This post is not about religion, it’s about architecture. Not just
architecture, but unusual architecture, and to be more exact - unusual
churches. I am sure that there are hundreds and thousands of beautiful
churches around the world, but only very very few are so odd, that you
would definitely take a camera and take a picture. If you are
interested, here’s the list of 20 unusual churches that I found.
P.S. if you know or have a picture of an unusual church, send it to us (email on about page).
不一样的教堂，不一样的建筑，不一样的感受。-小枯注。
(Image Credits: Stuck in Customs)
The Church of Hallgrímur is very very unusual, never seen anything like that.
This Lutheran parish church is also a very tall one, reaching 74.5
metres (244 ft) height. It is the fourth tallest architectural
structure in Iceland.
It took incredibly long to build it (38 years!) Construction work began in 1945 and ended in 1986.
The Architect of this building is Guðjón Samúelssondesign.
More info: Hallgrímskirkja
(Image Credits: = xAv =)
(Image Credits: Victor Soares, Agência Brazil)
This is a very famous Cathedral of Brasília
designed by Oscar Niemeyer. It looks really modern but somehow childish
to me. These columns, having hyperbolic section and weighing 90 t,
represent two hands moving upwards to heaven.
The construction was finished in 1970.
More info: Cathedral of Brasília
(Image Credits: Storm Crypt)
Paoay Church reminds me of Aztec architecture. It
looks very massive and strong. The walls of the church are 1.67 meters
thick and are supported by 24 carved and massive buttresses.
Its construction started in 1704 and was completed in 1894 by the
Augustinian friars led by Fr. Antonio Estavillo. It is said, that Its
construction primarily was intended to withstand earthquakes. And it
could test the strength of the walls very soon, because the church was
damaged by an earthquake in 1706 and 1927.
The design of the church is a mixture of Gothic, Oriental and Baroque influence.
(Image Credits: Stuck in Customs)
Duomo looks incredibly tall and majestic. It even has an evil and scary look in this picture. After checking the Wikipedia
for more info I found there were more photos of this cathedral, but
they don’t look as cool as this photo here. Maybe its just an illusion
made by a good photographer that this building is so amazing.
On the other hand, Mark Twain said the following of the Duomo in Milan in his work, Innocents Abroad:
“They say that the Cathedral of Milan is second only to St. Peter’s at
Rome. I cannot understand how it can be second to anything made by
human hands.”
More info: Wikipedia.
5. Church Ruins in Goreme, Turkey
(Image Credits: shapeshift)
The rock cut ruins of a church by persecuted Christians.
Not sure when it was built, but definitely look very ancient. How did those guys carved the inside of these rocks?
The Cappadocia valley, where this church stands, is very popular for
its rocks that the people of the villages at the heart of the
Cappadocia Region carved out to form houses, churches, monasteries.
There are an estimated 150 churches and several monasteries in the canyon between the villages of Ihlara and Selime.
Those rocks are volcanic deposits, so that means they are soft rocks, making it possible to carve such structures.
(Image Credits: Magda-50)
Don’t have info about this church, nevertheless it’s very unusual. I have never seen a church so green, have you?
Michael: “a parish church in Buenos Aires, Argentina known
as the “Huerto de Olivos”, or “Garden of Olives,” most likely a
reference Gethsemane, on the Mount of Olives”
(Image Credits: Wikipedia)
Stave churches may have been very usual all over medieval
northwestern Europe but now you can only find them in Norway. Well ok,
there is one one in Sweden, but nowhere else.
Borgund stave church located in Borgund, Lærdal,
Norway is the best preserved of Norway’s 28 extant stave churches. This
wooden church, probably built in the end of the 12th century, has not changed structure or had a major reconstruction since the date it was built.
Interesting fact: the church is also featured as a Wonder for the Viking civilization in the video game Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings.
(Image Credits: marcelgermain)
I will just cite, what the author of this picture wrote about it:
“Paraportianí Church is one of the most famous
architectural structures in Greece. Its name means secondary gate,
because it was built on the site of one of the gates of the Medieval
stone walls. Some parts of this beautiful church date from 1425 and the
rest was built during the 16th and 17th centuries. ”
(Image Credits: Wolfgang Staudt)
I have never seen anything as incredible as this building! Never
been to Spain, but if I ever happen to do so, I will definitely include
Sangrada Família on the must-see list. I wonder, how does it look in
reality?
Sagrada Família is a very massive Roman Catholic
basilica under construction in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
Construction began in 1882 and continues to this day. A very famous
architect Antoni Gaudí worked on the project for over 40 years,
devoting the last 15 years of his life entirely to this endeavour.
In the center there is going to be a tower of Jesus Christ,
surmounted by a giant cross; the tower’s total height will be 170 m
(557,7ft).
There is so much info on this one, that you should check Wikipedia.
(Image Credits: Lst1984)
Cathedral of Saint Basil the Blessed , is a multi-tented church which stands on the Red Square in Moscow.
This church looks really cool, because It has very unusual onion
domes which look playful and colorful. Sometimes people even say, that
they remind them of lollypops.
The cathedral was built in 1555 -1561 by Ivan IV (a.k.a Ivan the Terrible) to celebrate the capture of the Khanate of Kazan.
A legend says that Ivan had the architect, Postnik Yakovlev, blinded
to prevent him from building a more magnificent building for anyone
else. In fact, Postnik Yakovlev built a number of churches after Saint
Basil’s.
More info: Saint Basil’s Cathedral
(Image Credits: omarrun)
(Image Credits: omarrun)
This church in Iceland looks really weird, like some alien structure. If you have more info on that one, let me know.
Update: It was built in 1990 and the architect is Jón Haraldsson.
(Image Credits: Fernando Rossi)
Basilica de Higuey is located in the city of Higuey, Dominican Republic. Its unusual look reminds me of a basket.
The church is one of the most respected monuments of the Dominican Republic. The basilica was inaugurated on January 21, 1971, and was built by French architects.
(Image Credits: Derek Farr ( DetroitDerek ))
This strange building is actually a church. Once it was famous for
being “Detroit’s most beautiful Chinese-American restaurant”. Later it
closed down and became the Omega Baptist Church and then the Grace
Fellowship Baptist Church. Located at 265 Baltimore, MD, USA.
(Image Credits: Jungle_Boy)
(Image Credits: julkastro)
Las Lajas Cathedral looks unusual to me because one
side of it seems to be a part of a bridge across the river and the
other side rests on the hill. The overall look is really fascinating.
Built in 1916 inside the canyon of the Guaitara river where, according to local legend, the Virgin Mary appeared.
You can find this church in southern Colombian Department of Nariño, municipality of Ipiales, near the border with Ecuador.
(Image Credits: alaninabox)
(Image Credits: alaninabox)
Jubilee Church has very distinctive curved walls
which look like sails to me. Designed in 1996 by architect Richard
Meier, the church has curved walls which serve the engineering purpose
of minimizing thermal peak loads in the interior space.
The walls are made from a special cement, which contain titanium dioxide（氧化钛）, so it destroys air pollution.防止空气污染
According to Borgarello “When the titanium dioxide absorbs
ultraviolet light, it becomes powerfully reactive, breaking down
pollutants that come in contact with the concrete.”
(Image Credits: Giant Ginkgo)
Maybe I’ll better don’t tell what those domes remind me (haha). Very
very unusual looking building I must say. Its massiveness and gray
color looks like Soviet architecture. I was amazed when I read that it
was actually in USA and not somewhere In Soviet Union.
St. Joseph Ukrainian Catholic church is a is most
known for its ultra-modern thirteen gold domed roof symbolizing the
twelve apostles and Jesus Christ as the largest center dome.
It is celebrating its 52 years, so it was built in 1956 (if my calculations are right).
More info on Wikipedia: St Joseph Ukrainian Church
(Image Credits: jimgrant)
Someone told that the roof of this building looks like Elvis’ hair.
Informally known as Ronchamp, the chapel of Notre Dame du Haut was
completed in 1954 and is considered one of the finest examples of
architecture by the late French/Swiss architect Le Corbusier.
Most interesting fact to me is that, when it rains, water pours off
the slanted roof onto a fountain, creating a dramatic waterfall.
More info on Wikipedia: Notre Dame du Haut
(Image Credits: woolennium)
Don’t have info on that one, only this photo and the location: Huntington Beach, CA, USA.
As far as I understand it must be sponsored by Shell, because it has
a huge SHELL logo on it (this statement can be absolutely different
from the reality). Looks terrible overall.
(Image Credits: Touring Boy)
This church is really odd one, sorry I have no info on it,
only the words of the picture author: “This was on the canal to Carnac.
Really odd church in the (seeming) middle of nowhere. ”
Mads: “This is the chapel of St-Gildas, which sits upon the
bank of the Canal du Blavet in Brittany, France. “Built like a stone
barn into the base of a bare rocky cliff, this was once a holy place of
the Druids. Gildas appears to have travelled widely throughout the
Celtic world of Corwall, Wales, Ireland and Scotland. He arrived in
Brittany in about AD 540 and is said to have preached Christianity to
the people from a rough pulpit, now contained within the chapel.” (from
‘Cruising French Waterways’ by Hugh McKnight p.150)”
(Image Credits: Phillie Casablanca)
Cathedral of Rio de Janeiro looks like a Pyramid of Egypt or Aztecs.
It was built between 1964 and 1979. Conical in form it has internal
diameter of 96 metres (315 ft) and an overall height of 75 metres (246
ft). The church has a standing-room capacity of 20,000 people.
Four rectilinear stained glass windows soar 64 metres (210 ft) from floor to ceiling.
Long
time no see, my brothers and sisters! A lot of you guys were asking for
a part II of Unusual Churches , so here it is. Most extraordinary,
strange, odd, you name it, churches of our planet. Look at those
spectacular churches built on the tip of the mountain, carved out of
stone or built deep inside underground and tell me that there is no god!
P.S.: this list wouldn’t have come out without your
help - a very big Thank you for all your suggestions and emails. I was
so eager to post it, that I haven’t put any info on those churches yet,
so feel free to share everything you know about them in the comments.
(image credits: Sacred Destinations)
Perhaps one of the most remarkable sights in France, a chapel
perched on a volcanic plug. This is the Rock of Aiguilhe, on the edge
of the town of Puy en Velay, in the Auvergne. The Chapelle Saint-Michel
has stood there for 1042 years, since Bishop Gothescalk had it built in
962 on his return from a pilgrimage to Santiago del Compostella in
Galicia. In 1955 workers found relics under the alter that had been
there since it was built.
(image credits: Eckwriter)
A kid on the tour to Eckerd College once said it looked like a
“Jesus spider from outer space.” Inspired by 20th-century architect
Eero Saarinen, the Chapel was designed by the highly respected Chicago
architectural firm of Perkins and Will. Its key design features are its
octagonal shape and in-the-round seating, the oculus at the center of
the roof that directs sunlight to the center of the sanctuary, the
lower glass panels which reflect light from the water outside to the
interior, and the girders which recall the flying buttresses of the
medieval cathedral, instilling a sense of timelessness in a
contemporary structure.
(image credits: santanartist)
This facinating Roman Catholic church is literally built into the
rock. The views from outside are unbelievable but the serenity inside
is awesome
Some say, that Chapel in the Rock can move even the non-religious.
(image credits: ms_cwang)
It was too hot for New York City; too hot for Stanford University.
But a controversial, imposing sculpture by renowned international
artist Dennis Oppenheim finally found a public home in laid-back
Vancouver. A country church is seen balancing on it’s steeple, as if it
had been lifted by a terrific force and brought to the site as a device
or method of rooting out evil forces. In 2008 it was moved from
Vancouver to Calgary, AB, Canada.
(image credits: Scott Bruce)
Trendsetters Church in Phoenix, AZ, built in 1973 by Neil Frisby as
Capstone Cathedral. I’m sure Neil Frisby visited Egypt just before
designing this church.
(image credits: Dylan Cerling)
(image credits: Dylan Cerling)
Possibly the most famous of Lalibeli’s churches, the Church of St.
George is completely carved out of stone in the shape of a cross.
(image credits: Daria Xenopo)
Local tradition confesses that,during the construction of a railway
, at the opening of the a tunnel, it was found an icon painted in stone
representing the Holy Trinity. The monastery was built at the opening
of the tunnel The monastery was built at the opening of the tunnel on
the rock.
(image credits: Florian Seiffert (F*))
(image credits: Florian Seiffert (F*))
A concrete chapel on the edge of a field in Mechernich, southern
Germany, built by local farmers in honor of their patron saint, the
15th-century hermit Bruder Klaus,” according to icon.
(Photography by Nidya Rincón [email protected])
(Image credits: jeromesutter and olliethebastard)
Catedral de Sal (Salt Cathedral) in Zipaquirá, about 25 miles north
of Bogotá, is an underground church built in a tunnel of salt mines
deep inside a salt mountain. It is built into a space left by salt
mining; everything you see here is salt. As you descend into the
church, you pass 14 small chapels representing the stations of the
suffering of Christ. The sanctuary at the bottom has three sections,
representing the birth, life, and death of Jesus.
The first Salt Cathedral was consecrated in 1954, but structural
problems and safety concerns led the authorities to shut down the
sanctuary in 1990. The current church was built between 1991 and 1996
about 200 feet below the old sanctuary, again using caves left behind
by previous mining operations.
(image credits: carlosoliveirareis)
(image credits: maria clara de melo)
This is a Roman Catholic cathedral located in downtown Maringá,
Paraná, Brazil, measuring 124 m high. It was completed in 1972 and is
the tallest church in South America and the 16th tallest in the world.
Architect José Augusto Bellucci was inspired by the Soviet sputnik
satellites when he projected the modern design with conical shape of
the cathedral, which was idealized by the archbishop Dom Jaime Luiz
Coelho.
(image credits: Ricky Irvine)
Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA, was
designed by architect Frank Lloyd Wright in 1956, and completed in
1961. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church is one of Wright’s last works. Its
shallow scalloped dome echoes his Marin County Civic Center.
(image credits: only_point_five)
(image credits: only_point_five)
The Felsenkirche (”Church of the Rock”) , a church built into a
natural niche in the rocks, rises high above the houses of Oberstein.
Nicely blends into the mountain, making all this place magical.
(image credits:sent by email)
(image credits: seier+seier+seier)
Grundtvig’s Church (Danish: Grundtvigs Kirke) is located
in the Bispebjerg district of Copenhagen, Denmark. It is a rare example
of expressionist church architecture. Due to its unusual appearance, it
is one of the best known churches in the city.
(Image credits: Stillframe)
Architects: Eko and Charlie.
(Image credits: R.Duran)
A Parish Church at the beginning of Alcalde Sainz de Baranda St. (Madrid, Spain).
(Image credits: seier+seier+seier)
Pilgrimage church designed by Gottfried Böhm and constructed during
the period of 1963-1972. The sunken cathedral in autumn colors. Böhm
used the terrain to lessen the impact of the enormous church on its
small scale context.
(Image credits: longhorndave)
San Francisco de Asis Church is a small mission in Ranchos de Taos,
New Mexico. Construction on the church began around 1772 and was
completed in 1815 by Franciscan Fathers and its patron is Saint Francis
of Assisi. It is made of adobe as are many of the Spanish missions in
New Mexico. It a few miles south of Taos Pueblo and has inspired among
the greatest number of depictions of any building in the United States.
It was the subject of four paintings by Georgia O’Keeffe,
and photographs by Ansel Adams and Paul Strand. Georgia O’Keeffe
described it as, “one of the most beautiful buildings left in the
United States by the early Spaniards.”
(Image credits: Martin LaBar (going on hiatus))
This church is built into the hillside on which it perches. One of
the reasons the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg has survived as an
independent state for a thousand years against such powerful neighbors
as Germany and France, is that the area is eminently fortifiable.
(Image credits: Martin LaBar (going on hiatus))
A colorful birdhouse, made in the shape of a church, hanging on a
fence of someones yard in Greer, South Carolina. The bird living in
this church must be a bird-priest raising donations from other birds
in a form of seeds.
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