A beautiful temple whose walls are decorated. The most beautiful temples in the world are places of spiritual power. Church of St. Mary Magdalene, Jerusalem, Israel
At all times, believers needed special places for prayer and communication with higher powers. Therefore, beautiful and majestic temples, many of which were founded more than one century ago, were built by adherents of almost all religions. These unique architectural monuments symbolize the detachment of a person from the mundane and mortal and allow in solitude to focus on communication with God, regardless of whether they call him Jesus Christ, Allah or Buddha.
Cathedrals and churches of Europe as a symbol of ancient history
Going to any of the famous European cathedrals, you will feel the true breath of history and feel the special energy of these holy places. The most interesting of them are:
It is a unique example of the Flaming Gothic architectural style, which was created using white marble. The temple makes an unforgettable impression on inexperienced tourists due to its resemblance to a feudal castle and elements of a fabulous decor: numerous pointed turrets, spiers, columns.
This Lutheran cathedral is located in the country's capital, Reykjavik. If you go up to the upper platform, the whole city will be in front of you at a glance. The attraction of the church is a giant organ 15 m high. The building was erected in the neo-Gothic style and, according to the architect's idea, should symbolize a volcanic eruption.
It is located on the only island in the country, so you can only get to it by boat. To enter the temple itself, you have to climb 99 steps. As conceived by the creators of the temple, such obstacles symbolize a long and thorny path to the Creator and spiritual cleansing. According to the legend, immortalized in the work of the Slovenian poet Preshern, there was once a sanctuary on this site dedicated to the goddess of love.
The cathedral is considered one of the few designed in the Art Nouveau style, and has been under construction for almost a century and a half: since the 1880s of the XIX century. The famous brainchild of the architect Antoni Gaudi impresses with its monumentality. As conceived by the creators, the building should have the shape of a Latin cross and be crowned with 18 bell towers, as if they came from a medieval legend and resemble sand castles.
It is a true masterpiece of Russian wooden architecture, since the 37 m high building was erected without a single nail.
The most unusual and mysterious churches in the world
Some temples are absolutely different from the classical cathedrals, known to us from childhood. A special atmosphere has been created inside them, where the striving for perfection and comprehension of God is organically combined with the tendencies of modern life. These include:
The original structure looks somewhat futuristic and resembles a huge ark or beehive. The facades made of spruce laths, which are treated with wax, add similarities to the dwelling of bees. Inside are simple ash wood furnishings and a silver altar, a marvel of contemporary art. Services are not held here, but if you want to open your heart to God, pray, be alone or chat with a priest, better place can not found.
The temple is considered one of the most successful examples of modern postmodern architectural style. The height of the building is 10 m, but its "highlight" is completely different: it is entirely built of horizontal steel plates arranged in a special way. Therefore, depending on the viewing angle, the walls of the church seem to be solid or patterned, like openwork lace. Thanks to the unique optical illusion the temple seems to be floating in air currents.
This Catholic church would be no different from others if it were not for a solid green ivy cover that completely covers the façade. Most believers associate it with the biblical Garden of Gethsemane.
The history of one of the tallest domed religious buildings in the world began in the distant 18th century. The height of the church exceeds 100 m, and the porticoes of 8 columns, decorated with bas-reliefs and sculptural compositions, give it a similarity with the ancient Greek sanctuary. The visiting card of the temple is a gilded dome on a drum. The interior decoration of white, yellow and green marble, porphyry and jasper, as well as the painting by the famous painter Bryullov and his colleagues, make the decoration of the church truly luxurious.
Churches of the East and Asia - the mysterious flavor of the exotic
Mosques and Buddhist temples, thanks to the quirkiness of their architectural details, awaken the imagination and make you remember fairy tales. The unusual energy of such places, according to rumors, is even able to heal diseases. The most unusual mosques, temples, churches for prayer in Asia and the Middle East are:
It belongs to the Buddhist confession and is located at an altitude of more than 3 thousand at sea level, so only the most courageous travelers will get to it. The name of the temple translates as "tigress's nest" and is associated with an ancient legend. In accordance with it, one of the famous Buddhist teachers was transported to one of the caves on the territory of the monastery on his wife, who turned into a tigress.
This is one of the most grandiose Muslim religious buildings, where up to 40 thousand believers can gather for prayer at the same time. The huge area of the mosque includes more than 80 domes and a thousand pillars. The most interesting attraction here is the giant carpet included in the Guinness Book of Records.
It is open to people of all faiths, and there is no provision for religious ceremonies. You will be able to appreciate all the unsurpassed beauty of the building, built in the form of a blossoming lotus of snow-white marble.
It is one of the few surviving Baroque temples in the world with beautiful side buttresses. It looks quite impressive thanks to the coral and stone blocks used in the construction.
Religion occupies the most important place in the life and history of mankind. It is not surprising that religious monuments have always been distinguished by their beauty and scope. Temples and churches, mosques and cathedrals, chapels and synagogues - no matter what religion they profess - they are all architectural landmarks, interesting for their centuries-old history or modern ideas. Most of them are included in the lists of world cultural heritage and are protected by the state. It is the temples that are in any city in the world that primarily attract the attention of tourists. We invite you to familiarize yourself with the most beautiful and most impressive temples in the world.
1. Church of the Holy Sepulcher, Israel
One of the greatest and most beautiful shrines for everything christian world considered the Jerusalem Temple of the Resurrection of Christ, better known as the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem, Israel. It is here that every year, during the bright holiday of Easter, the miracle of the Descent of the Holy Fire takes place, which is transported to all corners of the globe. According to legend, the temple was built on the site of the crucifixion and burial of Jesus Christ. Today it is a large complex containing many Christian relics, for example, the anointing stone, the cave of the Holy Sepulcher, the burial bed, Golgotha and many others. Inside, the temple is divided between numerous denominations: Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Armenian, Syrian, Coptic and Ethiopian. Liturgies on the Holy Sepulcher are served in turn, and the keys to the temple are kept in a Muslim family in order to avoid conflicts between confessions.
2. Hagia Sophia, Turkey
Hagia Sophia - the Wisdom of God - is an old Orthodox church in Istanbul, Turkey. The church is a world famous architectural monument of Byzantine architecture, at one time it was both a mosque and an Orthodox church, and today there is a museum inside. The first church on the site of the modern cathedral was built at the beginning of the 4th century during the reign of Emperor Constantine. The temple that we see today was built by Emperor Justinian in the 6th century, its construction absorbed three annual incomes of the entire (!) Byzantine Empire, and for many centuries it remained the largest church in the world. Appearance the temple is still striking in its scale, and the interior decoration - luxury and wealth. In addition to Orthodox images, here you can find quotes from the Koran, as well as runic inscriptions.
3. Notre Dame de Paris, France
Notre Dame Cathedral or Notre Dame de Paris is one of the most ancient monuments of religious architecture. The location of the temple on the Ile de la Cité in Paris is by no means accidental. In ancient times, there was a pagan temple of Jupiter, later - the first Christian church of the city - the Basilica of St. Stephen, and in 1163 the construction of Notre Dame Cathedral began, which lasted more than 200 years. The main architectural style of the temple is Gothic, however, the towers are very different in their appearance, this is explained by the participation of many architects in the construction. The cathedral contains the greatest Christian relic - the Crown of Thorns of Jesus Christ - brought here from Jerusalem. There are no paintings on the walls inside, but the largest colored stained glass windows at the time of construction illustrate scenes from the Bible. An interesting legend is the story of the casting of the Emmanuelle bell weighing 13 tons: it was created from melted women's jewelry. The famous book by Victor Hugo about the Hunchback of Notre Dame and the beautiful Esmeralda brought particular popularity to the cathedral.
4. St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican
The Cathedral or Basilica of St. Peter is considered the largest Christian church in the world, capable of accommodating up to 60 thousand people at a time. It is also the central and largest structure of the Vatican. In 324 A.D. on the site of the cathedral, a church was built by Emperor Constantine, which stood for about 1200 years. In 1506, it was decided to transform the church into the largest Christian cathedral. The most prominent artists and architects of the Renaissance took part in this: Bramante was the first architect, after his death the construction work was headed by Raphael; Michelangelo designed the dome and vaults of the cathedral, while Bernini designed the main square. The interior of the cathedral is striking in its harmony and beauty: there are many statues and sculptures, tombstones and altars, wonderful works of art.
5. Church of Paraportiani, Greece
The inhabitants of the island of Mykonos in Greece claim that there are exactly 365 churches on its territory - one for every day of the year, and the most beautiful is the Paraportiani Church, the construction of which dates back to the 15-17 centuries. The snow-white structure, which has survived to this day, looks especially impressive against the background of the azure of the sea and the bottomless blue of the sky. The temple consists of four churches with their foundations on the ground. And the fifth church is located on the next floor above them. The temple was built of stone, strictly adhering to the canons of Byzantine architecture. The absence of external decorations gives it a certain severity and special holiness. Rumor has it that the beautiful streamlined forms of this particular church inspired the great Gaudi to create his famous masterpieces.
6. Cathedral of the Sagrada Familia, Spain
By the way, about Antonio Gaudi. The magnificent Expiatory Temple of the Sagrada Familia or Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain, designed by the great Spanish architect, is considered one of the landmarks of this country. The construction of the temple lasted 40 years under the leadership of Gaudi, and has not been completed to this day. According to one version, the initiators of the construction made it a condition that the temple was built exclusively on donations from parishioners. Modern craftsmen assume that construction work will be fully completed by 2026, but the local population called the church "The Cathedral that will never be completed." The plan of the temple is made in the form of a Latin cross, the facade is decorated with sayings from the Bible, and such a long construction of the temple is also explained by the duration of the manufacture of stone blocks, which form the bizarre forms of the church.
7. Cathedral of St. Basil the Blessed, Russia
The most beautiful Orthodox church on Red Square in Moscow is named after the holy fool Vasily, who dared to express his dissatisfaction with his rule to the great Tsar Ivan the Terrible. Another well-known name is also the Cathedral of the Intercession of the Holy Mother of God, and until the 17th century the temple was called Trinity. The cathedral was built in the middle of the 16th century, according to legend, the architect who built it was blinded by the order of Ivan the Terrible, so that nothing more beautiful could ever be created. The temple is considered a visiting card of Moscow and all of Russia; it is included in the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List. Today, there is a branch of the State Historical Museum inside. The height of the cathedral is 65 meters, and the total number of domes is 11.
8. Las Lajas, Colombia
Las Lajas Catholic Cathedral is located in the department of Nariño, Colombia, and is one of the most visited cathedrals in the country, not only by church members, but also by numerous tourists. The church was built directly on the bridge over the Guaitara River. The construction of the cathedral dates back to 1916-1949, and the main architectural style of construction is neo-Gothic. A beautiful legend is connected with the construction of the cathedral: there was a cave that was notorious among the local population. Once a mother with a deaf-mute daughter passed through it, and a miracle happened: the Mother of God healed the sick girl, and her mother Maria, as a token of gratitude, painted a beautiful portrait of the Mother of God on the walls of the cave. By the way, experts still cannot determine what kind of paint was applied to the walls of the temple. The only thing that could be found out was that the stones were saturated with paint through and through.
9. Taj Mahal, India
In addition to Christian religious monuments, it is worth mentioning the masterpieces of architecture related to the Muslim world. One of these is the Taj Mahal mausoleum-mosque in Agra, India. It was built in the 17th century by Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal. The mausoleum-mosque is considered the most outstanding example of Mughal architecture, combining elements of Islamic, Persian and Indian styles. The Taj Mahal is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List and represents not only the mausoleum itself, but also the whole complex around it. Translucent marble was used in the construction, which makes the mosque colorful in different time days, as well as the most beautiful inlays of gems - turquoise, agate, carnelian, malachite and others.
10. Crystal Cathedral, USA
The most valuable from the point of view of architectural sights are ancient churches and cathedrals, amazingly preserved to this day. However, we cannot fail to mention the modern attempt to combine the latest trends with religion. The result of this can be considered the Crystal Cathedral in California, USA, built in the late 80s of the 20th century. This protestant church almost completely made of glass blocks, of which there are more than 10 thousand. The exterior of the church is a four-pointed crystal star, but most of all the cathedral is striking from the inside, especially when they penetrate through the glass Sun rays... One of the special attractions of the church is a huge organ with 16 thousand pipes, and the room itself can accommodate about 3 thousand parishioners.
Since ancient times, temples have been one of the most beautiful architectural structures intended for worshiping gods, conducting rituals and religious sacrifices. The location of the temples, their size and shape are very diverse.
Beauty is one of the most abstract and subjective concepts, but there are such things in the world that no man can argue with the monumental beauty. Temples are one of these "things". We present you the top 10 most beautiful temples in the world with photos and descriptions.
10. Crystal Cathedral, USA
The highest value in terms of cultural attractions are the most ancient religious buildings, miraculously preserved to this day. But at the same time, one cannot ignore the "collaboration" of religion and the latest trends in architecture.
The product of this synthesis is the Crystal Cathedral in California. It was built relatively recently - in the 80s of the 20th century. The church consists entirely of several thousand glass blocks and outwardly resembles a four-pointed crystal star.
9. Taj Mahal, India
An architectural masterpiece of the Muslim world. The Taj Mahal is a mausoleum-mosque that combines elements of Persian, Islamic and Indian styles. During the construction, translucent marble was used, which creates the famous effect of multi-colored illumination at different times of the day.
Also, frescoes and various inlays of precious and semi-precious stones - malachite, agate, carnelian and others - amaze with their beauty.
8. Las Lajas, Colombia
Las Lajas is the most visited cathedral in Colombia, both by local Catholic parishioners and numerous tourists. The "highlight" of the church is its incredibly beautiful location - the building is located directly on the bridge over the Guaitara River.
The history of this cathedral is "legendary": as described in some sources, earlier on the site of the church there was a cave, about which there was a notoriety. And then one day a woman passed through her with a deaf-mute daughter, and a miracle happened: the Mother of God healed the girl, and her mother, as a token of gratitude, painted a portrait of the Mother of God on the wall.
7. Cathedral of St. Basil the Blessed, Russia
It would be a crime not to mention Russian Orthodox churches in our ranking. St. Basil's Cathedral is a visiting card of Russia, the most recognizable place in Moscow.
It is he who flaunts on all Moscow souvenirs, so it is very difficult not to recognize him. The cathedral is included in the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List.
6. Cathedral of the Sagrada Familia, Spain
The famous cathedral of the great Spanish architect Antoni Gaudi, which has already become a hallmark of Spain. These grandiose towers, reminiscent of corn cobs, are already known to every tourist. Interesting fact: under the leadership of Gaudi, this temple was built for 40 years, but it is still not completed. According to some reports, the construction should be completed by 2026, but local residents have already called it the "Cathedral that will never be completed."
There are a great many versions explaining the reason why the church has not yet been completed. Someone says that the lack of funds for construction is to blame, and someone explains this by the complexity and duration of the process of making stone blocks, which create the bizarre shape of the temple.
5. Church of Paraportiani, Greece
There are 365 churches on the Greek island of Mykonos, but the most beautiful of them is Paraportiani. The subtle beauty of these ancient white buildings is enhanced by the clear blue of the Greek sky and the azure of the sea.
This temple is not decorated with frescoes, stones and icons, but this only gives it a special holiness and religious severity. It is believed that it was this church with its streamlined forms that inspired Gaudi to create architectural masterpieces.
4. St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican
St. Peter's Basilica is rightfully considered the largest Christian church in the world: it can accommodate more than 60 thousand people. It is also the largest central building in the Vatican. Not only the temple itself is legendary, but also the adjacent square, designed by the Italian architect Bernini.
In addition to him, such great artists and architects as Raphael and Michelangelo took part in the planning of the church. Inside the cathedral there is a huge variety of sculptures, statues and altars, which together create an incomparable harmony.
3. Notre Dame de Paris, France
Notre Dame de Paris or Notre Dame Cathedral is the most famous architectural structure in France after Eiffel tower... This cathedral is ranked among the five most popular centers of pilgrimage, which is understandable: it contains the most important Christian relic - the Crown of Thorns of Jesus Christ.
The cathedral gained its fame, among other things, thanks to the famous work of the same name by Victor Hugo, which tells about the beautiful Esmeralda and the Hunchback of Notre Dame.
2. Hagia Sophia, Turkey
At one time, Hagia Sophia combined a mosque and an Orthodox church, but today it houses a museum. Hagia Sophia is an ancient temple in Istanbul, which amazes with its grandeur of scale, rich decoration and luxury.
The synthesis of cultures is reflected in the architecture of the building: on its walls you can find not only Orthodox images, but also quotes from the Koran.
1. Church of the Holy Sepulcher, Israel
The Church of the Holy Sepulcher is the greatest and most important shrine of the entire Christian world. This large religious complex is divided into several denominations: Ethiopian, Greek Orthodox, Armenian, Coptic and Syrian.
This is the so-called Christian "Mecca", which gathers pilgrims from all over the world. It is in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher that every year on the Easter holiday, the Miracle of the Descent of the Holy Fire is performed.
Belief in God pushed the greatest artists to create masterpieces of architecture that have become the legacy of our civilization. As a non-religious person, you can hardly feel the divine, magical atmosphere of the temple, but this does not mean that this world of beauty is closed to you.
The beauty of the temple has just incredible power, it is able to take root deep into our subconscious, changing it, making us feel this world in a different way.
Temples, cathedrals, churches and chapels are not only a sacred place for religious people, but also a terrific tourist attraction. There are churches in almost all cities of the world and most of them are distinguished by interesting and unusual architecture. Just because they are churches. We tried to select ten of the most beautiful cathedrals in the world. It turned out or not - judge for yourself.
Cathedral Las Lajas (Colombia)
Construction of the Las Lajas Cathedral inside the canyon of the Guaitara River began in 1916 and continued until 1949. The cathedral was built with donations on the site of an old chapel built in the 19th century.
A beautiful legend is connected with the construction of the chapel about how an Indian woman, whose name was Maria Musis, carried her deaf and dumb daughter Rosa on her back, when she suddenly asked (having spoken for the first time in her life) to stop in a nearby cave. There, Rose painted the Virgin Mary with her son on the wall of the cave.
Later examinations could not establish any paint or other substances with which the picture was painted. The only thing they could establish was that the stones were "soaked" in the painting several feet inward.
Whether the legend is true - no one knows. But this Gothic cathedral rightfully bears the title of one of the most beautiful and mysterious temples in the world.
Sagrada Familia (Spain)
"Sagrada Familia" wears full name Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família. Literally translated, it means "Atonement Temple of the Holy Family." The construction of the cathedral began in 1882 and continues to this day. The initial project was developed by Antoni Gaudi, who worked on the project for over forty years. When asked why the design took so long, he replied, "My client is in no hurry."
The construction of the cathedral was interrupted due to civil war in 1936, when Catalan fanatics destroyed all models of Gaudí. Now construction continues according to the few surviving plans and modern developments. Construction is scheduled to end in 2026, but no one believes that. The project has long been dubbed "The Cathedral, which will never be completed."
St. Basil's Cathedral (Russia)
Probably not worth talking a lot about St. Basil's Cathedral. I think every person who has been to Moscow has seen him at least once. There is a cathedral on Red Square and is named after the holy fool Vasily, who dared to tell Ivan the Terrible everything he thinks about his tyranny.
And the architect who designed this cathedral was subsequently blinded by order of Ivan the Terrible, so that he could never again create anything more beautiful.
St. Basil's Cathedral has been the main attraction of Moscow for many years. And for sure for a long time visiting foreigners will ask "How to get to Red Square to St. Basil's Cathedral?"
Hagia Sophia (Turkey)
Technically, "Hagia Sophia" (from Greek - Church of the Holy Wisdom of God) is no longer a church, now this Istanbul building houses a museum. The cathedral has a long history - it was originally a Christian church. Then it was rebuilt as part of the Eastern Orthodox Church in Constantinople. After the city surrendered to the Turks in 1453, it became a mosque. Much later this church was turned into a museum.
The construction of the church was completed in 537 under Emperor Julian the First, and for another thousand years it remained the largest church in the world. Today this church is the largest example of Byzantine art, a subject of study for many researchers from all over the world.
St. Peter's Basilica (Vatican)
Of course, we could not ignore the largest religious building in the world - St. Peter's Cathedral, which is the heart of all Christianity. The building is truly huge - it covers an area of more than two hectares and can accommodate up to 60,000 people at a time.
On the site of the present cathedral there was already a church built by the first emperor of Rome Constantine in 324 AD. That church stood for about 1200 years, until they decided to convert it into the largest cathedral. All the most prominent figures of the Renaissance Era took part in the construction. Michelangelo designed the dome, Jean Lorenzo Bernini designed the main square, and Donato Bromante was the first architect of the cathedral.
Notre Dame de Paris (France)
And, of course, we could not ignore this most important landmark of Paris - the quintessence of Gothic architecture. The construction of Notre Dame began in 1163, when Bishop Maurice de Sally decided to confirm his status with a more convenient church. The construction was completed much later - two hundred years later, but still the cathedral became one of the first truly large-scale European projects.
There are many amazing things about the cathedral. For example windows (the largest in the world at the time) that depict scenes from the Bible.
Many legends are associated with it. For example, according to one of them, the Emmanuel bell was cast in 1600 from the jewelry of women who threw them into a common cauldron to give the bell a unique sound.
But the cathedral gained its fame thanks to Victor Hugo, who wrote a novel about the Hunchback of Notre Dame, who fell in love with the beautiful dancer Esmeralda. The book's popularity has surpassed all expectations.
Hallgrímskirkja (Iceland)
This church with a difficult to pronounce name was built in Reykjavik between 1945 and 1986. With a height of 74.5 meters, it is the fourth tallest structure in all of Iceland and is located exactly in the center of the capital, so that it can be seen from all points of the city. Guðjón Samúelsson was appointed as the chief architect of the project.
The Icelandic Church (literal translation: Hallgrimur Church) got its strange name in honor of the poet and cleric Hallgrimur Petterson. The appearance reminds of geysers, of which there are a huge number in Iceland.
By the way, a description of about such towers can be found in Tolkien in The Lord of the Rings. It is known that the professor borrowed a lot from Icelandic mythology for his trilogy, it is possible that the architecture of such buildings is also mentioned in Old Icelandic myths.
Jubilee Church (Italy)
So far, we have only considered classical churches. Some are over a thousand years old, some are not even a hundred (and some are not completed at all), but they all have a more or less classic style. Of course, there are architects who break the canons and build Art Nouveau churches. One of these, Richard Meyer, built a church in Rome and not too hesitated to proclaim it "the project of the millennium" and "the pride of the crown of the Metropolitanate of Rome."
The effect of the unusual roof is obvious - during the rains, moisture accumulates on the roof, and then flows down in the form of a fountain.
Despite the controversial design, Notre Dame du Haut is considered one of Le Corbusier's most successful works.
Crystal Cathedral (USA)
It is difficult to say what will be the result of the attempt to combine traditional churches with modern trends in architecture. Strictly speaking, the "Crystal Cathedral" has nothing to do with either crystals or cathedrals. This is the most amazing Protestant Megachurch in Garden Grove, California.
The church is almost entirely made of glass, of which there are more than 12 thousand. The appearance is captivating - the cathedral is made in the form of a four-pointed crystalline star, but even more beautiful at this time inside, when it penetrates through the glass sunlight and the sky is visible.
And the largest organ in the world is installed inside, in which there are more than 16 thousand pipes.
