Understanding a piece of art and the passion and motivation about the artists who create those has always been one of my interests when I visit new places. Religion and spiritual beliefs have impacted human societies for many centuries. There are fascinating artwork associated with any religion that can be found in many forms. But one of the most accessible and visible form of that can be found in temples/churches/mosques and etc. In this post, I will share pictures and short stories about some of the places I have visited before. The design, construction and the level of details on these buildings are truly amazing.
1. Sagrada Familia, Barcelona, Spain
Sagrada Familia is by far the most amazing church I have seen. It’s construction has been going on for more than 130 years and it’s still not done. The design is very ambitious and brilliant. It’s supposed to cover all major stories from Bible in the form of artwork. Definitely, recommend to visit. Some pictures from inside and outside are posted below:
2. Hallgrímskirkja, Reykjavík, Iceland
The tallest building in Iceland and a remarkable architectural achievement very close to downtown Reykjavik. It took 41 years to build the church from 1945 to 1986. You can’t miss the statue of Leif Erikson, the first person from Iceland who traveled to US.
3. St. Louis Cathedral, New Orleans, Louisiana
If you are going to New Orleans you can’t miss this cathedral. It’s surrounded by a beautiful park area and it’s very close to downtown. is the oldest cathedral in the US dedicated to Saint Louis, also know as the King Louis IX of France.
4. St. Joan of Arc Chapel, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
This is a tiny chapel on Marquette University campus. But this is not just a normal chapel. This chapel has traveled around the world! It was built over several generations in the French village of Chasse-sur-Rhône, south of Lyon around 15th century. The chapel was shipped to New York in 1927 and then to Milwaukee in 1964. It’s surrounded by a beautiful garden on campus.
5. Notre-Dame Cathedral, Paris, France
This one is one of the most popular spots in Paris for tourists and it has a rich history. The cathedral was begun in 1160 and largely completed by 1260. In the 1790s, Notre-Dame suffered desecration during the French Revolution when much of its religious imagery was damaged or destroyed. Soon after the publication of Victor Hugo’s novel The Hunchback of Notre Dame in 1831, popular interest in the building revived.
6. Baha’i House of Worship, Chicago, Illinois
One of 10 Bahai temples in the world, actually the oldest. All bahai temples are constructed in the shape of lotus flower and offer unique beauty and peace to their visitors.
I have been to many more churches around my local community. For my top 5 picks in Milwaukee refer to this list: