20 Unusual Churches (Part I)
By Village Mayor • Oct 25th, 2008 • Category: Architecture, Latest Post, The Best of Village of JoyIs there a God? This must be the most popular and most often asked question of all times. Well, I can’t help you there, sorry.
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).
P.S2.: full list can be found here: 50 Most Extraordinary Churches of the World
1. The Church of Hallgrímur, Reykjavík, Iceland
(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
2. Cathedral of Brasilia in Brasilia, Brazil
(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
3. Paoay Church (St. Augustine Parish) in Philippines
(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.
4. Duomo (Milan Cathedral) in Italy
(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.
6. Green church, Buenos Aires, Argentina
(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”
7. Borgund Stave Church, Lærdal, Norway
(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.
8. Paraportiani Church, Mykonos, Greece
(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. ”
9. Sagrada Familia, Barcelona, Spain
(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.
10. St. Basil’s Cathedral, Moscow, Russia
(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
11. Church in Stykkishólmur, Iceland
(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.
12. Basilica de Higuey, Dominican Republic
(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.
13. Grace Fellowship Baptist Church, Baltimore Road in Detroit, Michigan, USA
(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.
14. Las Lajas Cathedral in Colombia
(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.
15. Jubilee Church in Rome, Italy
(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, so it destroys air pollution.
According to Borgarello “When the titanium dioxide absorbs ultraviolet light, it becomes powerfully reactive, breaking down pollutants that come in contact with the concrete.”
16. St Joseph Ukrainian Catholic Church in Chicago, IL, USA
(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
17. Notre Dame du Haut in Ronchamp, France
(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
18. Odd Church in Huntington Beach, CA, USA
(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.
19. Chapel of St. Gildas, Brittany, France 
(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)”
20. Cathedral of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
(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.
Full list can be found here: 50 Most Extraordinary Churches of the World
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November 4th, 2009 at 1:41 am
These churches are awesome! I have always loved this one too http://www.ldschurchtemples.com/sandiego/gallery/download.php?id=272
November 2nd, 2009 at 6:26 am
I hate it when they horribly alter the colour of the sky in the 1st and 4th photos. It makes the photo nauseating and repulsive. Unmodified photos are the best.
October 18th, 2009 at 4:55 pm
Wonderful article
One small correction – there is in fact another stave church outside of Norway. It was built in Norway during the 12th and 13th century, but later disassembled and moved to Schlesien in Poland in 1842, where it is known as “Kościół Górski Naszego Zbawiciela”. It was originally known as “Vang Stavkirke” – a google search should turn up more – here’s a link to the norwegian wikipedia entry: http://no.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vang_stavkirke
September 13th, 2009 at 10:08 pm
What an enjoyable tour! Thanks!
July 15th, 2009 at 2:40 pm
I love the St. Basil’s Cathedral with it’s vibrant colors. Would be nice to visit and take a photo of it.
July 6th, 2009 at 5:20 pm
Breathtaking stuff. Thanks for sharing.
June 21st, 2009 at 5:11 am
yes, we made these lists, if you want to use them it’s ok, as long as you use only ~40% of the info (photos), and point that complete post can be find at http://villageofjoy.com/20-unusual-churches-part-i and http://villageofjoy.com/20-unusual-churches-part-ii, with hyperlink
June 21st, 2009 at 12:40 am
Wow … thanks for sharing this and your Part II as well — I would like to use these pictures and your notes about it them my blog (with a link to your blog as well) — hope you will be ok about it. Thanks. But I would like to also ask if you are the originator of this list — I have received numerous mass mail on the same topic. God bless!
May 8th, 2009 at 8:30 pm
Wow Nice!!! Good Job!
April 22nd, 2009 at 8:04 pm
You seem to know a great deal about this
April 20th, 2009 at 11:45 am
hi nice churches!!!!!!!!!!
April 12th, 2009 at 11:40 am
Good collection, thanks for your sharring..
April 11th, 2009 at 11:16 am
EU ORLEI RODRIGUES QUERO FAZER PARTE DESTA EQUIPE
April 9th, 2009 at 9:32 am
The picture #9 Sagrada Familia Barcelona is only a small portion of this wonderful masterpiece. It has been going on for hundreds of years, and I wonder if it will ever be completed. What a tribute to a wonderful GOD.
April 9th, 2009 at 7:22 am
You have just done a great JOB! Bravo! Bravo!! Bravo!!! More grace to your elbow.
Excellent work Man.
April 5th, 2009 at 8:50 pm
We visited number 7, the stave church in Laerdal, Norway in 2007. Very impressive that it has lasted as long as it has. We put up buildings and tear them and replace them so often, it would appear we have no history.
April 5th, 2009 at 8:12 pm
Don’t forget Faye Jones’ Marjorie Powell Allen Chapel Powell Gardens, Kingsville, Missouri.
http://www.mauricejennings.com/powell.html
April 4th, 2009 at 10:57 am
Totally amazing. This was a great source of information, and made me feel I had gone on a short trip.
April 4th, 2009 at 9:19 am
wow, an interesting architectural.
April 2nd, 2009 at 8:38 pm
Thank you for putting this together. I have enjoyed the trip around the world and the information from the other comments. Looking forward to the next one. Some of the guests didn’t read the disclaimer you wrote in the beginning about this being a purely visual display not a religious forum.
March 31st, 2009 at 3:13 am
I think the little white church (re: n 123) is absolutely gorgeous..thank you for your post and blog!
March 30th, 2009 at 9:19 am
Stumbled upon you… just thought I’d contrast your images with a couple of my own that I shot of the Little White Church in Eaton, NH. It’s beautiful in it’s simplicity and warmth… even in the snow.
Check them out if you’ve got the time. http://rovettiphoto.com/2009/02/little-white-church-eaton-nh-hdr-style/
March 29th, 2009 at 10:41 am
I studied about Gaudi in school. The man was a genius.
March 27th, 2009 at 12:14 pm
Spectacular Churches, kindly inform me of more such Structures as I can show them to the Youth of our Church in Hyderabad-India
March 27th, 2009 at 2:28 am
18. Odd Church in Huntington Beach, CA, USA
It is fairly obvious that this used to be a “Shell Petrol Station”
They have left the original Shell sign for effect.
March 26th, 2009 at 7:52 pm
I have been in the church in Iceland, it is equally beautiful inside. Was stationed in Keflavík at the Naval Air Station in the late 80’s
March 23rd, 2009 at 8:37 am
Comment on #5 in Cappdocia Turkey…..I have traveled to this region and it is amazing. From the tour guide, the formation of the region occured when a first volcano erupted 5,000 years ago. The sediment was rather soft in comparison to the second eruption 3,000 years ago which covered the area with a much more heavy material. Over time, the erosion that took place did not penetrate the overlaying rock and it created “valleys.” The “peaks” are topped with boulders that are much larger than their bases. The tour guide said that the area of Cappadocia was used as the backdrop in the first Star Wars movie during the flight fight scene. Anyway, when you enter the places of worship, an unusual thing to witness is the fact that any remaining mosaics or icons to the Christian faith are all vandalized and the faces and eyes are destroyed. From historical records: “Christianity came early to the region with St. Paul passing through on his way to Ancyra (Ankara) and 3 Saints originating here in the 4th Century……….The arrival of Arab raiding parties in Anatolia in the 7th and 8th centuries drove the monks underground and they took local Christian communities with them forming the underground cities you can explore today…….It is interesting to compare them and realise that both styles are telling the same stories of Christ and the Saints. It is very difficult to find a section of fresco work that hasn’t been damaged, usually maliciously and the root of this lies partly in the abhorrence of representations of the human form felt by strict Muslims at various times over the last half millennia.” The caves are vast and were inhabited all the way up until 1953 or so when Mustafa Ataturk declared them unsafe due to deterioration and the populations merely moved out of the caves to live at ground level at the bases of these. Truly one of the most captivating regions I have ever traveled.
March 22nd, 2009 at 6:11 pm
IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO JOIN SOMEONE ELSE’S FANTASY UNLESS DRUGS, MERCURY OR ZOMBEING ARE PRESENT.
March 22nd, 2009 at 5:56 am
n. 13 is ugly i much prefer the Jubilee church in Rome though i deem it way too modern a building for a church. Some of the Amalfi coast churches should be on this website but i have no clue as to how to upload the pictures. Here’s the link: http://www.itcamendola.it/sitoalunni/costiera_amalfitana/amalfi1.html. This is my hometown’s Cathedral (S. Matthew): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cathedral_of_Salerno. Enjoy!
March 21st, 2009 at 10:48 pm
About #13, I could be mistaken, but I believe it is on Baltimore St. in Detroit, MI, not in Baltimore MD.
March 19th, 2009 at 5:24 am
The one in Columbia is brilliant, how awesome does that look on the hillside there?
March 17th, 2009 at 8:39 pm
Oh god, god.
How many peoples are without money, and some of the major Churches and pastors have a lote of money!!!
Do you think thes is justice?.
Jesus Cristo come to see this injistice at the paradise.
March 12th, 2009 at 10:33 pm
Thanks for the add in number 8. Its one of the churches in Greece that reminds of the simplicity a religion must have and attribute. Great photos.
March 12th, 2009 at 11:23 am
I like the church in Huntington Beach, CA, USA with the Shell sign. Must be a hole in the wall behind the sign or something like that.
March 10th, 2009 at 8:54 pm
You are getting there. The seed is here.
March 10th, 2009 at 2:47 pm
this is very interesting an so cool, by the holy way i have been on the top of church ”1” an my father have sang there and i have tested the organ (that was unexplainable fun and amazing). i have also been in church 11 and i come from Iceland
March 9th, 2009 at 9:44 pm
SO AMAZING.OOOOOOHHHHHHHHH
March 8th, 2009 at 4:03 pm
What a gorgeous presentation! Thank you for taking the time to put this together!
VictoriaNTC
March 8th, 2009 at 11:13 am
Amazing. I love them all. Great list
March 5th, 2009 at 9:26 am
Check out the churches in Lalibela, Ethiopia! If there are any church that should be on this list, they should.
March 2nd, 2009 at 5:40 pm
Some of these churches, especially number 4, look so demonic, so opposite of the holiness and simplicity of true Christianity, the religion of the Christ. His life was simple as was the life of his apostles. None rich, no silly costumes and people bowing to them. Once they passed, THEN we saw the entire belief system change and the advent of these monstrous, grandiose, ostentatious structures. As Jesus said in Matthew 7:21-23, “Many will say to me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, expel demons in your name, and perform many powerful works in your name?’ And yet then I will confess to them: I never knew you! Get away from me, you workers of lawlessness.” Message: FIND The Truth.
March 2nd, 2009 at 6:52 am
Here atlast I found solace in all of the most equisite taste incomprenhensible to human knowledge and understanding hailed by the graces, power, will and holiness of the most high. My heart have seen God in all of these. God santified and blessed them for his glory for all eternity – the everlasting impression of God’s image of his Son in His Glory!!! Thank you for your most gracious efforts to presentation to the world to see that we are right before the Lord – Our God…Amen.
March 2nd, 2009 at 2:08 am
Very interesting!! You got the variety. Hope you will bring more.
March 1st, 2009 at 12:49 pm
hi here’s my list:
19
14
11
8
4
3
February 28th, 2009 at 7:24 pm
thanks for that. very interesting.
for what its worth here’s my order in terms of holiness or success or charm or whatever:
8
2
1
14
11
10
9
6
19
20
7
4
15
18
16
17
12
5
3
13
would like to know if u have a favourite.
February 28th, 2009 at 8:52 am
This is a spectacular photographic display. It shows the imagination of man.
February 27th, 2009 at 10:02 pm
Nice post. I really liked some of those images. I feel inspired to go and see some of these churches. The one in Spain looks amazing. The first image looks heavenly!
February 27th, 2009 at 9:21 pm
Awesome architecture! But all built in the name of an invisible guy in the sky and a zombie.
“Pray quietly i’m thinking.”
February 27th, 2009 at 6:29 pm
It is really amazing how those churches are built! God bless the world!
February 25th, 2009 at 3:44 am
all these churches is amazing ,and is bless by god,i wish i could visit all in my life time .