Discover the hidden Middle Eastern temple inside a New York State historic home

Church’s Perilous 1868 Journey to Petra’s Rose Temples

In 1868, artist Frederic Church risked his life to see the lost city of Petra.

He left New York with his family and soon led a 21-man caravan through lands ruled by hostile Bedouin tribes. His guide, Mikayel El Heny, warned him not to sketch in the open – artists had been shot there before.

Church hid in his tent, making quick oil studies of the rose-colored temples. Back home, he built Olana, a Persian-style mansion filled with arches and colors from his trip.

The pink walls of his sitting room still glow like Petra’s cliffs, with his painting of the ancient city hanging above the fireplace at Olana State Historic Site.

A Painter Sets Sail for the Holy Land

Frederic Church left New York in fall 1867 with his wife Isabel, baby son Frederic Joseph, and mother-in-law Emma Carnes.

The family planned to travel through Europe and the Middle East for 18 months. Church hurried through Europe, eager to see the biblical lands he was so interested in.

In Beirut, they stayed with American missionaries for four months, including David Stuart Dodge who became Church’s travel companion.

Church wanted to visit Petra, a rock-carved city that explorer Johann Burckhardt found just 56 years earlier in 1812.

The 21-Man Protection Squad

Church knew Petra travel was risky. He hired Mikayel El Heny, a seasoned guide, to lead his trip from Jerusalem in February 1868.

El Heny gathered 21 men to cook and protect them from unfriendly Bedouin tribes who controlled the Petra area.

These tribes often attacked travelers, asked for money, and shot at artists they thought were looking for treasure.

Church even mentioned another artist got shot before his visit.

Camels and Danger in the Desert

The group left Jerusalem with supplies for the tough desert crossing to Petra.

They moved carefully through lands where Bedouin tribes made money by robbing travelers and collecting protection fees.

El Heny handled all talks with tribal leaders they met along the way. The group faced harsh desert conditions while watching for possible attacks.

Church wrote detailed notes about their journey through this dangerous landscape.

Rose-Red City Appears Through the Canyon

After their hard desert trip, Church’s group finally reached Petra on February 24, 1868. They first saw the ancient city through a narrow canyon called the Siq.

Church stood amazed as the Treasury temple (Al-Khazneh) came into view, cut right into the rose-colored sandstone cliffs.

He wrote that it seemed to glow “as if by its own internal light.” Few Westerners had seen this sight since Burckhardt found it again in 1812.

Sketching While Watching for Gunmen

Church set up his art supplies near the Treasury despite real danger.

Local Bedouins thought artists were treasure hunters looking for hidden riches in the carved monuments. El Heny warned Church not to sketch openly, saying he might get shot.

Church later wrote about the tense moment: “took a square look at the Temple and an askant one at the Bedawins and made my first line.”

Hidden Art Made Under Bedouin Watch

The watching Bedouins finally let Church sketch openly after seeing he meant no harm.

Still careful, Church made quick color studies and worked on oil sketches from inside his tent to avoid too much attention.

He captured the Treasury’s amazing front and surrounding tomb monuments during his two-day visit.

Church noted how the rose-colored sandstone changed colors throughout the day as light moved across the ancient city.

The Artist Escapes with His Treasures

Church finished his artwork on February 25, 1868, after two days of intense sketching. He packed his drawings for the dangerous trip back through Bedouin lands.

El Heny again secured safe passage to Jerusalem without any trouble.

The trip ended with Church carrying an artistic record of Petra’s architectural wonders, treasures more valuable to him than any gold the Bedouins might have thought he wanted.

From Middle East to Hudson River

Church returned to New York in fall 1869 with his head full of Middle Eastern buildings. He scrapped his plans for a French château on the Hudson River and chose a Persian-inspired design instead.

From 1870-1872, Church worked with architect Calvert Vaux (who helped design Central Park) to create his dream home, Olana.

The house featured Middle Eastern touches like curved windows, colorful patterns, and Islamic designs that reminded Church of his travels.

A Masterpiece Born From Danger

Using his sketches and memories, Church painted “El Khasné, Petra” in 1874.

The painting shows the Treasury temple coming out of the dark Siq canyon with two armed Bedouin figures hiding in the shadows.

Church captured the glowing quality of the rose-colored sandstone that caught his eye during his risky trip.

This work became one of his most important Middle Eastern paintings and reminds us of his dangerous journey.

The Hudson Valley Gets a Persian Palace

Olana stood finished in 1872, looking unlike any other home in America.

Church designed hundreds of stencil patterns based on Islamic mosque tiles, metalwork, and stone carvings he’d seen in his travels.

The interior followed a traditional Damascene house plan with a central hall and rooms branching off from it.

Outside, colored brick, ceramic tiles, and decorations in multiple colors reflected what Church had seen in Petra, Damascus, and Jerusalem.

Petra Takes Center Stage at Olana

Church hung his “El Khasné, Petra” painting above the fireplace in Olana’s sitting room, where visitors can still see it today.

He specifically chose salmon-colored decorations for the room to match the painting’s pink sandstone colors.

Throughout the mansion, Church displayed his Petra sketches and collection of Middle Eastern costumes he brought back from his travels.

Olana became a living monument to Church’s life-changing 1868 expedition to the ancient rose-red city.

Visiting Olana State Historic Site, NYC

Olana State Historic Site at 5720 Route 9G in Hudson showcases Frederic Church’s Persian-inspired villa built after his 1868 expedition to Petra.

The 250-acre grounds are free and open daily 8 AM to sunset. House tours run Tuesday-Sunday 10 AM to 3:45 PM with advance reservations recommended.

You’ll see Islamic stencils, pointed arched windows, Middle Eastern carpets, and over 700 Church works including his Petra sketches. Third Thursday monthly offers free community days with extended hours 1 PM to 6:30 PM.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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