Religion has long played a very important role in mankind. While new religions have come and old religions have gone, there have always been facilities that allow individuals to come and worship the deity or religious individual they believe in. Many of these facilities are rather small and, while the design of the building is different form the other buildings around it, they are not necessarily grand in stature. However, when it comes to famous churches in the world, these particular churches are not only grand, but are tourist attractions due to the brilliant construction of the facility. These different churches range in age and size, not to mention the country it is located in, but all of these different churches are grand in their own right. So, for anyone who loves seeing the architectural style of churches, these different varieties are very important to take in, as these 10 churches are some of the most famous churches in the world.
1. Hagia Sophia
Istanbul, Turkey
This is a Greek Orthodox church and is one of the largest and grandest churches in the entire world. Under the Latin Empire, it was converted to Roman Catholic and then converted to a mosque from 1453 until 1931 but has since been opened as a museum to avoid any infighting regarding the religious holding of the building. The construction of the facility started around 537 and finished in 1453, almost a full thousand years later.
2. Saint Mark’s Basilica
Venice, Italy
Famous both for its grader and the square for which it is located, this is one of the most famous churches in the entire world simply because of its unique Byzantine style. It finished construction in 1650 and remains one of the most desired tourist attractions in the entire city of Italy, which is already a large tourist attraction for visitors.
3. Church of the Holy Sepulchre
Jerusalem, Israel
This is a church that is found in the Christian Quarter of Jerusalem. It is right on the hill of Calvary, which is where Jesus was crucified (again, it is difficult to know if this is the exact location, although there is more evidence pointing to this location than the specific birthplace of Jesus). This is one of the most sacred and important sites for Christians in the entire world.
4. Church of the Nativity
Bethlehem, Palestine
Although by no means as grand as the other churches on the list, this is potentially one of the most important churches. It is located inside the city of Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus. It was originally built by Emperor Constantine of Rome after his conversion to Christianity. It is traditionally said to be built over a cave that marks the actual birthplace of Jesus, although knowing the exact specific location of his birth is rather difficult to pinpoint in the city.
5. St. Paul’s Cathedral
London, England
The second entry from London, this is where the Bishop of London sits. It is also the highest point in London, which, when it was constructed, was done to allow the Bishop the ability to look over the entire land. Of course, as the name would suggest, it was dedicated to St. Paul the Apostle. The church is a new construction, which took over from a previous church that sat at its position around the 17th century.
6. Westminster Abbey
London, England
The name itself brings about inspiration and makes it one of the most popular churches in the entire world. This is done in a gothic style of architecture as it was constructed in the 10th century. It is one of the many churches on this list that are part of the UNESCO heritage foundation as a protected site.
7. St. Peter’s Basilica
Rome, Italy
Home of the Catholic Church, Rome has some rather splendid churches. Of core, it took 109 years to finish the construction, so one would assume the construction would be rather breathtaking. The top was designed by Michelangelo, one of the most famous artists in the entire world, and it is actually the tallest dome in the world and it is one of the most popular tourist attractions in all of Rome.
8. Notre Dame de Paris
Paris, France
This is one of the most known churches in all of the world. In fact, it might possibly be the most well known churches in all of Europe, which is home to thousands of beautiful churches. Of course, with the church located directly in the heart of Paris, it helps add to the sheer beauty of the church as well. An interesting note, however, is that the two towers in the front of the church are actually only about half the size as originally designed. In fact, these were suppose to stand far taller than what it does now, but this is one of the most famous churches in the world, despite not having the completed towers.
9. Saint Basils Cathedral
Moscow, Russia
This is one of the most iconic churches in the entire world simply for its look. The Russian Orthodox Church design, which took six years to finish construction (in 1561) is unlike anything else in the rest of the world. It is also one of the most popular landmarks in all of Russia, due to the intricate design of the facility. For anyone visiting Moscow, this is a must see.
10. Sagrada Familia
Barcelona, Spain
This is a Roman Catholic Church (a good majority on the list are considered Roman Catholic, due to the amount of money the Catholic church brought in during the middle ages). This is one of the newer churches on the list, as construction began on in in 1882. However, it is still currently under construction, which shows just how grand it is, not to mention how much money it has cost to build it. The architect of the building died almost 90 years ago, so he never was able to see the completion of the building.
