Architecture and religion: the most beautiful churches in the world

Hallgrímskirkja - Reykjavík - Iceland

Hallgrímskirkja - Reykjavík - Iceland, The Basilica of the National Vow – Quito - Ecuador, Saint Basil's Cathedral – Moscow - Russia, The Church of the Transfiguration - Kizhi - Russia, St Paul's Cathedral – London - England, Saint Peter's Basilica – Rome - Italy, St. Michael of the Needle Chapel - Le Puy-en-Velay - France, St Patrick's Cathedral – New York - United States, Sagrada Família – Barcelona - Spain, São Francisco Church - Salvador - Brazil, Seville Cathedral - Seville- Spain, Salisbury Cathedral- Salisbury - England

At 244 ft (74.5 m) high, Hallgrímskirkja church is the tallest in Iceland. The design was inspired by the lava from a volcano.

The Basilica of the National Vow – Quito - Ecuador

Hallgrímskirkja - Reykjavík - Iceland, The Basilica of the National Vow – Quito - Ecuador, Saint Basil's Cathedral – Moscow - Russia, The Church of the Transfiguration - Kizhi - Russia, St Paul's Cathedral – London - England, Saint Peter's Basilica – Rome - Italy, St. Michael of the Needle Chapel - Le Puy-en-Velay - France, St Patrick's Cathedral – New York - United States, Sagrada Família – Barcelona - Spain, São Francisco Church - Salvador - Brazil, Seville Cathedral - Seville- Spain, Salisbury Cathedral- Salisbury - England

Construction on the church in the capital of Ecuador began in 1883 and was finished in 1924. With its neo-gothic style, the building is one of the principal tourists attractions in Quito.

Saint Basil's Cathedral – Moscow - Russia

Hallgrímskirkja - Reykjavík - Iceland, The Basilica of the National Vow – Quito - Ecuador, Saint Basil's Cathedral – Moscow - Russia, The Church of the Transfiguration - Kizhi - Russia, St Paul's Cathedral – London - England, Saint Peter's Basilica – Rome - Italy, St. Michael of the Needle Chapel - Le Puy-en-Velay - France, St Patrick's Cathedral – New York - United States, Sagrada Família – Barcelona - Spain, São Francisco Church - Salvador - Brazil, Seville Cathedral - Seville- Spain, Salisbury Cathedral- Salisbury - England

Saint Basil's Cathedral was built in the 16th century and it took more than ten years for construction to be completed. It's one of the symbols of the Russian capital.

The Church of the Transfiguration - Kizhi - Russia

Hallgrímskirkja - Reykjavík - Iceland, The Basilica of the National Vow – Quito - Ecuador, Saint Basil's Cathedral – Moscow - Russia, The Church of the Transfiguration - Kizhi - Russia, St Paul's Cathedral – London - England, Saint Peter's Basilica – Rome - Italy, St. Michael of the Needle Chapel - Le Puy-en-Velay - France, St Patrick's Cathedral – New York - United States, Sagrada Família – Barcelona - Spain, São Francisco Church - Salvador - Brazil, Seville Cathedral - Seville- Spain, Salisbury Cathedral- Salisbury - England

The Church of the Transfiguration is around 120 ft (37 m) high, making it one of the tallest in the world.

St Paul's Cathedral – London - England

Hallgrímskirkja - Reykjavík - Iceland, The Basilica of the National Vow – Quito - Ecuador, Saint Basil's Cathedral – Moscow - Russia, The Church of the Transfiguration - Kizhi - Russia, St Paul's Cathedral – London - England, Saint Peter's Basilica – Rome - Italy, St. Michael of the Needle Chapel - Le Puy-en-Velay - France, St Patrick's Cathedral – New York - United States, Sagrada Família – Barcelona - Spain, São Francisco Church - Salvador - Brazil, Seville Cathedral - Seville- Spain, Salisbury Cathedral- Salisbury - England

St Paul's Cathedral is one of the main tourist attractions in London. It was built in the same location of the first church ever built in England, in 604 AD.

Saint Peter's Basilica – Rome - Italy

Hallgrímskirkja - Reykjavík - Iceland, The Basilica of the National Vow – Quito - Ecuador, Saint Basil's Cathedral – Moscow - Russia, The Church of the Transfiguration - Kizhi - Russia, St Paul's Cathedral – London - England, Saint Peter's Basilica – Rome - Italy, St. Michael of the Needle Chapel - Le Puy-en-Velay - France, St Patrick's Cathedral – New York - United States, Sagrada Família – Barcelona - Spain, São Francisco Church - Salvador - Brazil, Seville Cathedral - Seville- Spain, Salisbury Cathedral- Salisbury - England

The largest and most important Roman Catholic church in the world, Saint Peter's Basilica is also visited by many Christians of other denominations from all over the world.

St. Michael of the Needle Chapel - Le Puy-en-Velay - France

Hallgrímskirkja - Reykjavík - Iceland, The Basilica of the National Vow – Quito - Ecuador, Saint Basil's Cathedral – Moscow - Russia, The Church of the Transfiguration - Kizhi - Russia, St Paul's Cathedral – London - England, Saint Peter's Basilica – Rome - Italy, St. Michael of the Needle Chapel - Le Puy-en-Velay - France, St Patrick's Cathedral – New York - United States, Sagrada Família – Barcelona - Spain, São Francisco Church - Salvador - Brazil, Seville Cathedral - Seville- Spain, Salisbury Cathedral- Salisbury - England

Dedicated to the archangel St Michael, this Catholic chapel in France was built out of stone on a mountain 272 ft (83 m) high.

St Patrick's Cathedral – New York - United States

Hallgrímskirkja - Reykjavík - Iceland, The Basilica of the National Vow – Quito - Ecuador, Saint Basil's Cathedral – Moscow - Russia, The Church of the Transfiguration - Kizhi - Russia, St Paul's Cathedral – London - England, Saint Peter's Basilica – Rome - Italy, St. Michael of the Needle Chapel - Le Puy-en-Velay - France, St Patrick's Cathedral – New York - United States, Sagrada Família – Barcelona - Spain, São Francisco Church - Salvador - Brazil, Seville Cathedral - Seville- Spain, Salisbury Cathedral- Salisbury - England

With neo-gothic towers and its richly decorated interior, it is the biggest Catholic church in the United States, and receives thousands of visitors every day.

Sagrada Família – Barcelona - Spain

Hallgrímskirkja - Reykjavík - Iceland, The Basilica of the National Vow – Quito - Ecuador, Saint Basil's Cathedral – Moscow - Russia, The Church of the Transfiguration - Kizhi - Russia, St Paul's Cathedral – London - England, Saint Peter's Basilica – Rome - Italy, St. Michael of the Needle Chapel - Le Puy-en-Velay - France, St Patrick's Cathedral – New York - United States, Sagrada Família – Barcelona - Spain, São Francisco Church - Salvador - Brazil, Seville Cathedral - Seville- Spain, Salisbury Cathedral- Salisbury - England

This architectural project was designed by Antoni Gaudi, and still hasn't been finished. The cathedral is one of the most visited tourist spots in Spain.

São Francisco Church - Salvador - Brazil

Hallgrímskirkja - Reykjavík - Iceland, The Basilica of the National Vow – Quito - Ecuador, Saint Basil's Cathedral – Moscow - Russia, The Church of the Transfiguration - Kizhi - Russia, St Paul's Cathedral – London - England, Saint Peter's Basilica – Rome - Italy, St. Michael of the Needle Chapel - Le Puy-en-Velay - France, St Patrick's Cathedral – New York - United States, Sagrada Família – Barcelona - Spain, São Francisco Church - Salvador - Brazil, Seville Cathedral - Seville- Spain, Salisbury Cathedral- Salisbury - England

Decorated lavishly in gold, this church in the Bahian capital is a fantastic example of baroque architecture in Brazil which has stood the test of time.

Seville Cathedral - Seville- Spain

Hallgrímskirkja - Reykjavík - Iceland, The Basilica of the National Vow – Quito - Ecuador, Saint Basil's Cathedral – Moscow - Russia, The Church of the Transfiguration - Kizhi - Russia, St Paul's Cathedral – London - England, Saint Peter's Basilica – Rome - Italy, St. Michael of the Needle Chapel - Le Puy-en-Velay - France, St Patrick's Cathedral – New York - United States, Sagrada Família – Barcelona - Spain, São Francisco Church - Salvador - Brazil, Seville Cathedral - Seville- Spain, Salisbury Cathedral- Salisbury - England

It's the largest church in Spain and the third largest in the world, after St Peter's Basilica in Rome and the Basilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady Aparecida, in Aparecida, Brazil.

Salisbury Cathedral- Salisbury - England

Hallgrímskirkja - Reykjavík - Iceland, The Basilica of the National Vow – Quito - Ecuador, Saint Basil's Cathedral – Moscow - Russia, The Church of the Transfiguration - Kizhi - Russia, St Paul's Cathedral – London - England, Saint Peter's Basilica – Rome - Italy, St. Michael of the Needle Chapel - Le Puy-en-Velay - France, St Patrick's Cathedral – New York - United States, Sagrada Família – Barcelona - Spain, São Francisco Church - Salvador - Brazil, Seville Cathedral - Seville- Spain, Salisbury Cathedral- Salisbury - England

This Anglican cathedral is one of the best examples of early English architecture. At 404 ft (123 m) high, it took 38 years to complete.

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