Medieval churches were so beautiful. Each one was a work of art in itself, with flying buttresses, ornate stained glass windows, marble pillars, tall ceilings, and carefully-carved statues. Tourists all over the world come to Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, and St. Basil's Cathedral in Moscow.
Today's churches are modern, plain, and minimalist, unlike the grand feats in architecture and design historical churches are. Truly, some of the most beautiful buildings in the world are churches, and they're worth going to see in person.
But why are these buildings made to be so beautiful? It's more than what you think.
While churches are meant to be places of worship and a decorated accordingly, Christians of history went the extra mile because they used the building as an expression of faith. The core of Catholic belief is that the Son of God became man through the Blessed Virgin Mary to redeem mankind. Just as the mother was a perfect "temple" for the savior, the magnificence of a church is meant to reflect this belief.
The expensive gold, marble, and stone may seem wasteful to some, but since it is a "House of the Lord" it is decorated as such to show veneration and respect. Small details are specially designed to lift the heart and soul up in prayer. For example, tall ceilings are meant to draw the eye upwards, encouraging people to direct their prayers and thoughts towards heaven.
Some of these traditional structures are so beautiful, that it's worth traveling the world to see them.
Check out the most beautiful churches in the world below:
1. Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, Florence, Italy
2. Sagrada Familia, Barcelona, Spain
3. Saint Peter and Paul Church, Melk Abbey, Melk, Austria
4. Church of the Assumption on Bled Island, Slovenia
5. Notre-Dame de Paris, Paris, France
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Although churches are no longer built in this style anymore, Gothic cathedrals of the medieval ages are one of the greatest achievements of artists, wood-workers, architects, stone-workers, and stained glass specialists.
Many of these churches took years to complete, including St. Patrick's Cathedral in NYC. This church was built relatively recently with the help of donations. Construction began in 1858 and the building was complete in 1879.
6. St. Patrick's Cathedral, New York City, New York
7. Cologne Cathedral, Cologne, Germany
8. Saint Peter's Basilica, Rome, Italy
9. The Church of Our Savior on Spilled Blood, St. Petersburg, Russia
10. Karlskirche, Vienna, Austria
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Towering spires and multiple pillars are just a few of the characteristics of traditional basilicas, abbeys, and cathedrals. They represent a "golden age" when art and beauty was celebrated in epic proportions.
The Duomo in Italy was one of these magnificent churches, which was a masterpiece completed after many years of work. Construction and planning began in 1386 and was completed in 1965.
11. Duomo of Milan, Milan, Italy
12. Notre Dame Basilica, Montreal, Canada
13. Las Lajas Sanctuary, Nariño, Colombia
14. Sacré-CÅ“ur, Paris, France
15. Seville Cathedral, Seville, Spain
Which of these have you seen? Leave us a comment with your favorite and don't forget to SHARE this post!