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Monday, April 13, 2015

Festival Hill at Round Top: Stone Chapel and Plaza

A few weeks ago we toured Festival Hill at Round Top, a retreat and performance center for musicians just a few hours east of San Antonio.   After visiting gardens near the Menke House we drove over to the Albert and Ethel Herzstein Memorial Plaza to continue our tour.  The Herzsteins were philanthropists from Houston who supported Festival Hill through their foundation.



St. Boniface stands above the door


Flanked by eagles


Fanciful stonework just gets more amazing with every turn.



"Why Dream the Ordinary?"  We originally guessed the latin might refer to sleeping in church!



Additional plants from the greenhouse will soon grace the large plaza which serves as a reception area for weddings and events.


The octagonal enclosure was locked so I'm not sure of its function.


An assymetrical octogan continues the quirky look of stonework on site.



Arches filled with brick allude to the passage of centuries evoking a much older structure.




The odd shadow is from an overhead wire, still an interesting vignette.


Shell grotto provides a cooling spot for those hot Texas afternoons.


By special request I've posted most of the shell grotto photos.












The symmetry and matching pieces like these lion heads indicate that they were made for this project and not "found" objects as at the herb gardens.









Inspired by the terra cotta olive jars on display in the gardens, I went hunting for a few of my own at the antiques show.



Our time at Festival Hill was to be a quick break from the craziness of Texas Antiques Week taking place along the highway just a few yards away.   The grounds were so interesting we spent at least two hours exploring so there's plenty more to show you from Festival Hill but we'll take a break so I can post on a few other special gardens I've visited recently.
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11 comments:

  1. Mark and GazApril 14, 2015 at 1:32 AM

    Interesting stone work there and quite a fun and quirky looking place!

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  2. danger gardenApril 14, 2015 at 10:55 AM

    Wow, there is so much to study in every photo! Thank you for posting generously.

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  3. rickiiApril 14, 2015 at 6:32 PM

    The folks responsible for this place certainly dreamt far beyond the ordinary/

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    Replies
    1. ShirleyApril 15, 2015 at 5:50 PM

      Yes, it is dreamy in the imagination needed to pull this off.

      Delete
  4. TexasDebApril 15, 2015 at 9:13 AM

    I'm not sure who "special" requested the shell grotto shots but I'll add my thanks for doing so - that is spectacular, and not anything seen very often so far inland. It adds quite an air of fantasy and mystery and I can imagine hours (and hours) spent there, escaping the heat of the sun, listening to the musical sounds of water dripping and dancing down the many fountains and falls you showcased.

    A lovely place and a wonderful tour - thanks for sharing these so generously!

    PS - so....DID you find any jars?

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    Replies
    1. ShirleyApril 15, 2015 at 5:48 PM

      I did find the jars and I've got so many other things to post it might take a while to get there. The photos may appear in a lecture on outsider art, more later if if works out.

      Delete
  5. RohrerbotApril 15, 2015 at 12:12 PM

    Cool place! The buildings are unique and the gardens look beautiful. This would be a place I've visit. Nice!

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  6. Kris PetersonApril 15, 2015 at 5:39 PM

    That's the 2nd shell grotto I've seen in the past week. (The prior count for my entire life was zero.) I'm very intrigued with the concept.

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    Replies
    1. ShirleyApril 15, 2015 at 5:45 PM

      I did see the one on Hoover Boo's blog and it is amazing with more shells. A different style, both are intriguing in their own way.

      Delete
  7. outlawgardenerApril 16, 2015 at 3:30 PM

    Festival Hill gets more and more interesting with every post! Thank you for sharing this place! I want to visit. Texas Antiques Week? Maybe I need to schedule a trip!

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  8. Pam/DiggingApril 24, 2015 at 11:45 PM

    One of these days I will have to see this place.

    ReplyDelete

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