Church Architecture, Religious Buildings, Abbeys, Cathedrals, Chapels, Kirks, Designs, Architects
Church Architecture – Buildings
Major Religious Projects from around the world
post updated 23 Feb 2020
Church Buildings
We’ve selected what we feel are the key examples of Religious Architecture. We aim to include the most interesting and significant Church buildings.
We cover completed Religious buildings, new building designs, architectural exhibitions and architecture competitions across the world. The focus is on contemporary Religious buildings but information on traditional buildings is also welcome.
We have 4 pages of Religious Architecture selections.
Church Buildings : A-C
Church Building Designs : D-R
Church Architecture : S part 1 (this page)
Church Architecture Designs : S part 2 + T-Z (this page)
Church Architecture Projects
Architecture News – latest additions to this page, arranged chronologically:
Semper Fidelis Memorial Chapel, USA
Design: Fentress Architects
image courtesy of Ben Rasmussen Photography
Semper Fidelis Memorial Chapel
The name of the chapel echoes the Marines’ motto, Semper Fidelis, always faithful, because even when you leave the Corps, you faithfully remain a Marine for the rest of your life. Among its veterans are US Congressmen and Senators, Olympic athletes, captains of industry, and no fewer than 25 astronauts. The chapel sits in extensive grounds that also contain the National Museum of the Marine Corps. Quantico is also home to the Marine Corps Combat Development Command, the Presidential helicopter squadron, the US Drug Enforcement Administration’s training academy, and the FBI Academy and Laboratory.
St Martin-in-the-Fields Church – building renewal, London, UK
Design: Eric Parry Architects
image © Timothy Soar
St Martin-in-the-Fields Church
This is one of London’s most significant recent building projects: the £36 m regeneration of the church and its associated buildings. The renewal project at St Martin’s encompasses much more than the famous church in Trafalgar Square, London. Eric Parry Architects’ response to the brief centres around connecting each of the different elements of the site. A new glazed entrance pavilion located in the widened Church Path to the north of the church provides access to a sequence of impressive, naturally lit spaces below ground – a new foyer, a shop, a large hall, a small chapel, a new rehearsal space, various offices and meeting rooms as well as a reconfigured restaurant in the crypt.
Major Church Building on this page:
St Paul’s Cathedral, City of London, England
Architect: Sir Christopher Wren
photo © Adrian Welch
St Paul’s Cathedral Building
Summary of key aspects of the building:
– Church of England cathedral
– seat of the Bishop of London
– dedication to Paul the Apostle dates back to the original church on this site, founded in AD 604.
– St Paul’s sits at the top of Ludgate Hill, the highest point in the City of London
– present church dating from the late 17th century
– built to an English Baroque design of Sir Christopher Wren
– as part of a major rebuilding program which took place in the city after the Great Fire of London
– was completed within his lifetime.
– one of the most famous and most recognisable sights of London
– dominating the skyline for 300 years.
– 365 feet (111m) high, it was the tallest building in London from 1710 to 1962
Key Religious Buildings, alphabetical:
St Mary Woolnoth, City of London, UK
Design: Nicholas Hawksmoor
image © Adrian Welch
St Mary Woolnoth
St Vincent Street Church, Scotland
Design: Alexander ‘Greek’ Thomson
photograph © Adrian Welch
St Vincent Street Church
Sacre Coeur, Paris, France
Architect: Paul Abadie
picture © Isabelle Lomholt
Sacre Coeur Paris
Sagrada Familia, Barcelona, Spain
Design: Antoni Gaudi Architect
photograph © Adrian Welch
Sagrada Familia Barcelona
San Cristóbal church Tenerife, Spain
Design: Estudio FAM Architects
image from architect
Canary Islands church building
Sant’ Agostino, Rome, Italy
–
photo © AW
Sant’ Agostino
Sant’ Andrea al Quirinale, Rome, Italy
Design: Bernini
image © AW
Sant’ Andrea al Quirinale
Sant’ Andrea di Valle, Rome, Italy
Design: Façade – Carlo Rainaldi
photo © AW
Sant’ Andrea di Valle
San Carlo ai Catinari, Rome, Italy
–
photograph © AW
San Carlo ai Catinari
San Luigi dei Francesi, Rome, Italy
–
image © AW
San Luigi dei Francesi
Santa Maria degli Angeli, Rome, Italy
Michelangelo; Vanvitelli
photograph © AW
Santa Maria degli Angeli
Santa Maria della Pace, Rome, Italy
–
photo © AW
Santa Maria della Pace
More Religious Architecture projects online soon
Church Architecture – No Images
Other Religious Building Developments – N-Z, alphabetical:
St John Cathedral, Tampere, Finland
1907
Lars Sonck
St Mark’s Church, Bjorkhagen, Sweden
1960
Design: Sigurd Lewerentz Architect
St Martin-in-the-Fields, Trafalgar Square, London, UK
1726
Design: James Gibbs Architect
St Martin-in-the-Fields
St Mary-le-Bow, Cheapside, London, UK
1683
Sir Christopher Wren Architect
St Mary-le-Bow church
St Peter’s Church, Klippan, Sweden
1966
Sigurd Lewerentz
More Church Architecture online soon
Religious Architecture
St Andrew’s & St George’s Church Edinburgh
Buildings / photos for the Contemporary Church Architecture page welcome
