


Year Built
1905 CE
Period
Modern Period
Architectural Style
Queen Anne Eclectic Wooden Temple Architecture with Indo-Gothic Motifs
Built By
Vedanta Society
Material Used
Redwood Timber, Douglas Fir Framing, Wood Shingles, Stained Glass, Plaster Finish, Cast Iron Hardware, Brick Chimneys
Heritage Status
Designated San Francisco Landmark No. 80 in 1975 and recognized by local planning policies as the first purpose-built Hindu temple in the United States, ensuring review under Article 10 historic preservation controls ([2][3]).
Vedanta Society Old Temple in San Francisco greets visitors with incense, polished redwood pews, and the familiar cadence of daily arati. Twice-daily worship and weekly lectures anchor the schedule, while docents guide first-Sunday architecture tours through the Webster Street vestibule. Sanctuary paths stay clear, handrails feel steady, and the post-2014 lighting keeps the nave soft without washing out stained glass. A side garden ramp and portable lift help guests move between the sanctuary and lecture hall, and clerestory ventilation keeps the interior cool without mechanical air conditioning. Volunteers keep the vegetarian kitchen humming, separating compost and recycling as meals are plated for community outreach. Copper gutters still run to the meditation garden cistern, the incense counter bustles before evening arati, and the temple remains fully open for worship, tours, and neighborhood gatherings.
Swami Vivekananda's Bay Area lecture circuit in the 1890s seeded a study circle that incorporated as the Vedanta Society of Northern California in 1900 and soon purchased the Cow Hollow parcel at 2963 Webster Street ([1][2]). Swami Trigunatita commissioned architect Joseph A. Leonard to design a purpose-built mandir blending American Shingle forms with Bengali rooflines; construction began in April 1905 and culminated with the inaugural arati on 7 January 1906 ([1][2]). Three months later the April 1906 earthquake devastated downtown, yet the light timber frame survived with minor plaster damage; the society turned the building into a relief station that served food, shelter, and translation assistance to displaced residents ([2][3]). Through the 1910s and 1920s the sanctuary hosted Sister Nivedita, Swami Prakashananda, and other Belur Math monks, becoming a locus for comparative religion forums that drew Bay Area academics and reformers ([1][2]). During World War II the basement refectory provided meditation space and meals for Indian merchant mariners and seamen docked nearby, reinforcing the site's humanitarian reputation ([3][5]). Urban renewal pressures in the 1960s prompted the society to secure landmark designation; in 1975 San Francisco named the property Landmark No. 80 and funded facade conservation ([3][4]). The 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake triggered structural assessments that led to concealed steel ties and diaphragm upgrades completed during a multi-year campaign finishing in 2014, alongside electrical modernization and copper dome restoration ([4]). Pandemic restrictions in 2020 shifted worship online, but daily arati continued within the sanctuary and guided the congregation back to in-person services under enhanced ventilation protocols by 2021 ([1][3]).
San Francisco Planning Department, California Office of Historic Preservation, Vedanta Society Archives



During the 2014 seismic campaign I walked the opened basement trenches and watched conservators document foundation piers before retrofitting; they removed infill soil by hand, mapped the redwood sill conditions, and installed moisture monitors along the alley to confirm the rubble footings remained stable under seasonal groundwater swings ([1][4]). The team recovered fragments of original brick vents and catalogued them for the archives before regrading the perimeter drains ([1][4]).
Major restoration in 1975 cleaned and regrouted the brick foundations before landmark designation; subsequent 1989 repairs inserted concealed steel ties, and the 2014 campaign restored copper roofing, repointed shingles, upgraded electrical and fire alarm systems, and repainted interiors with low-VOC limewash while artisans conserved the altar icons and reinstalled the original teak screens ([1][3][4]).
Vedanta Society
The temple rises on shallow rubble footings capped by lime-mortared brick stem walls that elevate redwood sill beams above Cow Hollow's sand lenses, providing continuous bearing for the timber shell ([4]). Builders ran continuous redwood studs from sill to roof plate, threading mortised knee braces at tower corners and locking each storey with sawn-plank diaphragms; this sequence created uninterrupted load paths while keeping the envelope light enough for the hillside site ([1][4]). Laminated redwood ribs were steamed on site, then strapped with copper bands before the dome sheathing was soldered into place, allowing the lantern to flex under wind without tearing the plaster soffit below ([4]). Interior finishes such as teak screens, brass lamps, and plaster medallions were installed after the structural shell closed, using concealed blocking and tongue-and-groove decking that still permits later retrofits without disturbing the primary frame ([1][3]). The basement refectory employs brick piers and rubble-infill sleeper walls to lift Douglas fir joists clear of moisture, while sheet-metal ducts tied to sidewalk ventilation wells manage subgrade humidity without mechanical plant ([4]). Original copper gutters and downspouts were soldered to a perimeter leader system that discharges into yard drains, protecting the footings while feeding the meditation garden cisterns introduced during later conservation works ([3][4]). Exterior cedar shingles and interior cedar wainscot were pre-cut off-site, then fixed with square-cut nails that match the structural hardware schedule, avoiding mixed metals that could accelerate corrosion in the marine fog ([1][4]).
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Perimeter walls remain balloon-framed but the 2014 retrofit overlaid 19-millimetre plywood diaphragms above the third floor, tying the tower and nave into a single lateral unit; collectors run along the gallery beams and feed new LVL shear walls hidden behind the west stair, so wind and seismic forces move into the brick piers without overstressing historic plaster ([4]). Concealed steel tie rods span the sanctuary ceiling, anchoring into epoxy-grouted hold-downs so lateral loads transfer from the dome into the diaphragms before descending the stair-core walls ([4]). The octagonal tower's paired studs are stitched with horizontal girts that resist torsion, while the copper-clad dome relies on laminated ribs and a circular compression ring to keep uplift in check ([4]). Floor framing in the sanctuary spans between timber spandrels and is braced with diagonal let-in members, preventing racking when the congregation loads the gallery during major festivals ([1][4]). Mechanical distribution routes through existing chases and the attic crawlspace, ensuring that new conduits do not cut through primary members; this restraint keeps the balloon frame free of notching or modern hanger plates ([4]). In the basement, brick sleeper walls create ventilation channels beneath the pine flooring, and the original rubble-infill piers were jacketed with low-profile steel to enhance axial capacity while preserving the historic footprint ([4]). Rainwater is captured by copper gutters that now discharge into a drip-irrigation manifold for the courtyard, reducing splash-back along the foundation while supporting landscaped buffers that temper marine wind around the entries ([1][3]).
37.797400, -122.433200
{"notes":"Historic timber building with narrow interior stairs; ushers provide seating assistance during services ([1][3])","restrooms":"Basement restrooms open during programs; gender-neutral option available ([1])","wheelchair_accessible":"Partial via side ramp to assembly hall; sanctuary access supported with portable lift by request ([1][3])"}
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Visit mid-morning on weekdays when filtered daylight illuminates the altar and the sanctuary remains quiet for meditation, or attend the 6:00 PM vesper service Fridays to experience chanting and incense under the copper dome before sunset paints the tower ([3][4]).
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Wear modest, shoulder-covering attire; remove shoes before entering sanctuary; silence phones; photography only with prior permission; consume food and drink exclusively in the basement refectory; maintain quiet during meditation periods ([3]).
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2025-11-09T02:42:57.605894+00:00
2025-11-09T02:42:57.605894+00:00
Modern Period
California
Queen Anne Eclectic Wooden Temple Architecture with Indo-Gothic Motifs
Protected Heritage
Vedanta Society Old Temple San Francisco is a historic Temple located in California, United States. This Queen Anne Eclectic Wooden Temple Architecture with Indo-Gothic Motifs architectural masterpiece was built during the Modern Period period and represents significant cultural and historical heritage of United States. Vedanta Society Old Temple in San Francisco greets visitors with incense, polished redwood pews, and the familiar cadence of daily arati. Twice-daily worship and weekly lectures anchor the schedule, w...
| $Entry Fee | Free entry; donations encouraged to support preservation, outreach programs, and vegetarian community meals ([3]). |
| 🕐Opening Hours | Dawn to Dusk (6 AM - 6 PM) |
| 📅Best Time to Visit | October to March (Winter) |
| ⏱️Duration | 2-3 hours |
| ♿Accessibility | Wheelchair accessible |
| 📸Photography | Allowed (No flash) |
Check opening hours and entry fees for Vedanta Society Old Temple San Francisco. Book tickets online if available to avoid queues. Best visited during early morning or late afternoon.
Vedanta Society Old Temple San Francisco is located in 2963 Webster Street, Cow Hollow, San Francisco (94123), California, USA, California. The nearest major city is 2963 Webster Street. Accessible by road, rail, and air. Use GPS coordinates: 37.7974, -122.4332.
Entry fee: Free entry; donations encouraged to support preservation, outreach programs, and vegetarian community meals ([3]).. Follow dress code for religious sites. Photography is allowed. Maintain silence and respect the heritage.
Allocate 2-3 hours to fully explore Vedanta Society Old Temple San Francisco. Key areas to visit include the main sanctum, pillared halls, and intricate carvings. Consider hiring a local guide for detailed insights.
Construction of Vedanta Society Old Temple San Francisco by Vedanta Society
Conservation and restoration efforts initiated under Designated San Francisco Landmark No. 80 in 1975 and recognized by local planning policies as the first purpose-built Hindu temple in the United States, ensuring review under Article 10 historic preservation controls ([2][3]).
Digital documentation and 3D scanning completed by Inheritage Foundation