These are the top 10 most beautiful churches in the world

For those who choose to go, the most beautiful churches are those that offer sanctuary, peace, and acceptance for worship. Naturally, several stunning sacred sites all over the world are worth a visit regardless of one’s religious beliefs. From a church carved directly into volcanic rock to a stave church built in the 12th century, AD travels to ten of the world’s most stunning churches here. However styles and groups fluctuate, each demonstrate exactly the way that ingenious and imaginative people can be while planning to respect a higher power.

Shrine of Our Lady of Las Lajas (Colombia)

The Shrine of Our Lady of Las Lajas, which is in Colombia, is now a must-see in South America for pilgrims and everyday tourists alike. It was a place of pilgrimage long before there was a church there. In 1754, two indigenous women who were looking for shelter from a storm said that the Virgin Mary appeared to them. Throughout the long term, various places of worship were raised to honor the occasion. The neo-Gothic church was built in 1916 by Colombian architect Lucindo Espinosa and Ecuadorian engineer J. Gualberto Pérez in the canyon formed by the Guáitara River along the Ecuadorian border. The church was finally built in 1949, and the location on a cliff more than 300 feet above the river below is definitely reminiscent of a movie set.

Panagía Paraportianí Church (Greece)

This church is one of the oldest of the more than 400 churches on the Greek island of Mykonos and has a view of the Aegean Sea. The Byzantine-Cycladic building in the town of Chora’s historic district dates back to 1425. The fact that it is actually made up of five different churches that have been built over time and then joined together to form the current structure is its most distinctive feature. The church or churches—Panaga Paraportian, which translates to “Our Lady of the Side Gate”—were constructed inside an ancient city gate. It is a stunning example of Cycladic architecture with its plain, whitewashed exterior.

Göreme Churches (Turkey)

The numerous monasteries carved into volcanic peaks that make up Turkey’s Cappadocia region are a must-see open-air museum. Some of the most well-known churches can be found in the Göreme Valley. The cavern structures were made by priests starting in the fourth 100 years, and many have staggering frescoes painted on the inside walls. The caves were originally used as monasteries, but over the years they also became homes, chapels, and even refectories. In 1985, UNESCO included the Göreme churches on its list of World Heritage sites.

Church of St. George (Ethiopia)

Dating from the late 12th to early 13th centuries, the Church of St. George is one of eleven solid chapels cut into the volcanic tuff at Lalibela, in Ethiopia’s Amhara locale. The Ethiopian Orthodox church, which was built during the time of King Gebre Mesqel Lalibela, has been called the eighth wonder of the world. It is encircled by an exceptionally tight man-made gulch while inside frescoes depict the existence of St. George, a Roman officer who would not deny his Christian confidence. Lalibela’s churches are divided into two groups by an 80-by-80-foot trench that represents the Jordan River.

Chapel of Saint-Michel d’Aiguilhe (France)

The chapel of Saint-Michel is on top of a volcanic peak that is 279 feet tall and can be found in the hills of the commune of Aiguilhe, which is less than two hours away from Lyon by car. The Romanesque church, built in 969, is dedicated to Saint Michael, the mountaintop patron saint. Open through a flight of stairs with 268 stages, this stone construction was known as a “gem of Romanesque engineering” by the French Heartfelt essayist Thrive Mérimée and offers an all-encompassing perspective on the town underneath. The lightning struck the bell tower in 1247, but it was rebuilt in the 19th century. The French painter Anatole Dauvergne also restored the chapel’s frescoes during that time.

Chapel of the Holy Cross (United States)

The formal designs for the Chapel of the Holy Cross in Sedona, Arizona, were created by architects August K. Strotz and Richard Hein of Anshen & Allen. They were commissioned and designed in part by philanthropist Marguerite Brunswig Staude. After the Catholic church opened in 1957, it immediately became one of Arizona’s top vacation destinations. Staude’s original design was influenced by American skyscrapers, specifically the Empire State Building. The building’s focal point is sculptor Keith Monroe’s 90-foot iron cross. The congregation is a special beautiful landmark in the rough and pleasant desert scene with its substantial walls making a clear difference with the encompassing red rocks.

Stykkishólmskirkja Church (Iceland)

Architect Jón Haraldsson created this futuristic Lutheran church on the Snaefellsnes Peninsula. The concrete church, which opened in 1990 and has a bell tower that looks like the vertebrae of a whale, is in the pretty fishing village of Stykkishólmsbr in western Iceland. The church’s sleek lines that cut through the sky are amazing to see from a distance.

Borgund Stave Church (Norway)

This medieval wooden church was built in the late 12th century and is in the village of Borgund, about three hours from Bergen. Norway’s church is one of the country’s best-preserved stave churches and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The name comes from the vertical wooden boards that make up the walls, which are called staves.) Throughout the 19th century, numerous historic wooden churches were neglected, and some were deliberately demolished to make way for newer structures. The incomparable Heartfelt scene painter Johan Christian Clausen Dahl is credited with featuring these chapels’ excellence and noteworthy importance, guaranteeing that many made due right up ’til now.

Cadet Chapel, United States Air Force Academy (United States)

Opened in 1962, the United States Air Force Academy Cadet Chapel is 150 feet tall and is one of the US’s most imperative pioneer strict structures. The chapel was designed by architect Walter Netsch and features 17 glass spires and aluminum panels as its crown. The modern chapel has been compared to a spaceship or an airplane wing due to its stained-glass windows and steel structure. Buddhist, Catholic, Protestant, Muslim, and Jewish cadets can worship in the ecumenical chapel, which also serves as a meditation space.

Temppeliaukio Church (Finland)

The Finnish brothers Timo and Tuomo Suomalainen were the architects behind this modernist monolithic church, which was completed in 1969. The church’s walls, which range in height from 16 to 26 feet, were carved directly into granite rocks. A 79-foot copper dome rests atop concrete beams and 180 glass panels at the top of the church, letting in light. Due to its rough stone walls and excellent acoustics, the church is also well-known and frequently hosts concerts.