The 125-foot-wide dome coated in ground abalone shells

Aimee Semple McPherson claimed she had a vision of a "little home in Los Angeles" while praying by her sick daughter's bed. When she found a lot near Echo Lake, she declared, "This is the place God would have us build." She managed to raise $250,000 from wealthy followers to finance the construction of the Angelus Temple.

She hired architect Brook Hawkins, who also designed the Culver Hotel, the Grauman's Metropolitan Theatre, and the Pasadena Playhouse. He built a Class "A" fireproof building of concrete and steel that could seat 5,300 people. The main architectural feature is a 125-foot-wide dome, which was the largest in North America at the time of construction. The concrete dome was coated with a mixture of ground abalone shells and its interior was painted azure blue with fleecy clouds.

McPherson preached every service in dramatic scenes designed to attract audiences. The temple received 40 million visitors within its first seven years. By 1924, a radio station began operating from the site, requiring twin towers to be built on top of the building to support a transmitting antenna. In 1927, the church opened a food bank and soup kitchen near the site.

Today, the temple is a National Historic Landmark located opposite Echo Park Lake. It underwent a renovation in 1972 while retaining its original interior and exterior appearance. It now operates with the Dream Center, based in a former hospital, which provides assistance for victims of domestic violence, drug addiction, and human trafficking. In 2015, weekly attendance was 8,975.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons