Christian buildings appreciation thread.

Delirium

Haven't spotted one of these threads in here, so figured I'd start one up.

It's basically for posting up churches (and other Christian buildings) that impressed you

Couple of pics from Siena, Italy. Was the first time I'd been to such a large building. Really impressed with the scale and design.

Manach

Good thread idea.
My understanding is that such buildings act as a place of worship and an act of worship. Martin SJ mentions the former's role in "Jesuit Guide to life", where the workers during the Medieval age crafted the various ornate aspects, even ones which could never be viewed by others as a homage to God.

For a place of worship, that serves both the community and provides a sense of spiritually, then the Chapel at Gougane Barra has always been memorable.

homer911

Where to start??

Sometimes the plainest simplest building can provide the greatest inspiration - its how God uses it, not the building itself.

Anyone remember the church/school in "Little house on the prairie"?

montreal2011

The Saint Joseph's Oratory is the most spectacular building in Montréal.

In 1904, Saint André Bessette, C.S.C., began the construction of St. Joseph, a small chapel on the slopes of Mont Royal near Notre Dame College. Soon the growing number of the congregation made it too small. In 1917 a larger church was completed that had a seating capacity of 1,000. In 1924, the construction of the basilica of Saint Joseph's Oratory was commenced; it was finally completed in 1967.

Wiki

Lady Chuckles

Wow!! Great buildings, great thread

I'm very fond of Gustav Vasa Church in Stockholm







I can't find pictures that make it justice... but for me, it was love at first sight :)

Delirium

homer911 wrote: »

Where to start??

Sometimes the plainest simplest building can provide the greatest inspiration - its how God uses it, not the building itself.

Anyone remember the church/school in "Little house on the prairie"?

yep.




More pics from Italy, this time Florence. Took about 30 mins to climb to the roof :eek:



and from the roof.

Benny_Cake

I'm the worst in the world for taking photos, so these are from Wiki and other sources. My sister had her wedding at this church in Rome a few years ago - San Silvestro in Capite. It didn't look like much from the street (by the standards of Roman churches):



It was incredible on the inside though, there are several early Popes buried in the crypts and it also holds the head of John the Baptist (allegedly). The priests are from the Pallotine order and most of them are Irish. Well used to handling weddings and looked after us all very well.



At the other end of the spectrum entirely, I visited the Quaker meeting house in Ballitore a few weeks ago. Ballitore's main claim to fame is it's Quaker heritage - there was a renowned school there for many years and the Shackleton family are originally from the area. The meeting came to an end a few decades ago, but was revived about 20 years ago by a local man and has continued to meet every Sunday in the early 18th century meeting house:



The current meeting room is a small upstairs room, the downstairs is used by a youth theatre club and groups. The room is absolutely tiny and I'd say if there were any more than 15 it would be extremely cramped. There were 8 there on the day I visited, including myself. The best bit was that they had a roaring log fire crackling the whole way through, very comfy on a winter Sunday! I wasn't able to find a decent photo of the interior - this is an old one but you get the idea.

MrPudding

I love the monastery on Mont St Michel. I think it would be fairly impressive anywhere, but is even more so given its location and how difficult it must have been to build. I struggled to carry myself up to it on the 4 occasions I have visited it.



The nerd in me really loves this. Apparently it is an old church covered to house a super computer. I think it looks awesome. I am trying very hard not to make a 'church being used for something useful' comment, but I guess I failed. Sorry.



MrP

homer911

MrPudding wrote: »

The nerd in me really loves this. Apparently it is an old church covered to house a super computer. I think it looks awesome. I am trying very hard not to make a 'church being used for something useful' comment, but I guess I failed. Sorry.
MrP

There is something apt about the modern world worshipping technology

(Perfect place for it actually, nice and cool..)

ScumLord

Don't forget the Pantheon in Rome, not exactly the prettiest church or totally Christian but an incredible building all the same, even just from a historical point of view.

smacl

Rather fond the Gallarus Oratory

overshoot

stumbled into this on the homepage and thought i might throw in a few of my favourites as an Architect. Thought I would start with an Irish one,

Liam McCormick - St. Aengus' Church, Burt, Dongeal
Well worth looking up his other work too, he probably designed around 25 (possibly more) churches



Peter Zumthor - Bruder Klaus Chapel, Germany
More of a personal sanctuary, more than 2 in at a time would be a maximum, its a wonderful space



Same Architect, The Kolumba Museum in Cologne was built over a once again operational church and ruins, its another great space though. The brick pattern in the top right creates an amazing light effect, altho only just visible in this image




I will add one more for now, as the list could become very long!
Hans Van Der Laan, Monastery at Vaals, Just about inside the Dutch border near Aachen Germany. Everything I thought a monastery should be

MrPudding

Check out this bad boy:



St Joseph's in Le Harve. Very interesting, I think.

MrP

Manach

MrPudding wrote: »

St Joseph's in Le Harve. Very interesting, I think.

MrP

To paraphrase Chesterton on monastic towers, more a reflection on the viewers mindset old boy. :rolleyes:

MrPudding

Manach wrote: »

To paraphrase Chesterton on monastic towers, more a reflection on the viewers mindset old boy. :rolleyes:

You don't think is interesting? Given its unusual looks and the building method used, I think interesting is a perfectly valid way to describe it. Not quite sure why your post needed roll eyes.

MrP

smacl

A friend just shared this one of a church in St Petersburg. Rather stunning

qt3.14

Las Lajas Sanctuary, Columbia



Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, USA

Have to say this one looks like a stack of stealth jets turned on it's side, apropos!



Cliff Church, Kakshi, Georgia.

Edit: Just noticed, check out the right side of the cliff. Looks like the ladder!

Georgie.Girl

Spassky Cave Church, Russia... Carved from a rocky mountain, influenced by Byzantine style with an Orthodox interior

Georgie.Girl

American Southwest Churches formed in adobe

Georgie.Girl

Exeters St Michaels:


Arizonas St Michaels:


Both peaceful in their differences

Grid.

Hallgrímskirkja, Reykjavik









Visited here many years ago.....beautiful minimalist church both inside and out.....with impressive statue of Leif Erikson to the fore.

Festus

Not sure that it qualifies as a building as such as it's all underground but the Wielicza Salt Mine with its chapels and cathedral
near Krakow is pretty impressive

MrPudding

So this is a really odd church in Brackley...















Mad, but amazing, looking place. Very unassuming form the outside, very surprising in the inside.

MrP

Delirium

Parish Church of Santa Monica

Georgie.Girl

Belgiums Transparent Church

Grid.

Took time to visit Gol stave church when in Oslo last time around.....always had a fascination with them, such a fairytale-like quality.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stave_church

wally79

SW wrote: »

More pics from Italy, this time Florence. Took about 30 mins to climb to the roof

It took me ages to figure out how to climb that church in Florence. We're talking Assassins creed here yeah?






Seriously though. some great pictures

Favourites so far are the two in Colombia and Georgia from gt3.14

Grid.

Uspenski Cathedral Helsinki

Grid.

Lutheran Cathedral Helsinki

Links234

I think there's some pics in this set that some here would appreciate: http://imgur.com/a/J9iOB

Delirium

Our Lady of the Rocks

Our Lady of the Rocks (Croatian: Gospa od Škrpjela pronounced [ɡɔ̌ːspa ɔd ʃkř̩pjɛla]) is one of the two islets off the coast of Perast in Bay of Kotor, Montenegro (the other being Sveti Đorđe Island). It is an artificial island created by bulwark of rocks and by sinking old and seized ships loaded with rocks.[1] The Roman Catholic Church of Our Lady of the Rocks (Italian: Chiesa della Madonna dello Scarpello) is the largest building on the islet; it has a museum attached. There is also a small gift shop close to the church and a navigation light at the western end of the islet.

indy_man

Amazing ceilings

http://www.churchpop.com/2015/04/10/21-absolutely-breathtaking-church-ceilings-from-around-the-world/

pauldla

Surprised none have mentioned Il Duomo in Milan yet; a truly awe-inspiring building. If you go there, take the tour; they bring you up onto the roof, etc. Fascinating.




Lest I be accused of ignoring our own noble constructions, allow to me mention two personal favourites.

St. Aidan's Catherdral, Enniscorthy



And the stained glass windows of Duiske Abbey in Graiguenamanagh, Co. Kilkenny


Sorry the photos aren't great....

overshoot

just had this come up in my facebook feed, from japan
link for more pics

Delirium

Felsenkirche (“Crag Church”) Idar-Oberstein, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany

MrPudding

Grid. wrote: »

Took time to visit Gol stave church when in Oslo last time around.....always had a fascination with them, such a fairytale-like quality.

Here is one I visited in Lom in Norway.



MrP

brian_t

The Ethiopian Orthodox church at the 'Jungle', Calais.

BBC's Songs of Praise is coming from here on Sunday at 5pm.

Delirium

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0X4dkb8letE

La Fenetre

Thank you for posting some of these, there really are some wonderful old churches with stunning artwork, that was cutting edge for its day, along with the art of the modern, as the Holy Sprint carries Christianity towards its third millennium. It's a beautiful timeless mixture.

Darkglasses

Visited Reykjavik earlier this year and I really liked Hallsgrimkirkja, best thing in the city for me. Great that you can go up a lift to the top of the tower for a small price.





Loved the slight glow at night too:

smacl

Panoramic tour of Edlesborough church in the UK, may be of interest to some;

Interior: https://www.plowmancraven.co.uk/edlesborough-church/interior/
Exterior: https://www.plowmancraven.co.uk/edlesborough-church/exterior/

smacl

Interesting article with vertical panoramic photography of a number of churches