Where Peace, Beauty, and Spirit Flow
The Unity Village fountains are the largest fountain installation in the Kansas City area and extend the length of a football field. The central courtyard includes a series of three mirror pools that cover 14,090 square feet, about a third of an acre. Their soothing sounds offer a respite to everyone who passes by.
The Unity Village courtyard is open to the public from dawn until dusk each day unless it has been reserved for a wedding or other event. Contact us to plan your special event.
The Venetian-inspired Bridge of Faith spans the largest fountain. It is the centerpiece of the Unity Village courtyard and a popular location for weddings. Lowell Fillmore dedicated the bridge on June 27, 1951, during the Unity Ministers’ Conference as a way for the Fillmores’ sons to honor the legacy of their parents. In 2004, the Bridge of Faith was rebuilt, making it a stronger structure that also meets today’s accessibility standards.
The east end of the courtyard features a raised bowl fountain surrounded by the Rose Garden, which was started in 1952. It is home to 800 roses in about 50 different varieties. Since the 1990s, it has been one of only two gardens in the Kansas City area named an All-America Rose Selections Display Garden. There are only about 115 gardens with this designation in the nation.
Just steps away is the latest addition to the courtyard, the Labyrinth at Unity Village. Dedicated in 2023, it is the largest paver labyrinth in America.
A “Mist-ical” History
Designed by Rickert Fillmore, the fountains were originally built in the 1950s. The central mirror pool was intended to be functional, as well as decorative. Cast concrete dome fountainheads and spray nozzles were part of the original design. This innovative design allowed the fountain to serve as part of the campus air-conditioning system. To meet the cooling needs of the campus, the water sprayed higher as the temperature rose.
In the early 2000s the fountains started collapsing and sat empty for several years. They were restored, remodeled, and rededicated in 2010. Fundraising for this project included engraved brick pavers, which now line the walkways surrounding the fountains. The restored fountains include 78 nozzles that spray inward, inviting visitors to reflect on their own inner peace and wisdom.
