Chapel and Crypt

The Naval Academy Chapel rises above the Yard like a small cathedral, its copper dome one of the first things you see when approaching Annapolis by water. Built in the early 1900s as part of the Academy's Beaux-Arts rebuilding, it holds a large congregation of midshipmen every Sunday and hosts weddings and memorial services throughout the year. Inside, rows of stained glass depict naval and biblical scenes, and several windows are associated with the Tiffany studio. Marble, carved wood and ship-themed details give the interior a solemn, nautical character. Visitors generally enter through the Academy gates and the chapel is a short walk from the visitor center. Beneath the chapel lies the crypt of John Paul Jones, the Scottish-born naval commander of the American Revolution who is often called the father of the United States Navy. Jones died in Paris in 1792 and was buried there in a forgotten grave. In 1905 an American search found his remains, and the following year a naval escort brought them across the Atlantic to Annapolis. The crypt, designed with a vaulted ceiling and a bronze-ornamented marble sarcophagus supported by dolphins, was completed a few years after. Midshipmen visiting for the first time often pause here before major events, and it remains one of the best-known shrines in naval history.

The best way to see the chapel is on a guided visit, when guides explain the windows, the memorials and the ceremonies held here. The Sunday service is a distinctive sight when the Brigade marches in, but it is a working religious service and visitors should be respectful. Weddings are frequent, particularly in late spring and summer, and parts of the chapel may be closed to sightseers during them. If the crypt is open, descend the stairs quietly and take time with the inscriptions and the ship models and displays around it.

Plan the chapel as part of a full Academy morning: start at the visitor center, walk the Yard, then visit the chapel before heading to the Naval Academy Museum in Preble Hall, which holds ship models, flags and artifacts that bring the stories to life. Together they make a satisfying half day. The walk back to town passes the seawall and the Severn River, so bring a camera for the view of the harbor and the Eastport bridge.

If you have time, look closely at the details that most visitors rush past. The chapel's windows tell stories of seafaring and faith, the pews are laid out for the full Brigade, and the organ is among the largest in the region. Outside, the dome catches the evening light beautifully from across the harbor in Eastport, so consider returning later for a photograph from the water on a sunset cruise. The grounds around the chapel are a good place to rest between buildings, with benches that look out over the lawns of the Yard.