Rosicrucian Park
Encyclopedia
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
. The park takes up nearly an entire city block and includes the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum
Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum
The Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum , founded by the Ancient Mystical Order Rosae Crucis, is a museum about Ancient Egypt located at AMORC's Rosicrucian Park in the Rose Garden neighborhood of San Jose, California, United States....
, the administration building for the Order, the Rosicrucian Planetarium, the Rosicrucian Peace Garden, the Rosicrucian Research Library, the Grand Temple, and a central fountain plaza and gardens. With the exception of the planetarium, all buildings in Rosicrucian Park were constructed with Ancient Egyptian-revival exteriors. The park also includes the Akhenaten
Akhenaten
Akhenaten also spelled Echnaton,Ikhnaton,and Khuenaten;meaning "living spirit of Aten") known before the fifth year of his reign as Amenhotep IV , was a Pharaoh of the Eighteenth dynasty of Egypt who ruled for 17 years and died perhaps in 1336 BC or 1334 BC...
Shrine, which contains the ashes of AMORC founder Harvey Spencer Lewis
Harvey Spencer Lewis
Harvey Spencer Lewis F.R.C., S.·.I.·., 33°66°95°, Ph.D. , a noted Rosicrucian author, occultist, and mystic, was the founder in USA and the first Imperator of Ancient Mystical Order Rosae Crucis , from 1915 until 1939....
and other former officials of the order. The latest addition to the Park was the Peace Garden, dedicated in 2004 by Rosicrucian
Rosicrucian
Rosicrucianism is a philosophical secret society, said to have been founded in late medieval Germany by Christian Rosenkreuz. It holds a doctrine or theology "built on esoteric truths of the ancient past", which, "concealed from the average man, provide insight into nature, the physical universe...
Imperator
Imperator
The Latin word Imperator was originally a title roughly equivalent to commander under the Roman Republic. Later it became a part of the titulature of the Roman Emperors as part of their cognomen. The English word emperor derives from imperator via Old French Empreur...
Christian Bernard
Christian Bernard
Christian Bernard , F.R.C., is the current Imperator of AMORC, a mystical Rosicrucian order. He became Imperator on 12 April 1990.-References:* *...
. In tribute to their namesake, a rose
Rose
A rose is a woody perennial of the genus Rosa, within the family Rosaceae. There are over 100 species. They form a group of erect shrubs, and climbing or trailing plants, with stems that are often armed with sharp prickles. Flowers are large and showy, in colours ranging from white through yellows...
garden is incorporated in the Park next to the Research Library. In tribute to their claimed Egyptian heritage, cyperus papyrus
Cyperus papyrus
Cyperus papyrus is a monocot belonging to the sedge family Cyperaceae. It is a herbaceous perennial native to Africa, and forms tall stands of reed-like swamp vegetation in shallow water....
plants are also incorporated into the landscaping.