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Religious architecture carries with it a unique set of histories, styles, and iterations that other forms of structural design don't have. Built for worship and to appease the leadership of each corresponding era, these churches encompass the ancient, the contemporary, and everything in between. While there were many we could have chosen from every corner of the earth, these 50 Amazing Churches From Around the World made the cut. See if you agree and get inspired by these stunning buildings.
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Church of Mary of the Assumption
Church of Mary of the Assumption
Location: San Francisco
Architect: Pietro Belluschi and Pier Luigi Nervi
Year Completed: 1971
The Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Assumption in San Francisco replaced two previous churches of the same name. The original cathedral was built in 1854 and still stands today. It is now known as Old Saint Mary's Church. A second cathedral was constructed in 1891 but was destroyed by arson in 1962.
Kamppi Chapel
Kamppi Chapel
Location: Helsinki, Finland
Architect: K2S Architects
Year Completed: 2012
The curved, wooden Kamppi Chapel serves as a refuge from the lively urban district of Helsinki. The furniture is also made of solid wood. The entrance space doubles as exhibition space, open to social workers and the rest of the community.
Basilica de Higuey
Basilica de Higuey
Location: Higüey, Dominican Republic
Architect: A. Dunover de Segonazc and Pierre Dupré
Year Completed: 1971
La Basilica de Higüey is the most important religious monument in the Dominican Republic and garners attention from much of Latin America. La Basilica is one of the most-visited Dominican monuments by foreigners and tourists.
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Parish Church of Solace
Parish Church of Solace
Location: Cordoba, Spain
Architect: Vicens + Ramos
Year Completed: 2011
The Parish Church of Solace is located on a relatively undeveloped plot of land and is constructed in a way that diffuses light throughout the entire temple. The building also has a courtyard that is open to the public. Many artists have added their work as final decorative elements to the sacred space, including custom pieces for the ceiling painting, the alter, and the seat of the temple.
Kirche am Hohenzollernplatz
Kirche am Hohenzollernplatz
Location: Berlin
Architect: Ossip Klarwein
Year Completed: 1933
The name of the church, Kirche am Hohenzollernplatz, or Church at Hohenzollernplatz, was originally a compromise until another name could be chosen. The name of the church has become a brand despite continued debate. This church has gone through a long building and reconstruction process. It was originally constructed in 1933, destroyed in 1943, and gradually reconstructed until 1965.
Duomo di Milano (Milan Cathedral) in Italy
Duomo di Milano (Milan Cathedral) in Italy
Location: Milan, Italy
Architect: Nicolas de Bonaventure
Year Completed: 1965
Constant renovation and reconstruction have been underway on the Duomo di Milano for centuries. Saint Ambrose built a basilica on this site at the beginning of the 5th century, with an adjoining basilica added in 836. When fire damaged both buildings in 1075, they were rebuilt as the Duomo. Ground broke for the new Duomo di Milano in 1386. New construction and design projects were also initiated in 1762, and major cleaning and renovations were finished in 2009.
St. Stephen's Cathedral
St. Stephen's Cathedral
Location: Vienna, Austria
Architect: Anton Pilgram
Year Completed: 1160
St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna is one of the most significant buildings of the middle European Gothic period and a landmark of Vienna for over eight centuries. The cathedral has two very impressive features—the expansive roof and the tall tower, characteristic of most Gothic structures in the Middle Ages.
Florence Cathedral
Florence Cathedral
Location: Florence, Italy
Architect: Arnolfo di Cambio and Filippo Brunelleschi
Year Completed: 1436
The Florence Cathedral is one of the most recognizable landmarks in Florence. This cathedral was built upon the remains of the fourth century cathedral of Santa Reparata. The Florence Cathedral was initially designed by Arnolfo di Cambio in 1296, but its main feature, the massive dome, was designed by Filippo Brunelleschi. Brunelleschi won a design competition for Florence designers and architects, and construction on the dome began in 1420 and was completed in 1436.
St. Ludwig
St. Ludwig
Location: Saarlouis, Germany
Architect: Gottfried Böhm
Year Completed: 1685
In 1685, the first church building was erected at the site. From 1864 to 1866, the St. Ludwig Church was rebuilt as a Gothic hall building. The newest structure was built in the 1960s, designed by Gottfried Böhm, using the remains of the previous buildings.
Church of San Giovanni Battista
Church of San Giovanni Battista
Location: Mogno, Switzerland
Architect: Mario Botta
Year Completed: 1996
The church, which is dedicated to John the Baptist, has no windows and is made from Peccia marble and Vallemaggia granite. The interior, which seats about 15 people, is only illuminated by natural light streaming in through the glass roof.
Sistine Chapel
Sistine Chapel
Location: Vatican City
Architect: Baccio Pontelli and Giovanni de Dolci
Year Completed: 1481
The Sistine Chapel, constructed in 1481, is still being used by the current Pope for official ceremonies. The paintings on the walls and on the ceiling are widely considered to represent the peak of Renaissance art, especially Michelangelo's ceiling and Last Judgment on the wall behind the altar.
Sunset Chapel
Sunset Chapel
Location: Acapulco, Mexico
Architect: BNKR Arquitectura
Year Completed: 2011
The objectives of this church were simple—the chapel had to take full advantage of the spectacular views, the sun had to set exactly behind the altar cross, and the section with the first phase of crypts had to be included outside and around the chapel. The Sunset Chapel building appears to balance on the rocky terrain, while the actual chapel is located on an upper floor and is reached by internal steps.
Sedlec Ossuary
Sedlec Ossuary
Location: Kutná Hora, Czech Republic
Architect: Jan Blažej Santim-Aichl
Year Completed: 1400
The Sedlec Ossuary is estimated to contain the skeletons of between 40,000 and 70,000 people. The bones have been artistically arranged to form decorations and furnishings for the chapel. The ossuary is among the most-visited tourist attractions of the Czech Republic, attracting over 200,000 visitors annually.
Chapel in Villeaceron
Chapel in Villeaceron
Location: Almadén, Spain
Architect: Sancho-Madridejos Architecture Office
Year Completed: 2001
The Chapel has a naked design and lacks artificial lighting. It is comprised of mostly concrete. The chapel is extremely minimal; it only houses a cross and an image.
Thorncrown Chapel (Eureka Springs, AR, USA)
Thorncrown Chapel
Location: Eureka Springs, Arkansas
Architect: E. Fay Jones
Year Completed: 1980
The Thorncrown Chapel was constructed mostly of wood and other materials indigenous to northwestern Arkansas. The chapel was built without disturbing the natural environment around it; the vertical and diagonal cross-tension trusses were made from local pine sources and cut to size so that they could be carried through the woods.
Notre Dame de Royan
Notre Dame de Royan
Location: Royan, France
Architect: Guillaume Gillet and Marc Hebrard
Year Completed: 1958
In 1945, the old neo-Gothic Ancienne église, Notre-Dame de Royan, was bombed and destroyed, which led to the decision to construct an equally magnificent but contemporary church. Notre Dame de Royan, completed in 1958, is considered a masterpiece of modern architecture and is constructed entirely of raw concrete.
Saint-Michel d'Aiguilhe (Le Puy-en-Velay, France)
Saint-Michel d'Aiguilhe (Le Puy-en-Velay, France)
Location: Le Puy, France
Architect: Scutarius
Year Completed: 962
Saint-Michel d'Aiguilhe was built in 962 to celebrate the return of the pilgrimage of Saint James. The church rests on a volcanic formation 279-feet high and has 268 stone steps. The upper walls and pyramidal vault of the 10th-century sanctuary is covered in frescoes, and the walls of the sanctuary depict the the Resurrection of the Dead, Heaven, Hell, the Twelve Apostles, angels, and saints.
Church of St. George
Church of St. George
Location: Lalibela, Ethiopia
Architect: Unknown
Year Completed: 1189
Of the Zagwe neguses or kings, the most famous was Gebre Mesqel Lalibela, who had a vision of a church that God demanded him to build. Upon assuming the throne, he transformed his capital, which took his last name, into a hidden holy fortress, buried into the ground. The church is carved from solid rock in the shape of a cross.
Bruder Klaus Chapel
Bruder Klaus Chapel
Location: Wachendorf, Germany
Architect: Peter Zumthor
Year Completed: 2007
Bruder Klaus Chapel is a small concrete structure on the edge of a field built by local farmers in honor of their patron saint, Bruder Klaus. The church was made out of poured concrete with 24 levels, one for every hour of the day.
Salt Cathedral of Zipaquira
Salt Cathedral of Zipaquira
Location: Cundinamarca, Colombia
Architect: Roswell Garavito Pearl
Year Completed: 1995
The Salt Cathedral of Zipaquira is an underground Roman Catholic church built within the tunnels of a salt mine 656 feet underground in a Halite mountain. The church has no bishop and therefore no official status as a cathedral in Catholicism; it mainly attracts tourists and visitors.
Cathedral of Maringa
Cathedral of Maringa
Location: Maringá, Brazil
Architect: José Augusto Bellucci
Year Completed: 1972
The Cathedral of Maringa is the tallest church building in South America, the 16th tallest in the world, and is one of the 54 minor Catholic basilicas of Brazil. The first stone of the church, a piece of marble removed from St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, was laid on August 15, 1958.
Grundtvig's Church
Grundtvig's Church
Location: Copenhagen, Denmark
Architect: Peder Vilhelm Jensen-Klint
Year Completed: 1940
Grundtvig's Church is currently the largest public Evangelical Lutheran church in Scandinavia. The construction began in 1921 and was halted due to the architect's death. The project continued when his son, Kaare Klint, and later his grandson, Esben Klint, finished his plans. The church was completed in 1940.
Parish Church of Santa Monica, Vicens & Ramos, Madrid
Parish Church of Santa Monica
Location: Madrid, Spain
Architect: Vicens & Ramos
Year Completed: 2009
Parish Church of Santa Monica is comprised of two independent buildings—one houses the church and the daily chapel, while the second structure accomodates the housing and parochial rooms. All of the church's artwork, such as the sculptures and liturgical furnishings, were designed and created by contemporary artists.
Borgund Stave Church (Borgund, Lærdal, Norway)
Borgund Stave Church
Location: Borgund, Lærdal, Norway
Architect: Unknown
Year Completed: 1180
Borgund Stave Church is the best preserved of Norway's 28 extant stave churches, built sometime between 1180 and 1250 A.D. A new church for the parish of Borgund was built in 1868, and the old church has not been in ordinary use since then.
Paraportiani Church (Mykonos, Greece)
Paraportiani Church
Location: Mykonos, Greece
Architect: Unknown
Year Completed: 17th century
This church was named after the Greek word for door, because it was built right next to the entrance of the Medieval castle in Mykonos, which has since been destroyed. This church is one of the most famous architectural structures in Greece and is unique because it is an assymetrical conglomeration of four churches into one.
Jubilee Church (Rome, Italy)
Jubilee Church
Location: Rome, Italy
Architect: Richard Meier
Year Completed: 2003
Built as part of the Vicarage project, "50 Churches for Rome 2000," the Jubilee Church was designed as a mark and symbol of the Grand Jubilee of 2000. Homage is also paid to the Jubilee Church in the video game Hitman: Blood Money.
St. Sophia Cathedral, Kiev
St. Sophia Cathedral
Location: Kiev, Ukraine
Architect: Unknown
Year Completed: 1037
St. Sophia's was built in 1037 by Prince Yaroslav the Wise, who is buried on location. The building is also Kyiv's oldest standing church, constructed in the 11th century. St. Sophia Cathedral is one of the major edifices representing the culture of Eastern Christianity, and the ancient monastic foundation plays a very important role in Russian spiritual and intellectual life.
Church of the Savior on Blood, St.Petersburg
Church of the Savior on Blood
Location: St. Petersburg, Russia
Architect: Alfred Alexandrovich Parland
Year Completed: 1907
The "blood" of the most common name, Church of the Savior, refers to the murder of Tsar Alexander II on the site as well as the blood of Jesus Christ. The church has a turbulent history—in the early 1930s, the Soviet government closed the church due to interior damage from looters, and during World War II, the church was used as a warehouse for vegetables.
Sainte-Chapelle Church, Paris
Sainte-Chapelle
Location: Paris
Architect: Unknown
Year Completed: 1244
Sainte-Chapelle was built by Louis IX for use as his royal chapel, as well as a shelter for his holy relics. King Louis IX founded this church with ambitions of becoming the central monarch of western Christendom. The upper chapel has 6,458-square-feet of stained glass windows, and are considered the best of their type in the world.
Sacre Coeur, Paris
Sacre Coeur
Location: Paris
Architect: Paul Abadie
Year Completed: 1919
Sacre Coeur is located on the highest point of the city in Montmartre and was designed by Paul Abadie in a Romanesque-Byzantine architectural style. From atop the Dome, the second-highest viewpoint after the Eiffel Tower, visitors have an amazing view of Paris. The church was dedicated to a cult that gained popularity after 1873, called the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
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St.Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Bulgaria
St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
Location: Sofia, Bulgaria
Architect: Alexander Pomerantsev
Year Completed: 1912
St.Alexander Nevsky Cathedral was constructed in memory of the 200,000 Russian, Ukrainian, Belorussian, and Bulgarian soldiers, who died in the Russo-Turkish War from 1877 to 1878. This church is is one of the largest Eastern Orthodox cathedrals in the world and the second biggest cathedral located on the Balkan Peninsula.
Cathédrale Notre Dame de Paris
Cathédrale Notre Dame de Paris
Location: Paris
Architect: Jean-Baptiste-Antoine Lassus and Eugène Viollet-le-Duc (1845 Restoration)
Year Completed: 1250
Notre Dame de Paris was the first cathedral built on a monumental scale, becoming the model for future cathedrals in France. Following the French Revolution and destruction of many of the invaluable decor and statues, the church underwent a 20-year restoration process. The cathedral was restored again between 1991 and 2001, preserving the historic architecture.
St. Vitus Cathedral
St. Vitus Cathedral
Location: Prague, Czech Republic
Architect: Peter Parler
Year Completed: 1929
St.Vitus Cathedral is the biggest and most important church in the Czech Republic. Construction on the current St.Vitus Cathedral building began in 1344 and was not completed until the 20th century. Interestingly enough, the church is also the location of the tombstones of its two architects, Mathias d'Arras and Peter Parler, who died in the 14th century.
Church of Seed
Church of Seed
Location: Mount Luofu, China
Architect: O Studio Architects
Year Completed: 2012
Church of Seed is located on China's sacred Mount Luofu and is formed from three curved walls that curl around the interior, like the casing around the seed of a plant. The structure has been influenced by understated simplicity and its natural surroundings. The interior features 60 simple wooden bamboo chairs bound by local farmers.
Dove of Peace Church
Dove of Peace Church
Location: Inner Mongolia, China
Architect: Sunlay Design
Year Completed: 2009
The overhead view of the Dove of Peace Church resembles the profile of a bird in flight, further emphasizing the church's name. The church sits on top of a hill and is made of concrete, also incorporating a pool of water at one end of the terrace. Streams of light pour in through carefully placed windows, creating a harmony between the interior and the natural surroundings.The project was never fully executed.
St.Basil's Cathedral
St.Basil's Cathedral
Location: Moscow
Architect: Postnik Yakovlev
Year Completed: 1561
St. Basil's Cathedral was commissioned by Ivan the Terrible in the 16th century to commemorate a military victory. The church also marks the geometric center of Moscow. As part of the Soviet Union's anti-theist campaigns, St. Basil's Cathedral was completely secularized in 1929 and remains a federal property of the Russian Federation.
Marilyn Moyer Meditation Chapel
Marilyn Moyer Meditation Chapel
Location: Portland, OR
Architect: Thompson Vaivoda Architecture
Year Completed: 1991
The Marilyn Moyer Meditation Chapel, built of polished granite and glass walls, has received both national and international architectural awards. The church is perched atop a 130-foot sheer jointed rock cliff and has an unobstructed view of the Cascade Mountain Range to the east. The chapel, dedicated to Mary, the mother of Jesus, was also built in honor of Marilyn Moyer.
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Air Force Academy Chapel
Air Force Academy Chapel (Cadet Chapel)
Location: Colorado, USA
Architect: Walter A. Netsch Jr.
Year Completed: 1963
Air Force Academy Chapel is located in the Cadet Area at the United States Air Force Academy north of Colorado Springs and is considered a highly regarded example of modernist architecture. The chapel has 17 spires and is formed to look like a row of fighter jets. The chapel contains various areas for other religious services. The Protestant nave is located on the upper level, while the Catholic and Jewish chapels and a Buddhist room are located below.
Transparent Steel Church
Transparent Steel Church
Location: Belgium
Architect: Pieterjan Gijs and Arnout Van Vaerenbergh
Year Completed: 2011
Designed to represent a line drawing in space, this church is foremost a structure called "Reading Between The Lines" created to be a visual experience rather than a place for religious worship. It is a structure 10-meters high, constructed from 30 tons of steel and 2,000 columns positioned in 100 layers, imitating a local church.
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Chapel In the Rock
Chapel In the Rock (Chapel Of The Holy Cross)
Location: Sedona, AZ
Architect: Richard Hein
Year Completed: 1956
The architect of the Chapel In the Rock was Marguerite Brunswig Staude, a student of Frank Lloyd Wright. It was voted one of the Seven Man-Made Wonders of Arizona in 2007.
Hallgrímskirkja
Hallgrímskirkja
Location: Reykjavík, Iceland
Architect: Gudjon Samuelsson
Year Completed: 1986
The largest church in Iceland, Hallgrímskirkja was commisioned in 1937 and gets its name from the Icelandic poet and clergyman Hallgrímur Pétursson (1614-1674). The Architect Guðjón Samúelsson is said to have been inspired by Iceland's basalt lava flows for his design of the church.
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Cologne Cathedral
Cologne Cathedral
Location: Cologne, Germany
Architect: Ernst Friedrich Zwirner
Year Completed: 1880
Construction of the Cologne Cathedral began in 1248, though it was not finished until 1880, which is quite understandable, since it features the world's largest church facade. Its size and position along the Rhine river make the Cathedral a landmark of Cologne, Germany. During World War II, the cathedral survived 70 hits from aerial bombings, with its two grand spires used as a navigation landmark by Allied pilots. It is actually Germany's most visited landmark, with more than 20,00 visitors a day coming to see the relics of the Three Kings.
Las Lajas Sanctuary
Las Lajas Sanctuary
Location: Ipiales, Colombia
Architect: J. Gualberto Pérez and Lucindo Espinosa
Year Completed: 1949
This impressive structure was built between 1916 and 1949, though it has been a holy site since 1754 when Maria Mueces and her deaf-mute daughter Rosa saw the Virgin Mary in the rock formation during a storm.
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Sea Ranch Chapel
Sea Ranch Chapel
Location: Sonoma County, CA
Architect: James Hubbell
Year Completed: 1985
The architect James Hubbell had to draw on his experience in boat building to achieve the curved structure of the roof of the chapel. Deceptively spacious, the chapel can seat up to 40 people within its unique space. The structure features three stained glass windows, walls constructed from local stone, and sea shells and sea urchines from the nearby sea shore embedded in the carved ceiling.
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Cathedral of Brasilia
Cathedral of Brasilia
Location: Brasília, Brazil
Architect: Oscar Niemeyer
Year Completed: 1970
Constructed in 1970, the Cathedral is constructed using 16 concrete columns weighing 90 tons each, representing two hands reaching up towards heaven. Designed by Oscar Niemeyer, a self-proclaimed atheist, the Cathedral features a 2,000-square-meter stained glass work designed by Marianne Peretti.
St. Paul's Cathedral
St. Paul's Cathedral
Location: London
Architect: Sir Christopher Wren
Year Completed: 1710
With one of the world's most recognizable domes, St. Paul's is an iconic structure in the City of London. Designed by Sir Christopher Wren, an architect responsible for 52 churches in London, St. Paul's was completed in 1710 and remained the tallest building in London until 1962. The Cathedral remains the second largest church in the United Kingdom, and its Geometric Staircase was featured in both the 2009 Sherlock Holmes and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban films.
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Santa Maria della Rotonda (The Pantheon), Rome
Santa Maria della Rotonda (The Pantheon)
Location: Rome
Architect: Unknown
Year Completed: 125 A.D.
Orignially built as a Roman temple to all gods, the Pantheon was re-dedicated during the seventh century by the Catholic Church to the Virgin Mary and all Martyrs. A feat of Roman engineering, the dome can fit a sphere perfectly beneath it, representing the world being watched over by the gods. The dome of the Pantheon contains an opening which allows the interior to be illuminated with natural light. Unfortunately, the opening also lets in water when it rains, but the Romans had figured out. They constructed the floor of the temple to slant ever so slightly towards a drain in the center, taking care of the unwanted water.
La Sagrada Familia
La Sagrada Familia
Location: Barcelona, Spain
Architect: Antonio Gaudí
Year Completed: Under Construction
Under construction since 1882, this monumental church designed by Antonio Gaudí has an expected completion date of 2026. With most of its design dictated by Biblical imagery, such as the 18 spires which are supposed to represent the Twelve Apostles, the Virgin Mary, the Four Evangilists, and Jesus Christ, almost every square-inch of the cathedral has some kind of higher meaning. Even without analyzing the Biblical allusions in the design, it is undeniable that Gaudí's cathedral is unlike anything else in the world.
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Dom Bosco Cathedral
Dom Bosco Cathedral
Location: Brasília, Brazil
Architect: Carlos Alberto Naves
Year Completed: 1963
Italian saint Dom Bosco had a dream that involved a city or "utopia," which is believed to have prophesied this sanctuary. In his dream, the building had to be built between the 15th and 20th parallels, which the sanctuary matches.
Presbytère Sainte-Thérèse
Presbytère Sainte-Thérèse
Location: Metz, France
Architect: Roger-Henri Expert
Year Completed: 1954
Construction on this church began in 1937, but in 1939, war interrupted the building process. Germans were hostile to the modern aesthetic of the church and planned to demolish the foundations of the structure. Construction on the church resumed in 1950 after WWII ended.