion-shaped domes on top. The front of the building is very fancy. It has many pointed arch windows. These windows are decorated with detailed terra cotta designs. The main entrance is under a big, rounded arch. Above the entrance, on the third floor, there's a row of smaller arched windows. The top edge of the building has interesting vaulted sections. These are mixed with pointed-arch spaces that look like the windows.
The Temple's History and Design
The Kora Temple group started in 1891. They first met in other Masonic buildings. Later, they bought a wooden building at this spot. The current temple was built in 1908. It cost about $100,000, which was a lot of money back then! The building was designed by architect George M. Coombs.
The temple's style is called Moorish and Exotic Revival. This means it looks like buildings from North Africa and the Middle East. Inside, the temple is super fancy. It has murals that cover the walls from floor to ceiling. There's also gold decorations and beautiful Tiffany chandeliers.
The murals are in the temple's dining hall. They show scenes from Arabic and Islamic history. A Shriner named Harry Cochrane painted them between 1922 and 1927. He was a talented artist from Maine. These amazing paintings were cleaned and fixed up in the 1970s.
Gallery
-
Stairway
-
Ceiling in dining hall
-
Wall detail in dining hall
-
Balcony in dining hall
-
Balcony in auditorium
-
Portion of large mural in dining hall
-
Kora Shrine Temple, Lewiston, ME; from a c. 1915 postcard
