The Hollywood Cross, officially known as the Hollywood Pilgrimage Memorial Monument, is a 32-foot-tall steel Christian cross situated above the John Anson Ford Amphitheatre in the Hollywood Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. Overlooking the Cahuenga Pass, the Hollywood Freeway, and the Hollywood Bowl, it serves as a prominent landmark with significant historical and cultural relevance.
| Hollywood Cross | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Location | 2580 Cahuenga Blvd., Los Angeles, California |
| Coordinates | 34°06′48″N 118°20′02″W / 34.11338°N 118.33399°W |
| Built | 1923 |
| Governing body | Private |
| Designated | 1995 |
| Reference no. | 617 |
  Location of Hollywood Cross in the Los Angeles metropolitan area | |
Originally erected as a memorial for Christine Wetherill Stevenson, it is owned and maintained by The Church on the Way in Van Nuys.[1]
Historical background
editErected in 1923, the original cross was a wooden structure built as a memorial to Christine Wetherill Stevenson, a philanthropist and founder of the Pilgrimage Theatre—now known as the Ford Amphitheatre. Stevenson was instrumental in producing “The Pilgrimage Play,” a dramatization of the life of Jesus, performed at the amphitheater. The illuminated cross complemented these performances, symbolizing the play’s religious themes.[2]
Structural evolution
editThe initial wooden cross stood until the early 1980s when it fell into disrepair and was subsequently demolished. In the late 1980s, a new cross was constructed using remnants of the original structure left on the hill. This iteration was later replaced in 1993 by the current steel and opaque plastic monument, known as the Hollywood Pilgrimage Memorial Monument. In 1995, it was designated Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument #617.[3]
Cultural significance
editThe Hollywood Cross has survived various challenges, including vandalism, natural disasters, and legal disputes. The cross was highlighted in the 2024 documentary “A Light in the Darkness,” which chronicles the monument’s 100-year history and its role in the cultural landscape of Hollywood.[4]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "History and Reverence Illuminate a Hilltop Icon". LA Times. 8 April 2017. Retrieved 27 March 2017.
- ^ Chiland, Elijah (2016-05-04). "See the Story Behind Hollywood's Glowing Cross". Curbed LA. Retrieved 2024-12-09.
- ^ "Hollywood Cross". Los Angeles Explorers Guild. 2021-04-06. Retrieved 2024-12-09.
- ^ Jaenchen, Lillie (2024-03-26). "A LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS Documents the 100-Year History of Hollywood Cross". Movieguide | The Family Guide to Movies & Entertainment. Retrieved 2024-12-09.