Beyond Belief: Discovering the World's Most Magnificent Religious Buildings.

[RadishRose]

St. Basil Cathedral, Moscow Russia

 

[RadishRose]

Some times I think Russia has the most beautiful, or at least the most ornate churches.

 

[jujube]

The fantastic thing about the mosques-turned-cathedrals-turned-mosques in Istanbul is that most of the mosaics were plastered over instead of being ripped out. When we lived near Istanbul from 1969 to 1972, we would visit the mosques frequently and the serious restoration was just getting into full gear. By gently scraping and brushing off the plaster, the original mosaics made of blocks of precious gems, silver and gold were emerging in their original condition in a lot of cases. It was slow work.

 

[SeniorBen]

St. Basil Cathedral, Moscow Russia

The design makes it look like the outer round parts and the center one have eyes.

 

[fuzzybuddy]

One of the largest religious buildings on the planet is the ancient Egyptian Temples at Karnak. It is a vast temple complex. 

 

[Magna-Carta]

One of the largest religious buildings on the planet is the ancient Egyptian Temples at Karnak. It is a vast temple complex. View attachment 279733

I think I would prefer to visit something like this rather than the pyramids

 

[CarolfromTX]

I love to visit magnificent cathedrals to admire the stained glass, the arches, the beautiful altars and chapels. I soak up the peace that I feel in a quiet place like that. I feel the same way about beautiful mosques and synagogues.

But sometimes, the most peaceful and holiest are the most humble. I visited El Santuario de Chimayo in New Mexico, which is about as humble as you can get, with folk art being the decorations. I went in for a brief visit, but as I stood there, I started crying and couldn't stop. I wasn't sad, but there I was bawling my eyes out. I have no idea why it affected me that way and I'm not what you would call an actively religious person but I do believe that there are holy places on earth.

I calmed myself down, and went out to tour the rest of the area. I came back a couple of hours later and went into the church again. Again, the waterworks. And again, I wasn't sad. Something just made me cry. Maybe it was the Holy Spirit coming into me, maybe it was evil going out of me.

The only other time I've cried like that was in St. Peter's in Rome, standing in front of the Pieta. But then, I was pregnant so it could be the hormones.

We’ve been to Chimayo as well. So remote, yet so many have made the pilgrimage. i completely respect your experience. sometimes, you just get overcome.

 

[seadoug]

I'm not religious, but I was in awe of Sagrada Familia in Barcelona and the Blue Mosque in Istanbul when we visited. Both are amazing architectural achievements.

 

[seadoug]

I love to visit magnificent cathedrals to admire the stained glass, the arches, the beautiful altars and chapels. I soak up the peace that I feel in a quiet place like that. I feel the same way about beautiful mosques and synagogues.

But sometimes, the most peaceful and holiest are the most humble. I visited El Santuario de Chimayo in New Mexico, which is about as humble as you can get, with folk art being the decorations. I went in for a brief visit, but as I stood there, I started crying and couldn't stop. I wasn't sad, but there I was bawling my eyes out. I have no idea why it affected me that way and I'm not what you would call an actively religious person but I do believe that there are holy places on earth.

I calmed myself down, and went out to tour the rest of the area. I came back a couple of hours later and went into the church again. Again, the waterworks. And again, I wasn't sad. Something just made me cry. Maybe it was the Holy Spirit coming into me, maybe it was evil going out of me.

The only other time I've cried like that was in St. Peter's in Rome, standing in front of the Pieta. But then, I was pregnant so it could be the hormones.

It is in Santa Fe, correct? We visited many years ago and it was truly a touching experience. As I recall, it was connected to a hotel.

 

[Disgustedman]

Had to work in a synagogue in Portland once. Just basic clean up from another demo. Was very interesting chatting with a few congregants who came in also.


https://maps.app.goo.gl/oULYaASR6weEwLMa7

 

[PeppermintPatty]

Some churches from the area where I lived in England - they date (I believe) from the 11th & 12th century.
View attachment 279657

View attachment 279659

View attachment 279660

I find these small country churches far more interesting than large cathedrals.

I’m really glad you posted these. I also find smaller churches more appealing to my comfort level than the huge cathedrals and had been somewhat embarrassed by the photos I added. Somehow I messed the ‘most magnificent’ part that was right in the title but looking at the inside of this , is very comforting to me. I’d most definitely prefer this setting. That’s gorgeous to me. The surroundings are stunning. How peaceful it looks. Thanks for sharing.

 

[PeppermintPatty]

Imagine the amount of effort needed to start building this abbey in the year 966. The island that this abbey sits on still gets cut off by the tide. The tides here are said to be able to outpace a galloping horse. Victor Hugo and Jules Verne have written about the island, and it has been the subject of paintings by artists like Claude Monet and Paul Signac.

Fortified to resist the attacks of the English, the Abbey of Mont Saint Michel is a remarkable piece of medieval architecture located on a tidal island. Its construction began in 966 and it has been added to and renovated over the centuries. The abbey is a UNESCO World Heritage site and attracts millions of visitors each year, thanks to its stunning Gothic architecture and rich history.

Over the years, Mont Saint Michel has served as a fortress, a prison, and a place of pilgrimage. The abbey features a blend of Romanesque and Gothic architecture, and enjoys stunning views of the surrounding bay.


Mont Saint Michel, Normandy, France.

View attachment 279696

View attachment 279698

View attachment 279699

I would recommend opening this video in full screen.

Just WOW.! When you use the word Magnificent, you sure don’t mess around. To think they started building this in 966 is amazing in itself. To think they built this on an Island with such heavy tides is beyond amazing. This is breathtakingly beautiful in photos alone but the video adds true dimension and appeal. Stunning. You certainly have a eye for magnificent! That it is!

 

[Magna-Carta]

St. Basil Cathedral, Moscow Russia

Is it just me? Or does anyone else think this looks like something I could unwrap and eat. Do you think it could be made of chocolate?

I’m almost sure I had something very similar yet significantly smaller dangling from a Christmas tree one time. Shame to eat it really.

 

[Sassycakes]

OOOPS !

 

[RadishRose]

Lime Rock, Connecticut

 

[RadishRose]

New Haven, Connecticut

 

[Pepper]

St. John the Divine, NYC. Used to be very connected to this Cathedral. It's Dean was a close friend with my program director of Medieval Studies. St. John's held a number of medieval festivals and fund raisers. I worked as a serving wench to the party-goers. Met a lot of socialites & corporate heads. Love this building so much.

 

[Magna-Carta]

Just WOW.! When you use the word Magnificent, you sure don’t mess around. To think they started building this in 966 is amazing in itself. To think they built this on an Island with such heavy tides is beyond amazing. This is breathtakingly beautiful in photos alone but the video adds true dimension and appeal. Stunning. You certainly have a eye for magnificent! That it is!

how interesting. So you were thinking the same things and perhaps with similar emotions as I when I was typing my description of it?

 

[Magna-Carta]

New Haven, Connecticut

I’m glad you have posted this, as I really like this style. This style always makes me think of the United States for some reason. Yet at the same time I think it shouldn’t. Maybe it’s because I’m somewhat aware that there are a lot of similar looking churches in the US?

In the US, I think, they are described as Georgian Style, as many were built during the reign of King George. But this style in the UK, I think, is called Neoclassical.

And here is why. The church I’m thinking of is in London, England, built on inspiration of earlier churches build by Sir Christopher Wren. But instead of Wren’s churches that had the tower built outside of and onto the main building, the church I’m thinking of was the first of its style to have the tower built into the church. I will post it next.

 

[OneEyedDiva]

This is the inside of the beautiful place of worship in the Bruderhof community in N.Y. Several of us took a bus trip from one of our local mosques in April 2018. We were given the grand tour of their facilities, including their school and factories. We were greeted warmly and treated lunch in their community dining hall then spent time with our assigned host families in their living quarters.

 

[Magna-Carta]

On the site of this church was an earlier church called St Martin-in-the-Fields. The reason it was called such was because it was built in fields outside of London. In the early 1700’s it was rebuilt, keeping the same name, St Martin-in-the-Fields.

This new(ish) style inspired similar styles in England, and then around the world, particularly in the colonies, and later as it became the United States. Although the original earlier church was built in fields, the later church (built on the same spot) was now on the edge of a square, later known as 'Trafalgar Square', as London was expanding.

St Martin-in-the-Fields, Trafalgar Square, London:






Trafalgar Square, London. The church can be seen top right.

 

[Magna-Carta]

Maybe not entirely in line with the title of the thread. If not Magnificent in structure, magnificent in location. The remains of St Michaels Church near Glastonbury, Somerset, UK. The Church on the hill, or rather the church on the "Tor".

Suppose you were to draw a line on a map from St. Michael's Mount in Cornwall, England, a small tidal island with a chapel dedicated to St. Michael. Then on to Hopton-on-Sea on the east coast of England, the length of Glastonbury Tor (hill) runs along this line. Ancient burial grounds can also be found along this line or nearby -- ancient stone circles including Avebury henge; the remains of the largest stone circle in the world.

The line passes over several significant hilltop shrines dedicated to St. Michael. These include the conical 'Barrow mump' (Burrow's mump, Burrowbridge mump), ten miles to the west of Glastonbury, St. Michael's Church at Clifton Hampden, and on Brent Tor, all of which have ruinous St. Michael's churches on their summits.

The St. Michael Alignment has captured the imagination of spiritual seekers, esoteric researchers, and those interested in ancient mysteries. Maybe from this short video, some can see why.

The remains of St Michaels Church, now known as St Michaels Tower.

Some aspects of this Tor (hill) have been reshaped by ancient people. The ridges you see around the hill.

Glastonbury Tor, also known as Ynys yr Afalon or "The Isle of Avalon," holds a rich mythological and historical significance. It has been associated with Arthurian legend, believed by some to be the Avalon of King Arthur and Queen Guinevere. The Tor has also been linked to the Holy Grail, with claims of its proximity to the Nanteos Cup.

In Celtic mythology, the Tor is connected to Gwyn ap Nudd, the Lord of the Otherworld and King of the Fairies. It has been portrayed as an entrance to Annwn or Avalon, the realm of the fairies and the land of the dead.

 

[Lewkat]

I don't remember where this is, but it intrigued me.

 

[Magna-Carta]

I don't remember where this is, but it intrigued me.

View attachment 285677

Notre Dame Cathedral, Reims, France. It looks as though it is being illuminated by laser light?

 

[Bella]

This will blow your mind!

91-Year-Old Man Spends 56 Years Building His Own Cathedral Alone

"Former monk Justo Gallego Martinez has been constructing his own cathedral in Mejorada del Campo, Spain, since 1961. He had no prior knowledge of architecture and hadn’t laid a brick in his life, yet his project currently stands 131ft tall, and acts as a wonderful reminder that faith overcomes everything.

After working as a farmer, deeply religious Martinez joined the Trappist monks, however, after 8 years, he was forced to leave the order due to tuberculosis. During his illness, Martinez (also called Don Justo by many) vowed he would build a chapel to Virgin Mary – to whom he prayed – if he survived the disease.

True to his words, Don Justo started his project when he got back his health. He continues to work on it more than 50 years later despite all the skepticism. Don Justo mainly uses recycled materials and excess items donated by local building companies. The Spanish monk constructed a series of huge domes, a crypt, many intricate staircases, he also set up stained glass windows and the cathedral became a complex structure, covering 24,000 square feet.

No permission has ever been granted for Don Justo’s Cathedral and the man didn’t draw any plans for the building. However, it has become a tourist attraction and authorities turn a blind eye to the project. “If I lived my life again, I’d build this cathedral again, only bigger,” Don Justo told the BBC."

Former monk Justo Gallego Martinez has been constructing his own cathedral in Mejorada del Campo, Spain, since 1961.​

He had no prior knowledge of architecture and hadn’t laid a brick in his life.​

Everything began when Martinez got tuberculosis and was forced to leave the Trappist monks for the fear he might contaminate the others.​

During his illness, Martinez (also called Don Justo by many) vowed he would build a chapel to Virgin Mary – to whom he prayed – if he survived the disease.​

True to his words, Don Justo started his project when he got back his health.​

Little by little, the building kept growing.​

There were never any construction plans or official government permission.​

After spending his family’s inheritance,​

Don Justo has been mainly using recycled materials and excess items donated by local building companies.​

For example, the capitals of some of the church’s concrete pillars are made from secondhand car tires.​

And the 131ft-tall structure has been constructed without the use of any crane.​

Don Justo, 91, has no regrets in life.​

“If I lived my life again, I’d build this cathedral again,” he said,​

“Only bigger.”​

Gallego knew that he would not be able to finish the project in his lifetime. But he kept at it anyway, day after day, driven by his faith.

Watch the 2016 video version of Don Justo’s story​

Justo Gallego Martinez died at 96 years old in 2021, but left the unfinished complex in Mejorada del Campo to a charity run by a priest that has vowed to complete his labour of love. May he rest in peace. Sadly, the cathedral is not recognized by the Roman Catholic Church as a place of worship.

Just click the "Watch on YouTube" link in the video below.

Bella