The Hiram Abiff stained-glass window at the Advance Masonic Temple is framed like a recessed lantern in brick—at night it becomes a local beacon of wisdom, radiance, and thresholded meaning

To the left of the Advance Masonic Temple, a stained-glass window depicts King Solomon under a daytime sun, turning light into a lasting message of wisdom and clarity.

Above the entrance of Astoria’s Advance Masonic Temple is an ancient symbol with deep architectural meaning: the bucranium, or ox skull. Far from a macabre flourish, it is a classical emblem of sacrifice, consecration, ritual, and permanence.

Four carved limestone lions crown the columns outside the Advance Masonic Temple in Astoria, Queens. Their presence draws on a long architectural history of guardianship, courage, authority, and ceremonial protection.

The entrance of Astoria’s Advance Masonic Temple is composed like a ceremonial threshold. Limestone columns and arched masonry create structure; carved stone details transform the façade into a language of strength, order, and consecration—setting up a series on the lions, the egg-and-dart, and the bucranium.