Discuss the best religious buildings here.

the following comes to mind ...
St.Peters cathedral in vatican
St.Paul Cathedral in London
Notre Dame in Paris and Reims
Sagrada Familia in Barca
Cologne Cathedral
Florence Duomo
Milan Cathedral
York Minister
Hagia Sophia in istanbul
st.basils in moscow
st.issacs in st.petersburg
angkor wat in angkor
Nakhon Pathom near bangkok
potala palace in lhasa
Temple of heaven in Beijing
Kinkakuji and kyomizuji in kyoto

and many many more

^You forgot Chartres Cathedral.

My favs are definately St. Peter's Basilica and Milan Cathedral.

Of a modern design, my fav. is the Brasillia Cathedral.

Some more . . .

Ulm Munster, Munster
Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem
Haram Mosque, Mecca
Riverside Church, NYC

My favourites:

Taj Mahal (India)
St Paul's Cathedral (London)
Salisbury Cathedral (Salisbury, England)

The Taj Mahal is not a religious structure.

Hassan II Mosque, Casablanca
It's the tallest religious structure in the world.
It's 210 meters tall!

http://clio.rediris.es/actividades/mezquita/imagenes/casablanca.jpg

Yes, I realise that now. It was discounted when it came to adding up the nominations.

what bout Borobudur

http://img266.echo.cx/img266/1/borobudurfog1wk.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)

http://img266.echo.cx/img266/7466/borobudursunrise9hv.th.jpg (http://img266.echo.cx/my.php?image=borobudursunrise9hv.jpg)

http://img266.echo.cx/img266/7030/boro2mg.th.jpg (http://img266.echo.cx/my.php?image=boro2mg.jpg)

My favourite: Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial (Madrid)
http://www.gospain.org/Spain_Images/escorial.gif

blue mosque istanbul

Amritsar

http://magicplanet.org/catalog/images/india_amritsar_01.jpg
http://www.garretwilson.com/photos/2002/december/goldentemple.jpg
http://img84.exs.cx/img84/7050/16vx.jpg
http://img84.exs.cx/img84/6494/55ju.jpg
http://img84.exs.cx/img84/9279/61wy.jpg
http://img84.exs.cx/img84/6788/72tt.jpg
http://www.lal.in2p3.fr/~petersen/India/photos/panoramics/India_Amritsar1.jpg

MY favourite Religious structure..

Meenakshi Temple,
MADURAI ,
Tamil Nadu ,India


http://www.wiu.edu/users/mma108/india/2212190127.jpg


http://www.exodus.co.uk/pictures/a00hp54a.jpg

http://www.moxon.net/images/india/madurai3.jpg


http://www.fotosearch.com/bigcomps/corel/CPH469/595022.jpg


http://img137.echo.cx/img137/5426/madurai723si.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)

http://www.dinodia.com/photos/images/HSA-14356.jpg

http://www.dinodia.com/photos/images/ASM-13871.jpg

http://www.dinodia.com/photos/images/MAK-16519.jpg


http://img81.echo.cx/img81/9594/madurai679wd.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)

WOW!! Amritsar's Golden Temple is unbelievably gorgeous!! I believe it is the Sikhs' holiest shrine, but what is its significance.

The Meenakshi Temple is gorgeous too.

I don't think this is a subject we should be having a contest on, because each place is the most beautiful to different people. To me, anyone who devotes his life's work to creating such beautiful places that we have seen here and elsewhere and is devoted to loving his fellow man has a beautiful piece of all these buildings in his soul.

MY favourite Religious structure..

Meenakshi Temple,
MADURAI ,
Tamil Nadu ,India

:eek2: For me, this beats out all the rest. I love it.

For me:

Borobudur
Kölner Dom
Ankor Wat (but I think it was of mixed use, isn't it?)
Hagia Sophia
Meenakshi
Sagrada Familia (if once finnished ;))
and lots of gotic cathedrals in England and France as York, Lincoln, Canterbury, Notre Dame, Reimes....

I have to say Haram Shareef in Mecca. I mean being the centre of worship for 1.5 billion people has to count for something. And its not just like the vatican which is the most important in its religion. The 1.5 billion people actually have to face towards it while praying.

And also the Notre Dame Basilica in Montreal is another of my favourites. The exterior isn't all that fantastic... but the interior is breath-taking:

Exterior:
http://home.comcast.net/~rdj26/bobspics/montreal/notre_dame_exterior.jpg

Front:
http://p.vtourist.com/1417913-Notre_Dame-Montreal.jpg

http://photos.photosig.com/photos/53/14/1491453-52e51d7ed0ef8a68.jpg

Large Detailed Picture (http://img142.exs.cx/img142/5699/notredamemontreal3ng.jpg)

Organ Loft:
http://www.roguefolk.bc.ca/gallery/montreal05/images/P2270209_jpg.jpg

^^ india :eek2:

Belgrade (Serbia) Hram Svetog Save

http://img371.imageshack.us/img371/7892/10wq.jpg
thanks mila for the pic. ;)

in the future with golden roof

And also the Notre Dame Basilica in Montreal is another of my favourites. The exterior isn't all that fantastic... but the interior is breath-taking:

http://p.vtourist.com/1417913-Notre_Dame-Montreal.jpg

That is fantastic! Very beautiful.

Famous Temples or Temples as World Heritage Sites I can think of:

Chartres Cathedral
Nortre-Dame
Hagia Sophia
Ankor Wat
Temple of Heaven
St. Peters Basilica
Cologne Cathedral
Meenakshi Temple
Borobudur
Sagrada Familia

[QUOTE=CipiripiBelgrade (Serbia) Hram Svetog Save

in the future with golden roof[/QUOTE]
http://img371.imageshack.us/img371/7892/10wq.jpg

What a similarity - and it has already the golden roof! :eek:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v636/mopc/OrthodoxCathedral.jpg
Sao Paulo Orthodox Cathedral

Sultanahmet Mosque (Blue Mosque)

The most important monument that was added to the Hippodrome is, without doubt, the Sultanahmet Mosque. Ii was a long time the only mosque with 6 minarets in the world (in 1998 the Sabanci Markez Mosque was built p. 34). It was built by the Architect Sedefkar Mehmed Aga between 1609 and 1616 for Sultan Ahmed I. The mosque section has a dimension of 64 x 72 m. It central dome has a heigt of 43 m and a diameter of 23,5 m. Total of 260 windows illuminated the inside. It is named "the Blue Mosque" by the European for it was adorned with blue, green and white coloured beautiful tiles. Because of having 6 minaret, Sultan Ahmed had to spend a 7 one to the mosque in Mekka.

http://wowturkey.com/tr18/memocan_sultanahmet02.jpg

http://wowturkey.com/tr19/osman_k_sahmet1.jpg

http://wowturkey.com/tr19/osman_k_sahmet2.jpg

http://wowturkey.com/tr30/TolgaTek_sultanahmet.jpg

http://wowturkey.com/tr41/kemal_bereket_sultanahmet.jpg

To difficult when the scope covers all religious buildings. I'll propose a list of the Christian buildings or building that may have had a Christian context.

Hagia Sophia should be on this list. This is unquestionable.

For gothic: two come to mind immediately. The first is, of course, Chartres. The second is the jewel of gothic Paris: the Sainte Chapelle.

Dealing with baroque Rome is difficult (too many) St Peters has the magnificent dome, but the elongated nave is a disadvantage when viewing the facade relatively 'up-close'. The Jesuit chruch of the Gesu influenced almost all Spanish colonial church architecture in some way, but its beauty is a matter of taste (I like it.) The same goes for Santa Susanna.

Early Rome also has a lot -- most in not so pristine state. Had St Pauls outside the Walls survived the 19th century fire, I would consider it. As I said in another thread, Santa Sabina is a jewel: all the proportions and sense of balance remains.

The Pantheon goes back to pre-Christian, although it is currently a church...

In Spain, San Lorenzo de El Escorial of course. How about the Great Mosque/Church of Cordoba? The polychrome marble of Sevilla's is beautiful. Do we bypass Santiago de Compostela and all the great Romanesque churches of South France?

I have only touched a handful of cities/countries... And one religious group... Do we bypass the mosques of Sinan? The Great Mosque at Isfahan?

This is too difficult!!!!

Hagia Sophia

Hagia Sophia had been burned down twice during insurrections and was rebuilt by Justinian in 537. Columns, heads, marbles and colourful stones from various ancient cities of Anatolia were brought to Istanbul for use in Hagia Sophia. The interior space has a dimension of 100 x 70 m and is enclosed with a 56,2 m high dome, which has a diameter of 31,97 m, supported by four large piers. During the ottoman period, it was used as a mosque and get 4 minarets (59 m high). Since 1934 it has beeb a museum. In addition to the architecture of the building, mosaics are also very important.

http://wowturkey.com/tr17/memocan_ayasofya01.jpg

http://wowturkey.com/tr27/Ahmet_Tolga_Tek_aya_ic2.jpg

http://wowturkey.com/tr27/Ahmet_Tolga_Tek_aya_ic1.jpg

http://wowturkey.com/tr27/Ahmet_Tolga_Tek_aya_ic9.jpg

http://wowturkey.com/tr27/Ahmet_Tolga_Tek_aya_ic8.jpg

http://wowturkey.com/tr31/Faruk_ayasofya2560.jpg

http://wowturkey.com/tr42/Murat_Tolga_Karahanoglu_ayasofya1852.jpg

Beautiful pictures, www.sercan.de.

Istanbul is quite a treasurehouse of wonderful religious architecture.

What I am sure you are also familiar with (being in Istanbul) but not so sure if generally known to many forumers is the Church of the Chora (Kariye Camii). To me, this is the jewel of late Byzantine art. Together with the Deisis panel is Hagia Sophia, the mosaics from Kariye Camii are certainly the most moving...

Chora

http://wowturkey.com/tr24/kemal_bereket_kariye_camii_muzesi01.jpg

http://wowturkey.com/tr24/kemal_bereket_kariye_camii_muzesi1g.jpg

http://wowturkey.com/tr24/kemal_bereket_kariye_camii_muzesi04.jpg

http://wowturkey.com/tr24/kemal_bereket_kariye_camii_muzesi09.jpg

http://wowturkey.com/tr24/kemal_bereket_kariye_camii_muzesi10.jpg

http://wowturkey.com/tr24/kemal_bereket_kariye_camii_muzesi14.jpg

http://wowturkey.com/tr55/Aydinsert_kariye_muzesi.jpg

Wonderful!!! Istanbul is a City for the Ages.

I should keep track of your Istanbul threads. :)

Many thanks.

Süleymaniye Mosque (the biggest in Istanbul)

Süleymaniye Mosque, which is one of Sinan's foreman's piece', was built by Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent in 1557. The mosque seemed to symbolise the genius of Sinan's architecture and the power of Süleyman. The composition of the great dome inner space illustrates the culmination of Ottoman mosque design. Rumour has it that the 4 minarets on both sides of its court meant that the sultan who had it built was the 4th ruler as from the conquest of Istanbul and the total number of the minaret balconies mean that Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent was the 10th sultan after Sultan Osman Ghazi who founded the Ottoman State. The dome is 53 m high and has a diamater of 26,5 m. Sinan called it "my journeyman work".

http://wowturkey.com/tr35/okhan_de_lan_suleymaniye.jpg

http://wowturkey.com/tr28/Faruk_suleymaniye5.jpg

http://wowturkey.com/tr36/osman_k_suleymaniye1.jpg

http://wowturkey.com/tr43/Faruk_Oncan_IMG_5175yt.jpg

http://wowturkey.com/tr42/kemal_bereket_suleymn.jpg

http://wowturkey.com/tr39/kemal_bereket_suleymaniyede.jpg

Bonus
from the Park inside the complex
looking to Asia, Bosphours and the Bosphorus Bridge
http://wowturkey.com/tr36/Murat_Efendi_sulym1.jpg

New Mosque
http://wowturkey.com/tr36/Murat_Efendi_sulym4.jpg

http://wowturkey.com/tr36/Murat_Efendi_sulym2.jpg



:D
you will like this thread ;)
Imperial Istanbul
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?p=5310338#post5310338

hagia sophia no doubt

i like those japanese temples also

I would put The inside of Notre Dame Basilica in Montreal and Haram shareef in Mecca top ranking rel. bldngs.

Süleymaniye Mosque (the biggest in Istanbul)

Süleymaniye Mosque, which is one of Sinan's foreman's piece', was built by Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent in 1557. The mosque seemed to symbolise the genius of Sinan's architecture and the power of Süleyman. The composition of the great dome inner space illustrates the culmination of Ottoman mosque design. Rumour has it that the 4 minarets on both sides of its court meant that the sultan who had it built was the 4th ruler as from the conquest of Istanbul and the total number of the minaret balconies mean that Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent was the 10th sultan after Sultan Osman Ghazi who founded the Ottoman State. The dome is 53 m high and has a diamater of 26,5 m. Sinan called it "my journeyman work".

you will like this thread ;)
Imperial Istanbul
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?p=5310338#post5310338

Thanks!

The Suleymaniye Mosque is truly magnificent, but I must admit that Sinan's Selimiye Mosque in the old capital of Edirne is what I consider to be his most beautiful.

I hope you will not take this against me :)

no :D
as Sinan said
the Selimiye is his master piece / masterwork

Selimiye Mosque
The mosque was commissioned by Sultan Selim II and was built by Architect Sinan between the dates 1568-1574. The dome is 43 m. high and has a diameter of 31,28 m. The 4 minarets are 73,89 m. high. Sinan called this mosque his "masterwork".

http://www.trakya.edu.tr/mustafa/fotograflar/selimiye/selimiye_02.jpg

http://wowturkey.com/tr23/Mustafa_KIZIL_selimiye_011.jpg

http://wowturkey.com/tr25/osman_k_selimiye.jpg

http://wowturkey.com/tr25/osman_k_selimiyeic.jpg

http://www.zapala.pl/eb/turcja/widoki/edi-03.jpg

http://www.zapala.pl/eb/turcja/widoki/edi-02.jpg

actualy i like also the new Sabanci Merkez Mosque
(but many don't like it)

There is a steepness and compactness in the Selimiye more imposing/monumental. The buttresses around the dome add another rhythm to the minarets.

I checked out the Sabanci Merkez Mosque on the web as I have no knowledge of it. The details don't look new at all (workmanship looks stunning). There are echoes of Cordoba in the interior arches and the use of multiple squinches seem complex.

I suppose some people don't like it because it appears dated or a pastiche? One may not like it, but something like this is always interesting.

i think many people don't like ti, because it is a Mosque of the 1990s with the design of the 16-17th century

Haci Ömer Sabanci Merkez Mosque in Adana (Biggest Mosque in Turkey)

the minartes are 99m tall
the dome 54 m high and has a diameter of 32 m

http://mitglied.lycos.de/sercangs/Bilder/HaciomerSabanci.jpg

http://wowturkey.com/tr01/as4.JPG

http://wowturkey.com/tr01/as3.JPG

http://wowturkey.com/tr01/as6.JPG

http://wowturkey.com/tr53/serkanen7_sabanci_camii_6.jpg

http://wowturkey.com/tr27/cuneyt_6.jpg

http://www.worldturkey.com/web/cami01.jpg

I think I know what you mean. Historicism can also be a very good stimulus, IMO. Judging from the photographs alone, it seems to be beautifully done. The details like the lunette above the main door in one of your pics (the one done in tracery -- marble?) looks as good as any from the 17th-18th century.

I assume madrasas are still actively housed and functioning in the Sinan Mosques as well as in this new one.

http://p.vtourist.com/2071648-The_White_House-Washington_DC.jpg

^^ :hilarious

The Sumela Monastery, Trabzon (Turkey)

Sumela was founded in the fourth century by Athenian monks named Barnabas and Sophronius. It was sacked in the seventh century, but rebuilt. It was richly endowed by the "pocket" Empire of Trebizond and by later Ottoman sultans. It's present form dates largely from the 19th century, when numerous monks entertained throngs of pilgrims, both Christians and Muslims, and presided over an important library.

http://wowturkey.com/tr01/sumela_02.jpg
http://wowturkey.com/tr01/sumela_05.jpg
http://wowturkey.com/tr01/sumela_06.jpg
http://wowturkey.com/tr01/sumela_00.jpg
http://wowturkey.com/tr01/sumela_01.jpg
http://wowturkey.com/tr01/sumela_03.jpg
http://wowturkey.com/tr01/sumela_04.jpg

Very nice Jakob.

Can the Holy Mountain (Athos) be considered as one "building"?

In colombia, we have many relligious buildings, this is one of these, is a salt mine convert in a church for the workers ( is underneath earth )

http://img325.imageshack.us/img325/4903/43788727vkpvbjph6rx.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img325.imageshack.us/img325/7619/bzipaquira5yi.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img325.imageshack.us/img325/9809/dic18catsal022xr.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img325.imageshack.us/img325/3186/zipaquira21zu.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img325.imageshack.us/img325/4648/zipaquira41dz.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img325.imageshack.us/img325/6439/cathedralzipaquira2036it.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img325.imageshack.us/img325/5258/garavitopearl2020cattedrale20d.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img325.imageshack.us/img325/8499/colom118ss.gif (http://imageshack.us)

http://img325.imageshack.us/img325/6299/history7vp.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

:)

^^ interstin church

St Demetrios Church in Thessaloniki, Macedonia, Greece.

The monument is a five-aisled basilica, with a narthex and a transept. Under the sanctuary and the transept there is the crypt. A chapel of Saint Euthymios is attached to the south-east corner of the church. Very few fragments of the sculptural and pictorial (mosaics, wall paintings) decoration of the church, survived the disastrous fire of 1917 but they are representative of the successive phases of the monument's history. The first church was a small oratory, built shortly after 313 A.D. on the ruins of a Roman bath. In the 5th century A.D., the eparch Leontios founded on the same site a large, three-aisled basilica which was burnt down in 626-634. Shortly thereafter, the five-aisled basilica was erected. It was converted into a mosque in 1493, it was restored to Christian worship in 1912 but it was again destroyed in the great fire of 1917. It was rebuilt and started to function again in 1949.


http://asper.maruanaja.nl/ursa/balkan2000/gallery/balkan2000_thessaloniki_cathedraal.jpg

http://asper.maruanaja.nl/ursa/balkan2000/gallery/balkan2000_thessaloniki_kerkoost_binnen.jpg

http://www.travel-to-thessaloniki.com/gallery_images/28.jpg

http://www.travel-to-thessaloniki.com/gallery_images/30.jpg

http://www.travel-to-thessaloniki.com/gallery_images/42.jpg

http://www.travel-to-thessaloniki.com/pages_images/37.jpg

The Prophets Mosque in Medinah
and
The Haram Mosque in Makkah

http://bipolar.egenius.com/Pictorial/big_pictures/mecca%20psh.jpg

http://www.lega-musulmana.it/Image/Foto/Immagini%20complete/Mecca/Mecca1.jpg

http://www.ucd.ie/islamic/index_files/mecca--06-arial_photo.jpg

http://farhanrehansheikh.i-worldtoday.com/images/makka.jpg

http://www.alshic-group.com/saudi/mecca.jpg

http://www.ijamiami.org/images/pics_mecca3.gif

http://image42.webshots.com/43/0/52/9/297705209CCfgru_ph.jpg

Amritsar

http://magicplanet.org/catalog/images/india_amritsar_01.jpg
http://www.garretwilson.com/photos/2002/december/goldentemple.jpg
http://img84.exs.cx/img84/7050/16vx.jpg
http://img84.exs.cx/img84/6494/55ju.jpg
http://img84.exs.cx/img84/9279/61wy.jpg
http://img84.exs.cx/img84/6788/72tt.jpg
http://www.lal.in2p3.fr/~petersen/India/photos/panoramics/India_Amritsar1.jpg

This looks stunningly amazing this is by far the best religious building in the world. It's actully made out of gold isnt how many carrates?

I can put forward three nominees from Istanbul

1- Hagia Sophia

http://img466.imageshack.us/img466/4813/207254hagiasophia9qx.jpg

http://img488.imageshack.us/img488/356/ayasofyamuzesi5vh.jpg

http://img488.imageshack.us/img488/9928/mosquehagiasophia3bv.jpg

http://img488.imageshack.us/img488/779/istanbulhagiasophia55023ot.jpg

2- Suleymaniye Mosque

http://img488.imageshack.us/img488/1305/kemalbereketsuleymaniyee7jv.jpg

http://img488.imageshack.us/img488/3655/faruksuleyman0309mq.jpg

3- St Antuan Church

http://www.worldturkey.com/web/kilise.jpg

By far the most important religious building in the world:

http://www.travelgrotto.com/images/Travelogue/Europe/Netherlands/NeD-Tower3.jpg

When I see this tower I'm home... ;)

The golden temple is my fav. its beautiful and just the Golden Dome is said to be glided with 100 kg of pure gold.

http://magicplanet.org/catalog/images/india_amritsar_vertical.jpg

http://www.eng.buffalo.edu/~gsingh/golden.jpg

THE DOME OF THE ROCK-PALESTINE

http://www.math.toronto.edu/~drorbn/Gallery/Jerusalem/NighttimeDomeOfTheRock_2048.jpg

http://www.zavaj.com/pictures/masjid/inside_dome_of_the_rock.jpg

http://www.islamicity.com/Culture/MOSQUES/Jerusalem/DRockin.JPG

http://www.zavaj.com/pictures/masjid/inside_dome_of_the_rock2.jpg

http://witcombe.sbc.edu/sacredplaces/images/domeofrockint.jpg

http://www.atlastours.net/holyland/dome_of_the_rock_windows.jpg

http://blog.imagereflex.com/images/2005/cities/R1-E043r.jpg

http://tinyrevolution.com/mt-static/images/dome_of_rock_westwall.jpg

http://geo.ya.com/travelimages/israel51.jpg



http://www.cynet.com/jesus/IMAGES/Dome5.GIF



http://www.davidsanger.com/images/israel/9-340-95.domeoftherock.y.jpg


http://www.istockphoto.com/file_thumbview_approve/363683/2/Ceiling_Of_The_Dome_Of_The_Rock.jpg

http://almashriq.hiof.no/palestine/900/910/919/jerusalem/jerusalem-96/video-jpgs/al-haram/dome-of-the-rock-05.jpg

http://img1.travelblog.org/Photos/1758/11238/f/46862-Dome-of-the-Rock-0.jpg


http://xoomer.virgilio.it/alisawi/foto/bulding/haram-sharif.jpg

"Kölner Dom"

cologne

http://www.johnmullen.org.uk/pics2/kolnerdom.jpg

http://fam-tille.de/deutschland/koeln/2001_045cathedral.jpg

http://www.erzbistum-koeln.de/export/sites/erzbistum/bildungswerk/euskirchen/_galerien/bilder/Dom_von_oben.jpg

http://db5.*****************/99/2891599.jpg

this is a 87 meter high church in my own city

http://www.katie.livardia.nl/modules/picofday/images/bonfkerk_b.jpg

does it looks good?
:)

St Pauls Cathedral in London:

http://www.christopherholt.com/gifs/st_pauls_wallpaper.jpg http://www.christopherholt.com/wallpaper/wallpaper_millenium_bridge_night_01.jpg http://www.christopherholt.com/wallpaper/wallpaper_st_pauls_cathedral_01.jpg
http://www.beestoncameraclub.co.uk/images/St%20Pauls.jpg
http://linux.fjfi.cvut.cz/~pinus/bristol/london0301/stpauls/photos/P1090688%20-%20St%20Paul's%20cathedral.JPG

:drool: :yes:

Hi guys I'm new here. I have to say Hagia Sophia in Istanbul is amazing, saying that so is the Duomo in Milan, it's an amazing gothic building as well as Notre Dame. My votes go to those as well as a mention to Hram Svetog Save in Belgrade.

The Kyiv Pechersk Lavra (was on the Eastern Europe Christmas banner on the 7th) is also really beautiful. It is built in the Ukrainian/Cossack Baroque Style:

http://img202.imageshack.us/img202/6370/kyiv15fw.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img202.imageshack.us/img202/5526/pecherska9em.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img202.imageshack.us/img202/6476/028tl.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img202.imageshack.us/img202/7451/dsc070529eg.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/2035/usp0096uu.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/8907/usp0171xp.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/520/usp0193mr.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

and the Belfry(same complex):

http://img202.imageshack.us/img202/3817/11854197l23et.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

a bit blurry, but it shows the whole thing:

http://img512.imageshack.us/img512/5923/boattrip53ws.jpg

Some parts are still being restored (the interior mainly).

Even though I am not religious... I like some architecture of many Religious buildings. :)

Now this church is not very well known but when I was a child I was there with my family and I was just too impress by its location and architecture.


Colombia: El Santuario de Nuestra Señora de la Lajas


http://i.pbase.com/o4/55/435155/1/54585773.Lajas5.JPG

http://i.pbase.com/o4/55/435155/1/54585748.Lajas3.JPGhttp://i.pbase.com/o4/55/435155/1/54585791.Lajas6.JPG

http://i.pbase.com/o4/55/435155/1/54586995.Lajas2.JPGhttp://i.pbase.com/o4/55/435155/1/54586990.Lajas.JPG

****HaGiA SoPHiA****

so many great buildigns. For me personally it is all about the KOLNER DOM in Cologne Germany. That Church espouses everything to me in what a great Church is and could ever be.

My only regret is that it is not placed in my hometown of Chicago.

what about Cordoba's Mosque? its construction began in the VIIIth century

http://www.spanischkurs-alicante.com/images/andalucia/maxi_puente.jpg

http://www.travelthewondersofspain.com/Mezquita-Lg.jpg

http://www.hodgman.org/travel/spain-2000/20000613-3-22a-cordoba-mezquita-cathedral.jpg

http://www.tu-dresden.de/phfikm/Kunstgeschichtefinal/Monumentenliste/068689b.jpg

http://www.patrimonio-humanidad.com/albums/album01/Mezquita_de_Cordoba_de_noch.jpg

Koln Dom
St. Paul's
Ulm Cathedral
Vienna
Notre Dome
Duma Rock
Mecca

Funny how people have heated debates about buildings they only know from books and television. I have been fortunate enough to visit a great deal of the world's most important religious buildings, and the one that impressed me the most by far was BOROBUDUR temple on Java, Indonesia. Not only because of the mindblowing scale of the building, not because of its intensely beautiful sculpture and architecture, not even because of the beautiful and universal lesson it teaches. But because of the way it interacts with the landscape around it, that really clinches it for me.

Other religious sites that left an indelible impression on me are:

- Sant' Antimo abbey near Montalcino, Italy
- the old churches of Ravenna, Italy
- Ayasofia, Istanbul, Turkey
- Suleyman's Mosque, Istanbul, Turkey
- Senanque abbey, France
- Wells cathedral, England
- Siena cathedral, Italy
- Ss Giovanni en Paolo, Venice, Italy
- Bourges cathedral, France
- Pulguksa temple, Kyongyu, South Korea
- Gesu church, Rome, Italy
- Rievaulx abbey, England
- Santa Croce, Florence, Italy

And more... and yes I have been to St Peters in Rome, Notre Dame, Florence dome, St Pauls Cathedral... but all those experiences have been marred by the number of tourists there. I find visiting religious sites so much more enjoyable when there aren't too many chattering idiots around me.

Externally, Sagrada Familia in Barcelona is a stunning structure.

Hagia Sophia with no doubt !

1) Sagrada Familia
2) Notre Dame
3) Iglesia Ni Cristo (Quezon City)

Sagrada Família
More photos : http://www.globalphotos.org/barcelona-sagrada.htm

http://www.globalphotos.org/barcelona/20050421/RIMG0474.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/barcelona/20050421/RIMG0460.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/barcelona/20050421/RIMG0468.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/barcelona/20050421/RIMG0462.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/barcelona/20050421/RIMG0482.jpg

I agree with Notre Dame in Montreal.

Santa Maria Del Fiore in Florence:

http://www.francescomorante.it/images_4/204a2.jpg

http://www.aboutromania.com/FlorenceSantaMariaDelFiore2.jpg

The Dome of the Cathedral is one of the most architecturaly significant domes ever built.

Good pics :eek:

I agree with Notre Dame in Montreal.


My favourite relipious building in Montreal is St Joseph's Oratory.

Notre Dame is OK and shows what a good paint scheme can do for a relatively ordinary building.

Here is also another beautiful one. The Pechersk Lavra in Kyiv, Ukraine. It was built in the Ukrainian Baroque style, was mostly destroyed during the USSR, but has since been rebuilt:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/nathan21/ukraine/Pechersk/00.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/nathan21/ukraine/Pechersk/05.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/nathan21/ukraine/Pechersk/01.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/nathan21/ukraine/Pechersk/03.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/nathan21/ukraine/Pechersk/P1010039re.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/nathan21/ukraine/Pechersk/04.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/nathan21/ukraine/Pechersk/02.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/nathan21/ukraine/Pechersk/06.jpg

I've visited three well known religious buildings, all of which I found beautiful and impressive:

- St. Paul's Cathedral, London
- Kölner Dom (Cathedral of Cologne), Germany
- Sacré Coeur Basilica, Paris

The Two Holy Mosques of Islam

MAKKAH
http://static.flickr.com/37/85758458_58ddb913c5_o.jpg

MADINA
http://www.yanabi.com/media/IslamicImages/Prophets_mosque/images/medina.jpg

http://www.yanabi.com/media/IslamicImages/Prophets_mosque/images/Mohummed1.jpg

http://www.yanabi.com/media/IslamicImages/Prophets_mosque/images/nabi_masjid_night.jpg

La Sagrada Familia, in Barcelona.
:yes:

MAKKAH
http://static.flickr.com/37/85758458_58ddb913c5_o.jpg


The best....:yes::runaway:

:eek2: Faisal Mosque is one of the largest mosques in the world, located in Islamabad, the capital city of Pakistan. It is a well-known mosque in the Islamic world and is renowned for both its immense size and its architecture.

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b388/shaz2005/lahore/pictures%201/24897834_cac0f9c446.jpg
http://static.flickr.com/32/45527943_1513ff4f7a.jpg?v=0
http://static.flickr.com/19/88221246_ae069e4014.jpg?v=0
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/09/Faisal.JPG

ST. ALEXANDER NEVSKI MEMORIAL CATHEDRAL
SOFIA - BULGARIA

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/ce/AlexanderNevskiCathedral.jpg/800px-AlexanderNevskiCathedral.jpg

I would have to side with Catholic Church's main Church, Saint Peter's Basilica, the largest Christian Church in the world and I guess I don't have to elaborate.

Here's my new favorite,

Crystal Cathedral, Orange County

http://www.friedmanarchives.com/California/images/Crystal%20Cathedral%20Interior%208x12%20300%20dpi.jpg

Ulmer Münster in Ulm.

Notre-Dame Basilica, Montreal
A very beautiful interior!

http://www.globalphotos.org/montreal/20040314/RIMG3860.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/montreal/20040314/RIMG3883.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/montreal/20040314/RIMG3870.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/montreal/20040313/RIMG3803.jpg

The Basilica in Montreal is off the hook :D

I'll show other Canadian candidates:

Saint Joseph's Oratory of Mount Royal (Montreal):

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7a/St-josephs-oratory.jpg

http://mk23.image.pbase.com/u15/ralf/upload/4601977.r026f019.jpg


Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica (Ottawa):

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4a/Notre-Dame_Ottawa.jpg

SCROLL >>>
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/66/Notre_Dame_Ottawa_3_db.jpg


St Michael's Cathedral (Toronto):

http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en/thumb/a/af/300px-St-michaels-toronto.jpg

SCROLL >>>
http://www.stmichaelscathedral.com/images/Photos/DSC01145.JPG

Salesians' Church in Brasilia

Not among the most beautiful churches in the world, that's for sure.

http://img140.imageshack.us/img140/9273/salesianos01mb2.jpg

BUT

Once you get inside... it's..

Surprising!!

http://img109.imageshack.us/img109/4273/salesianos03ao1.jpg
http://img126.imageshack.us/img126/5614/salesianos02on8.jpg
http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/7631/salesianos05hg4.jpg
http://img108.imageshack.us/img108/1517/salesianos04pd9.jpg

Eglise de la Madeleine, Paris

Swaminarayan Akshardam Complex (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=370653), New Delhi

St. Basil's Cathedral in Moscow afaic

http://www.orkneypics.com/webpage/image/054/a054425.jpg

ITALIAN CHAPEL - Made from a Nissen hut building often used as a bomb shelter normally.

Built by Italian prisoners of war in the 1940's on the island of Orkney off of Northern Scotland.

inside:

http://www.orkneypics.com/webpage/image/161/a161424.jpg

This I think is a good example of something built without grand expense with normal people, and not some grand project built by dictators or the wealth of a corrupt religious order taking funds from the poor. This was a labour of love, built by a few with what was available and it looks damn good.

http://i.pbase.com/o4/55/435155/1/54586995.Lajas2.JPG

That really is pretty cool.

There's this cathredal in Cologne, Germany that I forgot the name.

Is Angkor Wat counted?

I loved those Indian temples, the detail is just... wow

Borobudor also..

cool pic on Salesian's Church! I'm a Bosconian as a HS student..

My vote goes to Salibury Cathdral in England.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ae/Salisbury_Cathedral.jpg/724px-

I guess I'm not surprised America has been left out of this debate but there really are some beautiful churches here.

St. Patricks (New York)

http://rido.altervista.org/New%20York_Della/St.%20Patrick's%20Cathedral.JPG

Riverside (New York)

http://www.telescreen.org/circleline/IM000138.JPG

Trinity (New York)

http://www.nyc-architecture.com/LM/trinityb4withwtcbackground.jpg

National (Washington DC)

http://paulmccain.worldmagblog.com/paulmccain/dc-national-cathedral.jpg

Old North Church (Boston)
"one if by land, two if by sea"

http://www.yikes.com/~dlu13/Boston/oldnorthchurchwebmod.jpg

Istanbul Blue Mosque :D

http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k92/eemreee/5f099545b92c9907222585359d94ef61.jpg
http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k92/eemreee/img25242ir.jpg

http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k92/eemreee/faruksultanahmet3up.jpg
http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k92/eemreee/2_1.jpg
http://download1.agefotostock.com/fotos/baja/cached/3500/JAI-TK01091.jpg
http://www.continentholiday.net/images/svhavet/turkiet_the.blue.mosque.stor.jpg

http://www.mccullagh.org/db9/d30-33/blue-mosque.jpg
http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k92/eemreee/CIMG6579.jpg

http://download1.agefotostock.com/fotos/baja/cached/2567/SSB-2131-519536.jpg

http://download1.agefotostock.com/fotos/baja/cached/508402/WES-MSF01550.jpg
http://download1.agefotostock.com/fotos/baja/cached/1307/Z71-376188.jpg

http://download1.agefotostock.com/fotos/baja/cached/2567/SSB-1220-554.jpg

More stunning mosques from Istanbul

Selimiye Mosque
http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k92/eemreee/selimiye_02.jpg

http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k92/eemreee/mustafakizilselimiye0315nj.jpg

http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k92/eemreee/osmankselimiye2eo.jpg

Süleymaniye Mosque Istanbul

http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k92/eemreee/kemalbereketsuleymaniyee7oe.jpg

http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k92/eemreee/12.jpg

The Gazi Husrev Bey Complex - Sarajevo - Bosnia and Herzegovina


The Gazi Husrev Bey Complex in Sarajevo is one of the main Ottoman complexes in the Balkans. Built in the first half of the sixteenth century, the complex included a mosque, madrasa, Quranic school, khanqah, soup kitchen, hospice, library, khan, bazaar, public baths and two tombs. Gazi Husrev Bey was an Ottoman governor in Bosnia and contributed greatly to the urban development of Sarajevo with his architectural patronage. Existing waqf documents describe the operations and the maintenance of these sites by an extensive staff, and supported by funds from regional agricultural enterprises.

The mosque was constructed by Ajem Esir Ali, an architect from Tabriz who had been taken prisoner during Ottoman incursions into Persia and became a chief architect in Istanbul. The mosque in Sarajevo is among the successes of this school outside Constantinople. Constructed in cut stone, the mosque is square in plan, surmounted by a central dome that is approximately thirteen meters in diameter and twenty-six meters high. The central prayer hall is flanked by two wings and has a qibla iwan covered by a semi-dome. Five cupolas cover a portico closed on the sides and supported by five marble columns. Three tiers of muqarnas decoration embellish their capitals. The main entrance is set in a niche decorated by seven tiers of muqarnas. Above the entry arch, an inscriptive plaque of tuluth Arabic dates the contruction of the mosque to 1531 (937 A.H.). The portico façade includes a mihrab and four windows.

http://static.flickr.com/23/33430061_9f2761da70.jpg

http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en/thumb/1/1d/300px-Gazihusrevbeg'smosque.PNG

http://www.saray.net/report/makete/begova%20dyamija%20v.jpg

http://www.openbook.ba/hibernating/djelilovic/jpg/begova_unutra_1.jpg

http://www.deutsche-schutzgebiete.de/webpages/Sarajevo_Begova_Moschee+.jpg

http://www.ddh.nl/org/poo/lunjo/dzamija05.jpg

http://www.interkulturo.net/seminarioj/sarajevo/fotoj/begova.jpg

More stunning mosques from Istanbul


Süleymaniye Mosque Istanbul

http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k92/eemreee/kemalbereketsuleymaniyee7oe.jpg




This is one of the most beautiful photographs I have ever seen.

Notre-Dame Basilica, Montreal
A very beautiful interior!

http://www.globalphotos.org/montreal/20040314/RIMG3860.jpg


That interior is fantastic!
The exterious is rather plain and usual though...

^ Yes, Notre Dame has a very modest exterior but an absolutely stunning interior.

I hope I dont make myself ridiculous, regarding those stunning examples brought in here allready. But I think when it comes to monestaries, the one in Melk (Austria) is a very nice baroque gem. Especially when you look at the inside. And also the location is nice.

http://hometown.aol.com/doodle0704/neeurope/neeurope38.jpg

http://img164.imageshack.us/img164/4981/stiftmelk0ag.jpg


But the highlight is definitely the inside of the church. Also other parts of the monestary, but I dont know if its appropriate to show libraries and marble halls here too, allthough it all served a religious purpose.


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5f/Stift_Melk_church_dsc01494.jpg/450px-Stift_Melk_church_dsc01494.jpg

http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bild:StiftMelkKuppel.jpg

http://www.stiftmelk.at/englisch/fotos/kirche-raum3.jpg http://www.stiftmelk.at/englisch/fotos/kirche-orgel.jpg http://chattanoogagirlschoir.com/2003tour/610abbey.jpg

Notre Dame's interior is breathtaking :shocked:

I must say when I hear the best religious building, or possibly the best renaissance/medieval age building has to be St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican. The building construction itself was one hellahuge project. On top of that, the treasure the Vatican possesses itself shows how much money they have and have invested into the building. Then there is the Sistine Chapel being part of the complex. The message of the theme is really well drawn. Employees of the construction project included names like Michelangelo, Raphael, Bernini, and so forth. When you take your first step into the Basilica, a rush of blood to the head happens. And I think it is one of the greatest architectural feat man has achieved.

http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/3872/dsc02659cv0.jpg

Wikipedia Source:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/d/dc/Vivianocodazzi_stpetersbasilica.jpg/350px-Vivianocodazzi_stpetersbasilica.jpg

Great Mosque in Medan, Indonesia. Courtesy of : Blue_Sky an Indonesian Forumer.
http://img226.imageshack.us/img226/9536/masjidsm2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Sagrada Familia Cathedral, Barcelona by Antoni Gaudi.

http://www3.baylor.edu/~Nathan_Atkinson/images/barcelona/Sagrada%20Familia%20air.jpg

http://pwp.netcabo.pt/pchenriques/oreivainufotos/barcelona-sagrada%20familia.jpg

http://nozomi.txt-nifty.com/photos/barcelona/sag2q.jpg

;) but that one isnt even finished yet, ( its nice though, lots of craftsmanship, and a nice view from the towers

i like the barcelona one

Église de la Madeleine, Paris

http://img434.imageshack.us/img434/4758/madelosjegp0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img300.imageshack.us/img300/1779/madeleineii7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Who can ever forget this church! the Frauenkirche in Dresden, Germany

http://www.spiegel.de/img/0,1020,535710,00.jpg

http://www.spiegel.de/img/0,1020,535706,00.jpg

http://www.spiegel.de/img/0,1020,535718,00.jpg

http://www.spiegel.de/img/0,1020,535712,00.jpg

http://www.spiegel.de/img/0,1020,535714,00.jpg

http://www.spiegel.de/img/0,1020,535720,00.jpg

http://www.spiegel.de/img/0,1020,485263,00.jpg

http://www.spiegel.de/img/0,1020,435890,00.jpg

http://www.spiegel.de/img/0,1020,533796,00.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c7/FRAUENKIRCHE_UF.jpg/390px-FRAUENKIRCHE_UF.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/de/thumb/e/ec/Frauenkirche_Dresden_August_2004.jpg/446px-Frauenkirche_Dresden_August_2004.jpg

http://img243.imageshack.us/img243/4886/dresden01bg2.jpg

http://img243.imageshack.us/img243/2963/dresden02ux4.jpg

http://img175.imageshack.us/img175/3413/dresden03yj6.jpg

http://img462.imageshack.us/img462/8918/dresden04tg4.jpg

http://img462.imageshack.us/img462/5081/dresden05px3.jpg

Credits: Kampflamm und Flickr

More frauenkirche pics:

http://img184.imageshack.us/img184/3829/dresden07qn5.jpg

http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/3601/dresden08ly7.jpg

http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/1314/dresden09rf7.jpg

http://img184.imageshack.us/img184/5654/dresden10it5.jpg

http://img184.imageshack.us/img184/5028/dresden11mp1.jpg

http://img375.imageshack.us/img375/5743/dresden15lu7.jpg

http://img375.imageshack.us/img375/6898/dresden12dz5.jpg

http://img85.imageshack.us/img85/8968/dresden16re2.jpg

http://img184.imageshack.us/img184/7522/dresden13mb6.jpg

http://img375.imageshack.us/img375/2734/dresden17sp3.jpg

http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/8430/dresden14mv4.jpg

Credits: Flickr

I have to say, that I am quite bemused why churches are so 'busy' inside. Cherebs, and this carving and that carving, etc.

How on earth do you get to contemplate with so much 'busyness'.

The pictures of the interior of the mosques seem soo much more tranquil , almost like a reflection of the open sky, with the large domed areas and open expansions

Joshua, thanks a lot for the great pics of the stunning reconstructed Frauenkirche in Dresden :) It's my new favourite (before it was Cologne Cathedral)
I'm excited about to see the rebuilded Neumarkt in Dresden ;)

I have to say, that I am quite bemused why churches are so 'busy' inside. Cherebs, and this carving and that carving, etc.

How on earth do you get to contemplate with so much 'busyness'.

The pictures of the interior of the mosques seem soo much more tranquil , almost like a reflection of the open sky, with the large domed areas and open expansions

There's also a lot of busyness inide mosques too though. Lots of intricate patterns and designs all over the place. I'm not insulting, I find it beautiful, but while Mosques may lack statues and such, they don't lack the busyness ;).

And the secret to contemplating in such busyness... close your eyes and concentrate. Also, the paintings, statues, and stained glass often give you something to contemplate as well, as they all stand for something.

There are a lot of religious symbols and details in any place of worship. Christian churches have an extensive focus on artwork, from statues to stained glass windows. Mosques are a bit more plain appearance-wise but there is also a lot of symbolism as well. Buddhist temples are very well decorated.

Can the Parthenon be considered a 'religious' building?

There are a lot of religious symbols and details in any place of worship. Christian churches have an extensive focus on artwork, from statues to stained glass windows. Mosques are a bit more plain appearance-wise but there is also a lot of symbolism as well. Buddhist temples are very well decorated.

depends on what christian faith, protestants made a 180 on the katholic church and threw oud all schulptures and ornaments and saints etc and went back to the plain religion because they had enough of the excesses.

The Pantheon in Rome it's certainly one of the most important religious building with its dome that it's the largest surviving from antiquity and was the largest dome in western Europe until Brunelleschi's dome of the Duomo of Florence.

http://i1.tinypic.com/2iaei49.jpg

In Italy there are also the Cathedral of Pisa with its tower, the cathedrals of Palermo and Monreale, Renzo Piano's church in San Giovanni Rotondo and the many churches in the historical centre of Naples..
but for me the best, at least for location, it's in France and that is Mont saint Michel..

Temple of Saint Sava in Belgrade, Serbia

http://img74.imageshack.us/img74/8941/belgradesavatemplegz7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img74.imageshack.us/img74/836/templesaintsavacb7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

The Blue Mosque is the best I have seen:

http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k92/eemreee/img25242ir.jpg

Oh My...! Looking through six pages and not ONE Baha'i temple :ohno:

Oh well, I shall have the honour then...

My most favourite one.. That I have also visited is..

Temple of The Báb: Mt. Carmel, Haifa, Israel

http://djayn.chat.ru/israel2.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v641/toreno/Haifa/haifa2.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v641/toreno/Haifa/bahaian-50.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v641/toreno/Haifa/night1.jpg

http://img45.exs.cx/img45/7145/90qm.jpg

Universal House of Justice, Baha'i Library and the Temple

http://img45.exs.cx/img45/4862/59yc.jpg

My other favourite one That I have been to is

Would love to one day see the one in Chicago...

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/2/27/BahaiTempleWilmette.jpg/448px-BahaiTempleWilmette.jpg

http://img516.imageshack.us/img516/6678/bahaitempleqw6.jpg

Baha'i Temple in Sydney, Australia: Very peacefull surroundings

http://img516.imageshack.us/img516/871/33464867402fef409a8ooh7.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/f/f8/Bahaitemplesydney.JPG/450px-Bahaitemplesydney.JPG

My least favourite Baha'i temple... but I can see how some might appreciate the architecture:

Lotus Temple, Delhi

http://img516.imageshack.us/img516/5939/bahailotustemplekw5.jpg

http://img516.imageshack.us/img516/8495/photoindephotodelhi11kg9.jpg

Im not sure but I think photography is not permitted in Baha'i Temples... The one in sydney is very basic but buautiful and the Temple of The Báb is very lavish but of course it would be because it is the final resting place of the Báb.

Personally I also like the Blue Mosque, would love to visit day.

The Pantheon in Rome it's certainly one of the most important religious building with its dome that it's the largest surviving from antiquity ...


You know what I think is the most impressive fact regarding the Pantheon?
It has a massive concrete cupola!

^^
oh,you're very nice...........................:nono:

for me, the salt lake temple of the church of jesus christ of latter-day saints (mormons) in utah, USA is the best religious building

http://img401.imageshack.us/img401/6523/saltlaketemplehk3.jpg

http://img401.imageshack.us/img401/2802/saltlakeldsmormontemplela6.jpg

http://img401.imageshack.us/img401/7421/salt20lake20templenu0.jpg

Sagrada Familia Cathedral, Barcelona by Antoni Gaudi.

http://www3.baylor.edu/~Nathan_Atkinson/images/barcelona/Sagrada%20Familia%20air.jpg

http://pwp.netcabo.pt/pchenriques/oreivainufotos/barcelona-sagrada%20familia.jpg

http://nozomi.txt-nifty.com/photos/barcelona/sag2q.jpg

this is my favorite. Hope to visit someday..:)

Joshua, thanks a lot for the great pics of the stunning reconstructed Frauenkirche in Dresden :) It's my new favourite (before it was Cologne Cathedral)
I'm excited about to see the rebuilded Neumarkt in Dresden ;)

welcome, even though the pix are not mine :colgate:
Frauenkirche is also my new favorite before was cologne and berliner dom:)

In order (my favorite religious buildings)
P.S.-- I am not putting any pix. It laggs this thread down so much.

1Hagia Sophia, Istanbul
2Blue Mosque, Istanbul
3That big mosque in Mecca
4Sagrada Familia
5Westminster Abby

^^
oh,you're very nice...........................:nono:

Did you respond to my post on the Pantheon?
If so, you seem to have misunderstood me.

Perhaps I elaborate.
The Pantheon has a huge cupola. The largest of its time. (Challenge me on this, if anywhere on the globe in the 1st century AD stood a building with a larger cupola show me. I never stop learning.) How did they approach to it? A massive stone cupola was not an option. The weight prevented that. Bricks would have been possible perhaps, but the Romans chose a different way. They chose a concrete cupola. Yes modern people might say: "How uncool!", I do not do so though.

This building the Pantheon, I dare to claim that was unreached until industrialization. And even for modern parameters, its still an exceptional building of outstanding quality. The concrete the Romans used was not very unlike to the modern one used today. 1900 years ago! And if you believe now that it was a weak imitation of modern concrete I have to disappoint you. This Roman concrete used in the cupola was superior to most concrete sorts used today.

Many quote the dome of Florence to have topped the Pantheon later on. But if you look at how it was constructed, you can see that in terms of the technology used the Pantheon remained superior even then. (The dome of Florence is a brick construction). Just show me any other Antique building that has not been topped in terms of technology until 19th century. Or show me another concrete building that survived 1900 years. Without a doubt the Pantheon belongs to the most significant constructions ever built.

Not enough with all of that, the Romans constructed the building in order to cause a venturi effect that causes automatic air circulation inside of the building.

And in case anyone dislikes the fact of how concrete looks like (I am not a real fan of nude concrete walls either), it might be very interesting to know that the whole concrete dome was originally gilded with bronze plates. A picture for gods, a dome of that size in bronze! Somehow some popes later on did not appreciate that appropriately and took of the massive amounts of bronze. Rumors say for making cannons (plundering a church for making cannons is even for a pope strong tobbaco, isn't it?). The church insists up today though that it was used for the Peters dome.

In order (my favorite religious buildings)
P.S.-- I am not putting any pix. It laggs this thread down so much.

1Hagia Sophia, Istanbul
2Blue Mosque, Istanbul
3That big mosque in Mecca
4Sagrada Familia
5Westminster Abby

:yes:

The Blue Mosque in İstanbul for sure

http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q224/Serkan871/231229580_cc2987ec6b_o.jpg?t=1168471252
http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k92/eemreee/img25242ir.jpg
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q224/Serkan871/152349191_604041b18f_o.jpg?t=1168471331

It might look like the set of a horror movie the first time you see it, but this is actually real!

Sedlec Ossuary in Kostnice, Czech Republic... was inspired by the style of Santa Maria della Concezione dei Cappuccini in Rome, but is far more grandiose in my opinion... I don't actually think this is the best religious building in the world, but I think it's worth a mention nonetheless!

http://www.sedlec.info/Kostnice_in_ful1.jpg

http://www.sedlec.info/Kostnice_interi%E9r1.jpg

http://www.sedlec.info/Kostnice_inter_750p.jpg

http://www.oook.cz/places/kostnice/thumb5771.jpg

http://www.oook.cz/places/kostnice/5758.jpg

http://www.oook.cz/places/kostnice/5755.jpg

According to wikipedia (therefore, almost completely unreliable!) there are said to have been approximately 40,000 human skeletons used to create what you see in the pics above.

I personally think that the Haram in Mecca is the greatest religious building. Just look at it, it seems it is bigger than the rest of Mecca City.

V I L N I U S - St. Ana church
http://img108.exs.cx/img108/327/stannaoversikt4mg.jpg

http://img68.exs.cx/img68/5513/176zo.jpg

It might look like the set of a horror movie the first time you see it, but this is actually real!

Sedlec Ossuary in Kostnice, Czech Republic... was inspired by the style of Santa Maria della Concezione dei Cappuccini in Rome, but is far more grandiose in my opinion... I don't actually think this is the best religious building in the world, but I think it's worth a mention nonetheless!

http://www.sedlec.info/Kostnice_in_ful1.jpg

http://www.sedlec.info/Kostnice_interi%E9r1.jpg

http://www.sedlec.info/Kostnice_inter_750p.jpg

http://www.oook.cz/places/kostnice/thumb5771.jpg

http://www.oook.cz/places/kostnice/5758.jpg

http://www.oook.cz/places/kostnice/5755.jpg

According to wikipedia (therefore, almost completely unreliable!) there are said to have been approximately 40,000 human skeletons used to create what you see in the pics above.


Don't get me wrong, but it looks like a cult church to me. Or an indoor cemetery.

Church am Steinhof, Vienna by Otto Wagner
Otto Wagner designed this church, which was built between 1905 and 1907, on the grounds of the Lower Austrian State Asylum, now the Psychatric Hospital of the City of Vienna. The copper-covered dome of this prime example of Viennese Art Nouveau architecture is visible from quite a distance, as the church stands high on the crest of the hill.
The interior design was adjusted to the requirements of the handicapped parishioners attending services here. The glass mosaics in the windows were designed by Kolo Moser.
http://www.toon.heindl-internet.de/wien/a500/63210005-wien-otto-wagner-kirche-steinhof.jpg
http://www.ihs-lp.at/jugendstil.ihs-lp.at/Steinhof-Aussen-S2.gif
http://www.ihs-lp.at/jugendstil.ihs-lp.at/Steinhof-Aussen-S3.gif
http://www.wien-konkret.at/uploads/pics/kirche-am-steinhof-3.jpg
http://www.pp.htv.fi/rhurmal1/steinh2.jpg
http://www.pp.htv.fi/rhurmal1/steinh3.jpg
http://www.pp.htv.fi/rhurmal1/steinh4.jpg
http://digilander.libero.it/raabe/steinhof.jpg

the most impressive buildings ( i visited)

1. Kölner Dom (Cologne, Germany)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/35/Koelner_Dom_bei_Nacht_1_RB.JPG/800px-Koelner_Dom_bei_Nacht_1_RB.JPG

2. Sainte-Chapelle (Paris, France) A small church and a masterpiece of gothic architecture (who dont know that one knows nothing)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/70/Sainte_Chapelle_-_Upper_level_1.jpg/399px-Sainte_Chapelle_-_Upper_level_1.jpg

3. Notre Dame de Paris (Paris, France)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2d/Paris-notre-dame-facade.jpg/469px-Paris-notre-dame-facade.jpg

4. Ulmer Münster (Ulm, Germany) The tallest church of the world (162m)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/de/thumb/a/a4/Ulmer_muenster_2005.jpg/400px-Ulmer_muenster_2005.jpg

my next holidays go to india. REALLY REALLY impressive buildings

Quite a few of Turkeys mosques have been covered here but none of it's churches. First the most impressive in my opinion (I believe someone already mentioned it. Kariye like the Hagia Sophia is a church/mosque/museum located in Istanbul:

http://www.thedarksun.org/content/artwork/religious/kariye/1.jpg

http://www.thedarksun.org/content/artwork/religious/kariye/2.jpg

http://www.thedarksun.org/content/artwork/religious/kariye/3.jpg

http://www.thedarksun.org/content/artwork/religious/kariye/4.jpg

http://www.thedarksun.org/content/artwork/religious/kariye/5.jpg

http://www.thedarksun.org/content/artwork/religious/kariye/6.jpg

http://www.thedarksun.org/content/artwork/religious/kariye/7.jpg

http://www.thedarksun.org/content/artwork/religious/kariye/8.jpg

http://www.thedarksun.org/content/artwork/religious/kariye/9.jpg

http://www.thedarksun.org/content/artwork/religious/kariye/10.jpg http://www.thedarksun.org/content/artwork/religious/kariye/13.jpg

http://www.thedarksun.org/content/artwork/religious/kariye/11.jpg

http://www.thedarksun.org/content/artwork/religious/kariye/12.jpg

http://www.thedarksun.org/content/artwork/religious/kariye/14.jpg

http://www.thedarksun.org/content/artwork/religious/kariye/15.jpg

Now this church in Antakya (Antioch) isn't very spectacular in appearance, it is rather simple. But it is old. Very old. It was built around 40-50 AD. It's called St. Peters Grotto. It is the oldest surviving church in the world, and is commonly believed to be the first ever built.

http://www.thedarksun.org/content/artwork/religious/antioch/1.jpg

http://www.thedarksun.org/content/artwork/religious/antioch/2.jpg

http://www.thedarksun.org/content/artwork/religious/antioch/3.jpg

http://www.thedarksun.org/content/artwork/religious/antioch/4.jpg

These last pictures aren't actually one church but many scattered around Cappadocia. They were carved into the volcanic rock, by early Christians, who at the time were being persecuted by the romans:

http://www.thedarksun.org/content/artwork/religious/cappadocia/1.jpg

http://www.thedarksun.org/content/artwork/religious/cappadocia/2.jpg

http://www.thedarksun.org/content/artwork/religious/cappadocia/3.jpg

http://www.thedarksun.org/content/artwork/religious/cappadocia/4.jpg

http://www.thedarksun.org/content/artwork/religious/cappadocia/5.jpg

http://www.thedarksun.org/content/artwork/religious/cappadocia/6.jpg

I like old religious buildings. This is the Angkor Watt:

http://www.thedarksun.org/content/artwork/religious/angkorwatt/1.jpg

http://www.thedarksun.org/content/artwork/religious/angkorwatt/2.jpg

http://www.thedarksun.org/content/artwork/religious/angkorwatt/3.jpg

I was impressed by Sacre-Coeur when I was visiting Paris. The surrounding area is lovely too:

http://www.thedarksun.org/content/artwork/religious/sacre-coeur/1.jpg

The Cathedral of Consumerism in Minnesota:

http://www.thedarksun.org/content/artwork/religious/mallofamerica/1.jpg

Ok so that last one was a joke. I also was impressed by the Kölner Dom, in Cologne. I've never actually been inside but I've seen it up close. It dominates the cities skyline.

1. Hagia Sophia, Istanbul
2. Blue Mosque, Istanbul
3. Kölner Dom, Köln

Probably not the best, but still a very beautiful Chinese temple. Kek Lok Si Temple, Penang Malaysia.

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f367/gckw8833/Cityscape/_MG_6110.jpg

México

http://www.xmission.com/~jwestien/images/mexico/mcity3.jpg

well how about this??
WORLD'S BIGGEST BUDDHIST MONUMENT,
BOROBUDUR TEMPLE
http://www.borobudurpark.com/images/aerialview.jpg

Hindu Temple Complex, Prambanan Temple
http://www.borobudurpark.com/images/gelight.jpg

Here are a few more from Chicago's Baha'i Temple

http://www.photography-plus.com/images/Chicago1/Bahai092900_2.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/zh/thumb/5/5e/BahaiTempleChicago1.JPG/260px-BahaiTempleChicago1.JPG

http://bahai.groups.pdx.edu/pictures/worship/america3.jpg

Montreal Notre Dame Church:

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/102/284345027_998a6f4a0e_o.jpg


http://farm1.static.flickr.com/54/139656790_ebb26feaee.jpg?v=0


Sagrada Familia:

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/33/101520801_5268135553.jpg?v=0


http://farm1.static.flickr.com/151/346586131_76c860563b.jpg?v=0

I would say

Meenakshi Temple
Golden Temple of Amritsar
Notre Dame (Montreal)
Baha'i Wilmette
Prambanan Temple

Most beautiful cathedral in Slovakia

Cathedral of Saint Elizabeth in Kosice
http://www.cassovia.sk/svalzbeta/Ke061.jpg
http://www.cassovia.sk/svalzbeta/Ke009.jpg
http://www.cassovia.sk/svalzbeta/Ke196.jpg
http://www.cassovia.sk/svalzbeta/Ke010.jpg
http://www.cassovia.sk/svalzbeta/Ke012.jpg
http://www.cassovia.sk/svalzbeta/Ke031.jpg
http://www.rimkat.sk/dom/gallery/1127307335_kosice.jpg
.jpg[/IMG]

York minster England:

http://people.bu.edu/dklepper/RN307/york.jpg

http://hex.oucs.ox.ac.uk/~rejs/photos/A40/medium/101canon/img_0141.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b0/York-minster-inside.jpg/458px-York-minster-inside.jpg

http://www.roman-britain.org/places/images/_york_minster_out.jpg

http://www.picturesofengland.com/pictures/500/York_1074806683.JPG

http://www.lendalesfarm.uko2.co.uk/images/York-Thumb.jpg

The Cathedral of Toledo, the Westminster Abbey and Kyomizu-dera

The "Freiburger Münster" (Freiburg minster, Baden-Württemberg in Germany):
Art historians from the whole world praise the "Münster unserer lieben Frau zu Freiburg" as the most completed masterpiece of the gothic at all.
[Special attention to the ultracool clock on front of it :D]

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/11/M%C3%BCnster_Freiburg.jpg/450px-M%C3%BCnster_Freiburg.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e0/DE_freiburg_muenster.jpg/371px-DE_freiburg_muenster.jpg

http://www.buergerstueble.de/bilder/021_Freiburg_im_Breisgau/001c_freiburger_muenster_turm.jpg

http://www.axelschulz.de/weblogs/freiburger-muenster-altes-kaufhaus.jpg

http://www.camping-freiburg.com/galerie/img/FreiburgerMuenster.jpg

http://www.wlcek.at/fotos/freiburg/freiburg13.jpg

http://img-x.******************/47/5021647.jpg

:cheers:

Video(+Arabic music) of Masjidil Haram

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSkAA0iTEkM

I don't like Gothic architecture (British Parliament an exception), I must prefer Asian pagodas or Mosques (Taj Mahal style)

Taj Mahal isnt a mosque....

I prefer mandirs to pagodas.

Check out:

http://skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=370653
http://skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=125826
http://skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=192682
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=172508
http://skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=223356
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=366016
http://skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=190084
http://skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=201707
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=394609
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=394632
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?p=11353744
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=228464
http://skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=197272
http://skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=247656

http://img55.exs.cx/img55/1627/rjt12.png

http://img522.imageshack.us/img522/3058/3597108792428f4f047ord4hg2.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/monument/photo/mood06f.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/monument/photo/pillar09f.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/04/Ellora_cave10_002.jpg

http://img116.exs.cx/img116/5950/93583372vjergqph3ql.jpg

http://img26.exs.cx/img26/9118/67ci.jpg

http://img230.exs.cx/img230/2685/21eu.jpg

http://www.shunya.net/Pictures/WesternIndia/Gujarat/Palitana/Palitana55.jpg

they all look wonderful

Wow the last one is awesome :yes:

Most beautiful cathedral in Slovakia

Cathedral of Saint Elizabeth in Kosice
http://www.cassovia.sk/svalzbeta/Ke061.jpg
http://www.cassovia.sk/svalzbeta/Ke009.jpg
http://www.cassovia.sk/svalzbeta/Ke196.jpg
http://www.cassovia.sk/svalzbeta/Ke010.jpg
http://www.cassovia.sk/svalzbeta/Ke012.jpg
http://www.cassovia.sk/svalzbeta/Ke031.jpg
http://www.rimkat.sk/dom/gallery/1127307335_kosice.jpg
.jpg[/IMG]

wow..this is beyond perfect. ^^

Jain Temple, Ranakpur, India

http://static.flickr.com/30/44023865_79620573bc_o.jpg

http://www.ihistory101.net/espanol/india/ranakpur-temple-interior.jpg http://www.soas.ac.uk/cjainastudiesfiles/images/ranakpur.jpg http://www.travelogues.net/India/images/ranakpur/ranakpur_08.jpghttp://tdil.mit.gov.in/E_TOURISM_CDAC/tourism1/images/ranakpur-sculpture-panel.jpg

http://www.hiddentrails.com/asia/india/images/Ranakpur.jpg

http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en/e/e4/RanakpurJainTem.jpg

http://www.ihistory101.net/espanol/india/carved-standstone-ranakpur1.jpg

similarly the new Akshardham Temple, Delhi

http://www.eng.uwo.ca/people/aray/Akshardham%20Temple%201.jpg

http://www.tcp.in/spiritual/uploaded_images/akshardham-710979.jpg http://www.tribuneindia.com/2005/20051108/delhi1.jpg

http://p.vtourist.com/1759260-From_Akshardham_Souvenir_Pamphlet-India.jpg

How about the current page banner?

Golden Temple of Amristar:
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/images/headers/3.jpg

Can the Parthenon be considered a 'religious' building?

Or as I said earlier in the thread...

http://www.mccullagh.org/db9/1ds-12/parthenon-at-night.jpg

Quite an interesting revelation about this beautiful church UC :

Famed Spanish Church Lacks Permit
22 June 2007

MADRID, Spain (AP) - Antoni Gaudi's Sagrada Familia church, an unfinished Barcelona landmark that is considered a marvel of modern architecture, has lacked a construction permit for more than a century, city officials said Friday.

Gaudi first presented a design for the church in 1883 and two years later suggested changes to the blueprint. Both times he won permission.

But planning officials never responded to two later requests to change the construction plans, in 1916 and 1990. The administrative silence amounted to acquiescence, a town hall official said, confirming a report in the newspaper El Pais.

"As it is an exceptional work, it goes through other channels, different from those for normal buildings," the paper quoted another city official as saying.

Gaudi, a modernist architect known for his intricate mosaics, curvy facades and nonlinear designs, is responsible for many of Barcelona's best-known buildings.

To this day, construction continues on the church, widely considered Gaudi's masterpiece, and tourists flock to it even as scaffolding obstructs much of the interior and facade. More than 2 million did so last year.

Jordi Bonet i Armengol, the architect responsible for the most recent leg of the work, would not comment on the absence of an up-to-date construction permit. A foundation overseeing the project did not respond to requests for comment.

Barcelona is considering digging an underground tunnel for a high-speed train line near one of the entrances to the church, infuriating residents of the area.

Basilica of the Sacré Cœur in Paris
http://images23.fotosik.pl/8/0bb2d928860e4703.jpg

St. Michael and Gudula Cathedral in Brussels
http://images23.fotosik.pl/8/57075c7b29c5af6f.jpg

Maybe it isn't very amazing building but I like also church of St. Jean Baptiste Marie Vianney in Poznań
http://images29.fotosik.pl/9/3555d6d1e53c6567med.jpg

To me, most Hindu and Jain temples, and Gothic churches seem aesthetically unpleasing and are far too "busy" - I instead prefer simpler and cleaner-looking buildings like Paris' Sacre-Coeur.

My favorites are the church in Dresden, the Blue Mosque, the Chicago bahai temple, the various ottoman-style mosques in Bosnia, and St Pauls in London.

Those temples have a lot of symbolism, and are pretty in a very detailed sort of way.

http://www.globalphotos.org/singapore/20070204/IMG_0344.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/singapore/20070204/IMG_0352.jpg

These ones are simply stunning:

The Blue Mosque, Istanbul, Turkey
http://icassp2000.sdsu.edu/jpgfiles/bluemosque1.jpg


Meenakshi Temple, Madurai, India
http://www.indiaplaces.com/img/meenakshi-temple-03.jpg


St. Patrick's Cathedral, New York, USA
http://www.newyorkarchitecture.info/NYAI/Images/Buildings/SaintPatricksCathedral-001.jpg


La Catedral de Brasillia, Brasilia, Brasil
http://www.superbrasilia.com/aquarela/aq_catedral_a_noite.jpg


Santuario de Nuestra Señora de Las Lajas, Ipiales, Colombia
http://packsweb.viavox.com/cotelconarino/images/2005030908360LAJAS.jpg
http://img344.imageshack.us/img344/5034/llsc1b8wh.jpg

OMG how can u forget St. Patrick's Cathedral, the largest decorated Neo-Gothic-style Catholic cathedral in North America.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/62/Saint_Patrick%27s_Cathedral_by_David_Shankbone.jpg/450px-Saint_Patrick%27s_Cathedral_by_David_Shankbone.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/49/Saint_Patrick_front1.jpg/450px-Saint_Patrick_front1.jpg
Details of facade
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/15/Facade_of_Saint_Patrick%27s_by_David_Shankbone.jpg/800px-Facade_of_Saint_Patrick%27s_by_David_Shankbone.jpg
Inside
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f4/St_Patrick%27s_cathedral_NY.jpg/800px-St_Patrick%27s_cathedral_NY.jpg

Christmas
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/3/36/St_Patricks_at_Christmas.jpg/800px-St_Patricks_at_Christmas.jpg

Sanctuary of the cathedral
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2b/Saint_Patrick_NYC_inside.jpg/450px-Saint_Patrick_NYC_inside.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ef/Atlasstpatricks.jpg/450px-Atlasstpatricks.jpg

This is a great thread. All the pictures were beautiful!

Here's some more from the Baha'i shrines in Haifa..

Shrine of the Bab. 19 terraces.:

http://www.bahaipictures.com/pic/z010.jpg

http://www.bahaipictures.com/pic/x340.jpg

http://www.bahaipictures.com/pic/y090.jpg

http://www.bahaipictures.com/pic/x010.jpg

http://www.bahaipictures.com/pic/x860.jpg

http://www.bahaipictures.com/pic/x910.jpg

http://www.bahaipictures.com/pic/y110.jpg

http://www.bahaipictures.com/pic/x650.jpg

http://www.bahaipictures.com/pic/z150.jpg

http://www.bahaipictures.com/pic/x160.jpg

The arc of Baha'i administrative buildings, just left of the Shrine on Mount. Carmel:

http://www.bahaipictures.com/pic/y420.jpg

http://www.bahaipictures.com/pic/y220.jpg

http://www.bahaipictures.com/pic/y130.jpg

http://www.bahaipictures.com/pic/p90.jpg

http://www.bahaipictures.com/pic/x510.jpg


Bahji, the Shrine of Baha'u'llah. The holiest place on Earth for the Baha'is.

http://www.bahaipictures.com/pic/z250.jpg

http://www.bahaipictures.com/pic/z240.jpg

http://www.bahaipictures.com/pic/z040.jpg

http://www.bahaipictures.com/pic/x720.jpg

http://www.bahaipictures.com/pic/y350.jpg

http://www.bahaipictures.com/pic/x840.jpg

Baha'i temple that's being built in Chile. It's really beautiful. It's a translucent temple.

http://www.ou.edu/student/bahai/images/chiletemple-800.jpg

http://www.uga.edu/bahai/2003/332-460.jpg

http://www.dcnonl.com/images/archivesid/23248/100.jpg


Baha'i Lotus temple in New Delhi, India:

http://india.as/tourism/images/BahaiLotusTemple.jpg

http://twentyonwards.blogs.com/delhi_photo_blog/images/lotus_temple.jpg

http://designflute.files.wordpress.com/2007/10/bahai-lotus-temple.gif

http://z.about.com/d/goasia/1/0/Y/M/2/LotusTemple.jpg

http://www.martinsquest.com/images/lotus_night.jpg

http://travel.aolcdn.com/travdestguide/New-Delhi-India_01-360a031807.jpg

http://www.shubhyatra.com/gifs/lotus-temple-delhi.jpg

http://luckypennies.files.wordpress.com/2007/11/lotus3.jpeg

The one in Chile look really superb

Sacre Coeur not only features prominently, it also offers a very lovely view. Quite a great place to be indeed.

I went to Haram Mosque, Mekah.

I went to Haram Mosque, Mekah.

Is Mecca's existence solely entrenched as the centre for Islam? If so, it should be the largest religious centre in terms of city size.

cologne cathedral is amazing.
Westminster anorl.

Santa Prisca, Mexico

http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/3941/ta5ek0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Shwedagon Pagoda, Yangon, Burma:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shwedagon

Some from Russia:

Church of the Savior on Blood, St.Petersburg

http://www.sacred-destinations.com/russia/images/st-petersburg/savior-on-blood/resized/ext-cc-hoolypics.jpg

http://www.russian-st-petersburg.com/photo/citytour/spilled-blood-interior.jpg

http://www.panoramio.com/photos/original/8062621.jpg

Isaac Cathedral, St.Petersburg

http://www.vodohod.spb.ru/images/spb/museum7_.jpg

http://www.sacred-destinations.com/russia/images/st-petersburg/st-isaacs-cathedral/dome-cc-hoolypics.jpg

http://www.veikkovasama.net/iisakinkirkko.jpg

Smolny Cathedral, St. Petersburg

http://www.aditours.com/photos/Smolny%20Cathedral%20Outside%20for%202007%20Festival.jpg

St. Basil's Cathedral, Moscow

http://www.richard-seaman.com/Travel/Russia/Moscow/Highlights/StBasilsWithStatue.jpg

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/42275000/jpg/_42275438_st_basils416.jpg

Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, Moscow

http://www.richard-seaman.com/Travel/Russia/Moscow/Highlights/CathedralOfChristTheSaviour.jpg

http://images.google.ru/url?q=http://agentoranje.com/images/20080222102032_church.jpg&usg=AFQjCNFFLzT92JzA0Vo5UaDPnMvzfpd5wg

http://all-photo.ru/wallpaper/photos/14531.jpg

Baha'i Lotus temple in New Delhi, India:
http://luckypennies.files.wordpress.com/2007/11/lotus3.jpeg

Very nice! Reminds me of the Sydney Opera House.

Best interior - Notre-Dame Basilica, Montreal
http://i.pbase.com/v3/87/76687/2/44449738.PBaseIMG_5529.jpg
Raymond So, PBase

http://images.google.ca/url?q=http://www.sacred-destinations.com/canada/images/montreal/notre-dame-basilica/altar2-cc-dougward.jpg&usg=AFQjCNFRx4mayI6imeISLYdMRV2yIDpM4g
Sacred Destinations

Cremona (Italy)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3087/2558055609_d0cae625de_o.jpg

St basil is a cathedral??? I never knew that, thought that was political purposed building, my bad...

http://www.thomashoven.com/p2004_066_999d.jpg

Attractive russian cathedral I found, someone give name please (If you know)

St basil is a cathedral??? I never knew that, thought that was political purposed building, my bad...

Attractive russian cathedral I found, someone give name please (If you know)

See above post #169 ;)

Jama Mosque - Masjid-e-Jahan Numa - "Mosque that Commands the World's View", Old Delhi, India

Thats what it means. & such a view it commanded that Its South Asia's premier mosque architecturally & was immitated often but never duplicated to perfection by any other mosque in Indian Subcontinent. Some of noteworthy copies are King's Mosque, Lahore (pakistan). Taj-ul-Mosques, Bhopal & Big Imambara, Lucknow. Jama Mosque is the most important, most visited & the most photographed mosque of South Asia (Indian Subcontinent).

http://img31.picoodle.com/img/img31/4/5/16/f_mosquem_613028d.jpg

http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/1517/delhi1gl7.jpg

http://img68.imageshack.us/img68/2182/delhizt4.jpg

http://img367.imageshack.us/img367/2579/delhi2gb6.jpg

http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/1123/crw3503kx1.jpg http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/1610/crw3504ol2.jpg

http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/8095/crw3519mu2.jpg http://img266.imageshack.us/img266/7043/crw3506nx5.jpg

http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/2847/crw3588yy9.jpg http://img266.imageshack.us/img266/8657/crw3600ct3.jpg

http://img31.picoodle.com/img/img31/4/5/16/f_jamam_41ed097.jpg http://img31.picoodle.com/img/img31/4/5/16/f_jamamasjid6m_d09d432.jpg

http://img31.picoodle.com/img/img31/4/5/16/f_jama1m_274b8e4.jpg http://img31.picoodle.com/img/img31/4/5/16/f_jama2m_d61a2b7.jpg

http://img31.picoodle.com/img/img31/4/5/16/f_jamamasjid2m_e610c4f.jpg http://img31.picoodle.com/img/img31/4/5/16/f_jama3m_d696c3d.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a4/NotreDameDeParis.jpg/451px-NotreDameDeParis.jpg
Notre Dame de Paris.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/15/Petersdom_von_Engelsburg_gesehen.jpg/800px-Petersdom_von_Engelsburg_gesehen.jpg
Basilique Saint Pierre . Rome.


Seule Paris est digne de Rome; seule Rome est digne de Paris
Solo Parigi è degna di Roma; Solo Roma è degna di Parigi
Only Paris is worthy of Rome; Only Rome is worthy of Paris

Santa Prisca, Mexico

http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/3941/ta5ek0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Wow! That's really ornate. I bet only Hindu temples can be as detailed.

Makkah

Holy Mosque

http://img182.imageshack.us/img182/6634/2066288200034280248qgbozv2.jpg

http://www.islamicsupremecouncil.com/tabarruk/Image216.jpg

Shah Faisal Mosque, Islamabad, Pakistan.

http://www.sacred-destinations.com/pakistan/islamabad-faisal-mosque-pictures/slides/ext-cc-hemanshu-kumar.jpg

Wow! That's really ornate. I bet only Hindu temples can be as detailed.

and Jaina and Buddhist and subcontinental Muslim and subcontinental Christian etc :lol:

and Jaina and Buddhist and subcontinental Muslim and subcontinental Christian etc :lol:

By subcontinental, you mean India, right? Well, I noticed you generally tend to overdo things there. And I don't mean anything negative about that. I understand that the design isn't only an ornamentation but reflects the beliefs of the religion. :)

That church building in Mexico, takes the cake for minute intricate details among Christian edifices featured here that can only be rivalled by Hindu temples in their embelishments. It looks baroque but seems to have finer details. Even St. Peter's seems to have simple lines in comparison.

I really like the Kölner Dom. It's really one of the most impressive cathedrals out and, IMO, even more stunning than Notre Dame.

hhhmmmmmmmm ...... ten pages of religious buildings and no Jewish Synagogues ........... ????????????

:ohno:

Of course one the largest and most beautiful synagogues was the Churva Synagogue in Jerusalem built over the ruins of a century old synagogue destroyed by the Muslims in 1587; it was finished in the year 1700 by Rabbi Judah he Levi, known as Judah the Chasid. Unfortunately it was intentially torn down and destroyed stone by stone when the Jordanian army invaded the Jewish Quarter in 1948.

:cry:

^^ Why don't you post some?

Akshardham, Delhi

http://img381.imageshack.us/img381/7493/05bv1.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/akshardham03f.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/akshardham02f.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/mandovar10f.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/mandovar02f.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/elephant10f.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/elephant07f.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/murti07f.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/ghanshyam01f.jpg

The Hagia Sophia was the most beautiful christian church.


It is a shame, that the St. Nikolai church (147 meters) in Hamburg, will not be restored.

It was one of the highest cathedrals in the world.

It was used by British- and US-Bombers as a navigation point.

Zagreb Cathedral, CROATIA

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/1/1c/Katedrala4.jpg/402px-Katedrala4.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4a/Katedrala19.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/17/VMSClose.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f8/Glagolitic_script_in_Zagreb_2004-04-04.jpg/474px-Glagolitic_script_in_Zagreb_2004-04-04.jpg

St. Mark's Church, Zagreb, Croatia

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7f/Crkva_sv_Marka_0803.JPG

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/61/Crkva_sv_Marka_grb_Zagreba.JPG/423px-Crkva_sv_Marka_grb_Zagreba.JPG

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/fb/Marko33.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/70/Marko22.jpg

Jama Mosque, Delhi.
Akshadham Temple, Delhi
Holy Mosque, Mecca

kick some serious Butt so far. Awesome.

Akshardham, Delhi

http://img381.imageshack.us/img381/7493/05bv1.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/akshardham03f.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/akshardham02f.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/mandovar10f.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/mandovar02f.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/elephant10f.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/elephant07f.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/murti07f.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/ghanshyam01f.jpg

OMG, that's breath taking!! ^^

indian temples.

Borobudur Temple (Largest Buddhist Temple on earth), Central Java, Indonesia :)

http://www.freeimagestoring.com/images/nt6ojwdqs6cray7c7rq2.jpg (http://www.freeimagestoring.com/)

http://www.freeimagestoring.com/images/fak9dg9lkkj2ferrfjms.jpg (http://www.freeimagestoring.com/)

http://www.freeimagestoring.com/images/t9i40t00hqxv16m2ui6.jpg (http://www.freeimagestoring.com/)

http://www.freeimagestoring.com/images/ju1fkra896bco46nyk2u.jpg (http://www.freeimagestoring.com/)

http://www.freeimagestoring.com/images/i9d38m87evkf48cbzjk.jpg (http://www.freeimagestoring.com/)

http://www.freeimagestoring.com/images/r8qu4nukws6gyyvi2u7v.jpg (http://www.freeimagestoring.com/)

this is the cathedral of Antwerp/Belgium
http://http://www.nietvervelen.nl/antwerpen/ANVOLV-kathedraal%20gezien%20vanaf%20de%20Suikerrui-01-06-02.jpg

http://www.zoekmachine-marketing-blog.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/07/cathedraal.jpg

olv cathedral of Antwerp
http://www.nietvervelen.nl/antwerpen/ANVOLV-kathedraal%20gezien%20vanaf%20de%20Suikerrui-01-06-02.jpg

http://www.nietvervelen.nl/antwerpen/ANVOLV-kathedraal-entree%20gezien%20vanaf%20de%20oude%20Koornmarkt-21-09-02.jpg

carolus borromeuschurch Antwerp
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2e/Antwerp_Carolus_Borromeus_Church_20040327-669.jpg/230px-Antwerp_Carolus_Borromeus_Church_20040327-669.jpg

http://www.antwerpen.be/pics/Stad/Bedrijven/Stadsontwikkeling/SW_Bezoek/activiteiten/Sightseeing/wandelen/HDparels.jpg

sint- pauluschurch - Antwerp
http://www.belgiumview.com/foto/smvote/0000019aa.jpg

http://www.belgiumview.com/belgiumview/toonmaxi.php4?pictoshow=0000019bd&taal=1&volgnummer= 237&voterid=&viewid=0000019

synagoge of Antwerp
http://www.antwerpen.be/pics/Stad/Bedrijven/Stadsontwikkeling/SW_Bezoek/activiteiten/religieuze%20gebouwen/synagoge.jpg

sint-jacobskerk - Antwerp
http://www.stedentrippers.nl/i/m/508.jpg

http://topa.be/site/im_user/200stj_interieur_01_petit.jpg


:cheers:
greetz Antigoon99

The most beautiful mosque in the world. The great masterpiece of the Ottomans in the heart of the Empire: The Blue Mosque, Istanbul/Turkey!!!

http://img358.imageshack.us/img358/8898/0162turkeyistanbulbluemosquesh.jpg

http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/4669/sultanahmed2558ey.jpg

http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/5818/alimemosultanahmetalzer599597p.jpg

http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/3272/memocansultanahmet025iv.jpg

http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/4001/faruksultanahmet3up.jpg

http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/7303/kemalbereketsahmett5fl.jpg

Blue Mosque, Istanbul, Turkey

Taj Mahal, if it can considered religious.

Basilica of the Sacred Heart, Brussels, Belgium

scroll!!!
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5c/Basilica_of_the_Sacred_Heart.jpg

http://mediaplan.ovh.net/~optasqbb/images/elto/17621.gif

==>it is the sixth largest church in the world!!

St. Michael and St. Gudula Cathedral, Brussels, Belgium

scroll!!!
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2a/Saints-Michel-et-Gudule_Luc_Viatour.jpg

St. Rumbolds Cathedral, Mechelen, Belgium

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/43/116298151_9bbf8a5206.jpg?v=0

greetz Antigoon99

Very nice, but could you please post them a bit smaller ;)...

By subcontinental, you mean India, right? Well, I noticed you generally tend to overdo things there. And I don't mean anything negative about that. I understand that the design isn't only an ornamentation but reflects the beliefs of the religion. :)

Many Hindu temples are incredibly intricate (both Nagara and Dravida style), but many also have simpler lines. Mosques tend to be more intricate within the subcontinent than outside of it, although the Persian style of tiling really adds depth to mosques in Persia, I have to say.
Catholic churches in India are typically built in Iberianesque Baroque style, since the majority were built by the Portuguese. Goa has a massive array of intricate and beautiful churches and cathedrals.


That church building in Mexico, takes the cake for minute intricate details among Christian edifices featured here that can only be rivalled by Hindu temples in their embelishments.

Goan churches are also very intricately crafted, I think they may be a better comparison to Mexican churches, especially since both were built in a similar style.

Rome: St Peter's Basilica

http://www.gliscritti.it/blog/images/san_pietro_alto_copy1.jpg



http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/st_peters-basilica.jpg




http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5b/Saint_Peter%27s_Square_from_the_dome_v2.jpg



http://www.windoweb.it/desktop_italia/foto_lazio/foto_roma/foto_roma_044_interno_Basilica_San_Pietro.jpg

http://www.uniurb.it/CRDU/album/roma/san_pietro_big.jpg

http://www.thetruthsoflife.com/spiritual-wallpapers/architecture/basilica_san_pietro_dome-1280x1024.jpg


http://www.forumlive.net/proposte/citta/urbanistica/PzzaSPietro.gif







Milan: Duomo Cathedral



http://mceer.buffalo.edu/slc/Actvt/FieldMission/03/2/Milan%20-%20Duomo.jpg

http://milanotravel.org/images/milano_duomo_guglie.jpg

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_BnUvonxZ35A/Rxpx557MDFI/AAAAAAAAAD8/bY0nr9maG2c/P9020038+-+Milan+Duomo.JPG

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Qre7wR8qII8/R37D_twHJVI/AAAAAAAABhM/2EI1VHosWiw/DSCN0103.JPG

http://www.smijer.com/blog/archives/milano-duomo.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/25/65994350_7070e741c7.jpg

http://www.emediawire.com/prfiles/2007/07/03/537515/MilanDuomoRoof2.JPG

http://www.icsviazuara.org/images/Duomo.gif


http://www.facceitaliane.it/d/46245-2/Duomo+di+Milano+by+night.JPG

Mohamad Al Amin Mosque in Beirut - Lebanon

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd61/beirutguy/MOSQUE1.jpg

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd61/beirutguy/mosque4.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2349/2228982358_135a181a71.jpg?v=0

http://img529.imageshack.us/img529/1231/moon03bz8.jpg

Interior:

http://img185.imageshack.us/img185/6604/mohamadalamine9018yl5.jpg

http://img185.imageshack.us/img185/4660/mohamadalamine9015zw1.jpg

Istiqlal Mosque - Jakarta
Biggest in South East Asia

Capacity 120,000
Dome(s) 2
Dome dia. (outer) 45 m
Minaret(s) 1
Minaret Height 66m

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a6/Istiqlal_Mosque_Monas.jpg/800px-Istiqlal_Mosque_Monas.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/e/ec/Istiqlal_Interior.jpg/800px-Istiqlal_Interior.jpg

Notre Dame:

http://edsphotoblog.com/wp-content/photos/800px/0211_notre_dame.jpg

http://yeinjee.com/travel/wp-content/uploads/2007/06/paris-notre-dame-inside.jpg

Basilica del Pilar

http://z.about.com/d/gospain/1/0/I/D/-/-/zaragoza_joshuastuart.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3275/2659409484_cb3466fa38.jpg?v=0

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2188/2419831754_489a5b9f93.jpg

Wat Arun

http://www.east-west-invest.com/images/wat_arun.jpg

http://www.jimdiamondmd.com/photogallery/t002659b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2118/2050518425_53ad11ab83.jpg

Prambanan

http://www.richard-seaman.com/Travel/Indonesia/Highlights/PrambananTemples.jpg

http://www.asiaexplorers.com/indonesia/yogyakarta/prambanan/01.jpg

http://smokwawelski.net/gallery/albums/islandofjava/Prambanan_001.sized.jpg

st peter's basilica

http://keralaarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/st_peters-basilica.jpg

Notre Dame:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2321/2476754143_6366511e7c.jpg?v=0
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2321/2476754143_6366511e7c.jpg?v=0

It's old Montreal setting:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3176/2867216581_de5102569b.jpg?v=0
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3176/2867216581_de5102569b.jpg?v=0

saint jakov šibenik

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_3MPInjMAV1o/SI30RtUEWQI/AAAAAAAAl_g/4VqvOaFpriY/s640/DSC06890.jpg

interior

http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff70/xy_poz/Sibenik/Sibenskakatedralaunutrasnjost.jpg

San Marco venice

http://cache.virtualtourist.com/2259189-Piazza_San_Marco-Venice.jpg
http://fortinweb.com/nss-folder/italypics/venicestmarksx.jpg
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kMkPsXy2RCs/SLIayG9S39I/AAAAAAAAAfk/jZ1y4Thqj1I/s1600/Bas%2BSan%2BMarco%2BVenice.jpg

Prambanan

http://www.richard-seaman.com/Travel/Indonesia/Highlights/PrambananTemples.jpg

http://www.asiaexplorers.com/indonesia/yogyakarta/prambanan/01.jpg

http://smokwawelski.net/gallery/albums/islandofjava/Prambanan_001.sized.jpg

real Indonesian ancient skyscrapers:okay:

Angkor watt, Cambodia

http://www.asiaphotos.net/gallery/Recent_Work/images/Recent_Work0213.jpg

http://www.routard.com/images_contenu/communaute/photos/publi/008/pt7022.jpg

Basilica La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona!

Meenakshi again:
http://i426.photobucket.com/albums/pp348/rammanpandu1/10b1e1a5.jpg

Angkor watt, Cambodia

http://www.asiaphotos.net/gallery/Recent_Work/images/Recent_Work0213.jpg

Angkor Wat is managed by Disney is it?

I didn't expect that...looks so kitsch.

Wat Arun

http://www.east-west-invest.com/images/wat_arun.jpg

http://www.jimdiamondmd.com/photogallery/t002659b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2118/2050518425_53ad11ab83.jpg

It's a stunning building.

http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/3286/ancientmd0.jpg

BOROBUDUR TEMPLE, Magelang - Central Java

* From distance:
http://www.freeimagestoring.com/images/i98wi5zsnrr7jx8ei3t2.jpg (http://www.freeimagestoring.com/)


* Close-up Image (It was raining when I was there, so there were so many umbrellas :nuts:)
http://www.freeimagestoring.com/images/io5i1hbkb8ui232x63d.jpg (http://www.freeimagestoring.com/)


* Stupas of the Temple:
http://www.freeimagestoring.com/images/3yeucjaxstk4v4irpk53.jpg (http://www.freeimagestoring.com/)


http://www.freeimagestoring.com/images/jr821i3j764a8fzo6yg.jpg (http://www.freeimagestoring.com/)


http://www.freeimagestoring.com/images/77fwkuctxxlssf7mvugv.jpg (http://www.freeimagestoring.com/)


http://www.freeimagestoring.com/images/yjl38ike5o1pa6j16es9.jpg (http://www.freeimagestoring.com/)


http://www.freeimagestoring.com/images/849lxipwp5xd2itlmm7q.jpg (http://www.freeimagestoring.com/)


http://www.freeimagestoring.com/images/d9oamdy9mu2squfa4gnm.jpg (http://www.freeimagestoring.com/)

KOTA KINABALU CITY MOSQUE, Sabah, East Malaysia
http://i342.photobucket.com/albums/o417/cth2206/ml3.jpg
http://i342.photobucket.com/albums/o417/cth2206/ml5.jpg
http://i342.photobucket.com/albums/o417/cth2206/ml8.jpg

Akshardham, Delhi

http://img381.imageshack.us/img381/7493/05bv1.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/akshardham03f.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/akshardham02f.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/mandovar10f.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/mandovar02f.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/elephant10f.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/elephant07f.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/murti07f.jpg

http://akshardham.com/photogallery/mandir/photo/ghanshyam01f.jpg


This is OMG!! :eek2:

I am a new SSC user, and I have no pictures to post, simply because all my favourite religious buildings have been already posted :)

Just wanted to thank all of you who made the effort of posting so much beauty. As someone said, any of these buildings has a particular significance to the poster, so there is no "more beautiful" or "uglier".

Any place where man can feel closer to his God, is a place of peace, wisdom and (visible or not) beauty.

Thanks :)

indian temples are just awesome!!

Wat Benchamabophit Dusitvanaram - วัดเบญจมบพิตรดุสิตวนารามราชวรวิหาร (The Marble Temple)- Bangkok, Thailand

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1083/1206169315_9ecff8ccf5.jpg?v=0
flickr:makkeboome

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/34/96215874_653804347d.jpg?v=0
flickr:maston

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3081/2724976918_29d876f41a.jpg?v=0

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3125/2724979350_6776ed40c8.jpg?v=0
flickr:Justin Gaurav Murgai

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2304/2053493108_aafc5f0220.jpg?v=0
flickr:twicepix

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3183/2843061922_74e7a55779_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3174/2795367061_20ca83c6ee_b.jpg
flickr:+hun+

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2129/1524085485_80a394292e_b.jpg
flickr:haribote

http://www.raingod.com/angus/Gallery/Photos/Asia/Thailand/images/WatBenInterior01.jpg
raingod.com

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_amunSTBLh3k/RnaGoQeNLDI/AAAAAAAAAyU/kpyyNi_GhUA/IMG_3661.JPG

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_amunSTBLh3k/RnaGtQeNLGI/AAAAAAAAAys/Xl0ma8bx62E/s512/IMG_3666.JPG

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_amunSTBLh3k/RnaGpweNLEI/AAAAAAAAAyc/4Mn9IF3co2o/s720/IMG_3663.JPG
picsa:Tim

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c193/hainesjeff/Fatima-Basilica.jpg

Santuário de Fátima (Fatima's Santuary), Portugal

:)

CRYSTAL MOSQUE, Terengganu, Malaysia

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2180/2258246983_642bc21747_b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2326/2266040962_e7745b3d55_b.jpg
by zairi

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3220/2522249095_bdf799477c_b.jpg

http://k53.pbase.com/o2/39/733439/1/93474854.DtSFne7z.MasjidKr.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2291/2523078162_b2ba3e69f5_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3175/2522255861_4a391f2341_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3254/3034568028_d4f31a26db_o.jpg
by manhoi

http://aminorazmi.shutterchance.com/photos/1978/138969_143d.jpg

Sheikh Zayed Mosque, UAE
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3528/3465109479_e61f9d14d7_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3574/3467938727_c0d47a3d34_b.jpg

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http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3324/3342298411_b28822f442_b.jpg

http:////farm4.static.flickr.com/3292/2972961785_faafbb8962.jpg?v=0

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http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3527/3303910357_a1b4f990db.jpg?v=0

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http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3079/3089409324_cb4360a9e3_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3289/3088573865_3995183007_b.jpg

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http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3095/3089396332_e73a683b75_b.jpg

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http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3256/2690879002_dd9b2cfac9.jpg?v=0

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3248/2489252643_8ca6f0baec_b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2279/2490069260_5085e4ec8e_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3016/2489237769_f00de16060.jpg?v=0

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3285/2489241639_184cd00ced.jpg?v=0

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2189/2417120102_5fee9fb87e.jpg?v=0

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2103/2463583093_b218b77b0b_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3089/2468308406_873b6c17fd.jpg?v=0

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2294/2490054648_43e0c93c44_b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2340/2419099188_e4449c7c36.jpg?v=0

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3247/2799592312_62d8e9740c.jpg?v=0

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3149/2798740687_c7bf94be94_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3247/2799592312_62d8e9740c.jpg?v=0

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3604/3348937690_b0aaa9ae59.jpg?v=0

Kul-Sharif Mosque, Russia

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2396/2199684890_cf99f270e2_b.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/158/336714594_aed2ca2c74_b.jpg

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1162/1475665351_54af37cbd6_o.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/222/503162350_eb7849a442_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3017/2911995618_6ac343dc39_b.jpg

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1178/1118273092_445ca41bc7_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3348/3188317399_b4ef58bbb6_o.jpg

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1290/1108010737_3151b967f6_b.jpg

Makkah(Mecca) Masjid al-haram Saudi Arabia

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1097/1270150557_3571be25b2_o.jpg

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1127/566496156_2927a8d55f_o.jpg

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1213/1271007868_d273c294f3_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3556/3454319985_27bc3f4221_o.jpg

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1164/1271010004_ec3f84258c_o.jpg

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1241/1133525032_29d8214031_o.jpg

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1080/1133523028_92e8201dbd_o.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/140/346315562_63c645ff0f_o.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/165/355429571_2c5fd83d9e_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3067/2568108769_e807deb752_o.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/167/463213223_e7ddacb477_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3006/2568933218_5966644023_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3287/2701799691_324eb555a5_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3269/2903789358_9dee80f773_o.jpg

What's the gathering audience?

Sheikh Zayed Mosque, UAE
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3528/3465109479_e61f9d14d7_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3574/3467938727_c0d47a3d34_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3574/3303910993_6168bb0683.jpg?v=0

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3584/3347273677_58ec9c771d.jpg?v=0

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3324/3342298411_b28822f442_b.jpg

http:////farm4.static.flickr.com/3292/2972961785_faafbb8962.jpg?v=0

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3536/3303910565_aba5a9054e.jpg?v=0

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3454/3363121078_61ee23657b.jpg?v=0

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3527/3303910357_a1b4f990db.jpg?v=0

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http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3079/3089409324_cb4360a9e3_b.jpg

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http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2279/2490069260_5085e4ec8e_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3016/2489237769_f00de16060.jpg?v=0

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3285/2489241639_184cd00ced.jpg?v=0

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2189/2417120102_5fee9fb87e.jpg?v=0

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2103/2463583093_b218b77b0b_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3089/2468308406_873b6c17fd.jpg?v=0

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2294/2490054648_43e0c93c44_b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2340/2419099188_e4449c7c36.jpg?v=0

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3247/2799592312_62d8e9740c.jpg?v=0

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3149/2798740687_c7bf94be94_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3247/2799592312_62d8e9740c.jpg?v=0

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3604/3348937690_b0aaa9ae59.jpg?v=0

Absolutely breathtaking :applause:

CRYSTAL MOSQUE, Terengganu, Malaysia

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2180/2258246983_642bc21747_b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2326/2266040962_e7745b3d55_b.jpg
by zairi

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3220/2522249095_bdf799477c_b.jpg

http://k53.pbase.com/o2/39/733439/1/93474854.DtSFne7z.MasjidKr.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2291/2523078162_b2ba3e69f5_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3175/2522255861_4a391f2341_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3254/3034568028_d4f31a26db_o.jpg
by manhoi

http://aminorazmi.shutterchance.com/photos/1978/138969_143d.jpg

I didn't know you could put together an ancient disign and modern materials but still get such a great result.:okay:

It looks like it was made by Disney.

CRYSTAL MOSQUE, Terengganu, Malaysia

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2180/2258246983_642bc21747_b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2326/2266040962_e7745b3d55_b.jpg
by zairi

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3220/2522249095_bdf799477c_b.jpg

http://k53.pbase.com/o2/39/733439/1/93474854.DtSFne7z.MasjidKr.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2291/2523078162_b2ba3e69f5_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3175/2522255861_4a391f2341_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3254/3034568028_d4f31a26db_o.jpg
by manhoi

http://aminorazmi.shutterchance.com/photos/1978/138969_143d.jpg

amazing fusion of modern materials for classical design.

amazing mosques especially the Crystal Mosque. :applause: I'm in awe...

:applause::applause: such a great architecture

Wat Phra Kaew in Bangkok.......lots of Christian Church and Islam Mosque pictures....try somerthing a little different

http://pirun.ku.ac.th/~b5010270/w4.jpg

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_XNRHq6uNZ4E/SJ06xsBL0oI/AAAAAAAAAGs/OCpYaZI973I/s400/prasiratana.jpg

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_XNRHq6uNZ4E/SJ06xsBL0oI/AAAAAAAAAGs/OCpYaZI973I/s400/prasiratana.jpg

^^

sry...i posted the same pic twice


Wat Rong Khun in Chiangmai, Thailand

http://www.rpst-digital.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=116559&stc=1

http://www.pantip.com/cafe/gallery/topic/G6652787/G6652787-11.jpg

many people mistakenly says it's the Grand Palace...:sleepy:

many people mistakenly says it's the Grand Palace...:sleepy:


it's the grand palace as well....

Wat pra keaw is the temple that located inside the grand palace.....it's simply the same place

Bangkok's temples are awesome.

As a request, could people please stop quoting WHOLE posts of pictures?

quezon city,PHILIPPINES

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2384/2344525187_ba597d0255_o.jpg

http://www.flickr.com/photos/24821301@N03/2344525187/

.here's another one..,,



http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3262/3187146293_2c7c91def6_o.jpg

..just click..

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1285/534298165_e4d0ace061_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3029/2638414945_0621bd6c3a_o.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/65/172970121_addeec1601_o.jpg

hirs d best..!


http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3558/3359226171_5d198195d2_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3139/2370676776_2ed55965dd_o.jpg

^^nice but you can also post all those pic's in just one post...;)

Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Toronto

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1303/958650728_b2eed3a857_b.jpg

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1082/1074405850_729292b360_b.jpg

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1191/1042878405_cc59a4be5c_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3132/3176438497_f1a960bb8d_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3035/3022895131_edd67d4f8e_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3223/2958723393_12ab69fcd6_b.jpg
source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sherlon/2958723393/

Temple of Intercession on the Nerl, Russia

The world's most famous orthodoxal church. Built in 1165.

http://www.museum.vladimir.ru/arch/bogolub/pokrov/image/towns/bogolub/big/pokrov4.jpg http://www.museum.vladimir.ru/arch/bogolub/pokrov/image/towns/bogolub/big/pokrov1.jpg http://www.museum.vladimir.ru/arch/bogolub/pokrov/image/towns/bogolub/big/pokrov5.jpg http://www.museum.vladimir.ru/arch/bogolub/pokrov/image/towns/bogolub/big/pokrov2.jpg http://www.museum.vladimir.ru/arch/bogolub/pokrov/image/towns/bogolub/big/pokrov3.jpg
http://sobory.narod.ru/vladimir/suzdal/fotos/00185_3.jpg http://sobory.narod.ru/vladimir/suzdal/fotos/00185_4.jpg

here are some religious buildings from Mexico
(all pictures from flickr)

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d52/Adrian12345Lugo/Church/3385670465_90950914ef_b.jpg


http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d52/Adrian12345Lugo/Church/3101009076_40e056cea1_b.jpg

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d52/Adrian12345Lugo/Church/3041718787_7bb2935a97_b.jpg

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d52/Adrian12345Lugo/Church/3608415401_1c77b2dba0_b.jpg

More from Mexico (prehispanic era)

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d52/Adrian12345Lugo/ancient%20Mexico/byEliseoOliveras.jpg

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d52/Adrian12345Lugo/ancient%20Mexico/byilfanto.jpg

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d52/Adrian12345Lugo/ancient%20Mexico/bymikebresh.jpg

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d52/Adrian12345Lugo/ancient%20Mexico/byaaamagenta.jpg

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d52/Adrian12345Lugo/ancient%20Mexico/2722018086_232ec9ec64_b.jpg

nice photos...