En: The Seven Wonders of the Masonic World

The Seven Wonders of the Masonic World

by Jeff Peace

The Detroit Masonic Temple

The Detroit Masonic Temple is the world’s largest Masonic Temple. Located in the Cass Corridor of Detroit, Michigan, at 500 Temple Street, the building serves as a home to various masonic organizations including the York Rite Sovereign College of North America. The building contains a variety of public spaces including three theaters, three ballrooms and banquet halls, and a 160 by 100 feet (49 m × 30 m) clear-span drill hall. Recreational facilities include a swimming pool, racquetball court, gymnasium, bowling alley, and a pool hall. There are also numerous lodge rooms, offices, and dining spaces as well as a ‘hotel’ tower designed for visiting members. The Masonic Temple Theatre is a venue for concerts, Broadway shows, and other special events in the Detroit Theater District. Architect George D. Mason designed the theatre which contains a 55-by-100-foot (17 m × 30 m) stage.

Detroit Masonic Temple was designed in the neo-gothic architectural style, using a great deal of limestone. The ritual building features 14 floors, stands 210 feet (64 m) tall, with 1037 rooms. It dominates the skyline in an area known as Cass Corridor, across Temple Street from Cass Park, and Cass Technical High School.