Holy City of the Wichitas
Holy City of the Wichitas
Located in the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge just 22 miles northwest of Lawton, the Holy City of the Wichitas stands on a 66-acre area that looks much like Israel during Biblical times. Inside the city, you'll find numerous full-sized buildings and structures, including the temple court, the Lord's Supper building, Herod's Court and Pilate's judgment hall, all built with locally-quarried granite in the 1930s. You can also explore areas designated as Calvary's Mount and the Garden of Gethsemane, in addition to watchtowers and perimeter walls.
The site is also home to the nation's longest-running annual Easter passion play, "The Prince of Peace." American theaters showed newsreel footage, and in 1937 the U.S. government produced a full-length film of the pageant. Attendance reached an all-time high in 1939 when 225,000 visitors jammed Audience Hill for the sunrise performance.
Other on-site attractions include a memorial for the victims of the Oklahoma City bombing, a Veterans Walkway, and the World Chapel, which has become a popular wedding locale. This modern-day chapel replicates Christ Church in Alexandria, Virginia, and features ceiling and wall murals by artist Irene Malcolm.
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