Morocco Temple
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Morocco Temple
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Morocco Temple, Jacksonville, FL
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| Location | Jacksonville, Florida, USA |
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| Coordinates | 30°19′40″N 81°39′18″W / 30.32778°N 81.65500°WCoordinates: 30°19′40″N 81°39′18″W / 30.32778°N 81.65500°W |
| NRHP Reference # | 79000668 |
| Added to NRHP | November 29, 1979 |
The Morocco Temple (also known as the Morocco Temple, Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine) is a historic Shrine building in Jacksonville, Florida. It is located at 219 Newnan Street, and was designed by New York City architect Henry John Klutho. On November 29, 1979, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. The building is the oldest Shrine temple in Florida.
The grand building was erected in 1910-11 in the prairie style of architecture using Egyptian-themed symbols. The entrance was a large battered architrave featuring a massive transom atop short columns in the Egyptian revival style. The three levels included a main floor, a 1,500 seat auditorium and a balcony.
The structure was constructed using steel reinforced concrete and stuccoed brick exterior walls with terracotta ornamentation. A fabricated metal cornice incorporating a geometric design projected above the third floor windows on the front and sides of the buildings, which was noted as a Sullivanesque ornament to emphasize a horizontal aspect. Inside, many windows and light fixtures used color-tinted glass, and mosaic-tiled floors looked like oriental carpets. The walls were covered with a polychromatic faience tile portraying ancient Egyptian symbols. Oil-painted murals illustrated the Freemasons’ and Shriners’ history, with scenes of Jesus, King Solomon and Mecca. The auditorium was 90 feet (27 m) wide with the roof supported by steel trusses. Access to the balcony was via two curved floating reinforced concrete stairways. The auditorium's ceiling was painted dark blue and imbedded with hundreds of pieces of glass that would reflect light, giving the appearance of stars. The curtain on stage was decorated with views of Arabia.
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