On the outskirts of St. Johnsbury, Vermont, in 2000, Stephen Huneck, an American artist and writer, began a project that you will find charming and crazy at the same time.
At the top of a green hill, from a distance you can see some buildings, among them a church: small, white, with a sharp-peaked tower, very typical of New England. If we get a little closer, we can see elements that we would not find in other churches: there are statues of dogs everywhere.
Even at the top of the tower!
A large inscription at the entrance reads:
"All creeds and all races welcome; dogmas prohibited." [ Welcome all creeds, all breeds, no dogmas allowed ; free translation into Spanish made by Paraíso Mascota.]
Right next to the church is Stephen Huneck's gallery (former home), where we can find even more of his works. In addition, the entire hill is full of facilities created for the enjoyment of dogs and their owners. It is the only place like this in the world and it is called Dog Mountain.
A vital mission by Stephen Huneck
In 1997, Stephen Huneck became seriously ill, falling into a coma and experiencing a near-death experience.
After this experience, Stephen decided, together with his wife Gwen, to create a place where “people can go and celebrate the spiritual bond they have with their dogs,” he said. Stephen believed in the healing power of dogs, nature, art and love.
According to the artist, Dog Mountain has been the largest and most personal artistic work of his entire life. Stephen and Gwen had three dogs, one of them, their chocolate lab Sally, was Stephen's biggest inspiration during the creation of these unique pieces. Sally is also the protagonist of a series of books written and illustrated with woodcuts created by the artist.
A life dedicated to dogs
The Dog Mountain Chapel is designed in the style of early 19th century Vermont churches. All decorations were designed and created by hand by Stephen Huneck: dog-shaped benches, dog sculptures and stained glass windows with canine details, inspired by modernism. Even the doorknobs are shaped like a dog's head.
Stephen and Gwen have encouraged visitors to leave notes dedicated to their furry friends in the chapel, and in this way all the walls have been filled with colorful sheets commemorating thousands of dogs. All this makes the Canine Church and Dog Mountain a very special place, full of the love that our four-legged friends and family transmit to us.
Dog friendly space
Dog Mountain is a non-profit organization and can be visited daily. There visitors (both humans and dogs) can enjoy the pools, meadows and hiking trails. In Dog Mountain, various events related to furry dogs are also organized, such as training courses, dog parties and bonfires in winter.
All this to contemplate and appreciate furry animals and the important role they have in our lives.
Below you can see some photos of Dog Mountain that we have downloaded directly from the Dog Mountain website. Pay attention to the details, they are beautiful.
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That's all for today =D If you have any questions or would like us to answer your questions in future posts, contact us. We will be happy to help you!
