20 Unusual Churches (Part II)
By Village Mayor • Jan 6th, 2009 • Category: Architecture, Latest Post, The Best of Village of JoyLong 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.
P.S2.: full list can be found here: 50 Most Extraordinary Churches of the World
1. Saint-Michel d’Aiguilhe chapel (Le Puy-en-Velay, France)
(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.
2. The Wireman Chapel at Eckerd College (St. Petersburg, Florida, USA)
(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.
3. Chapel in the Rock (Arizona, USA)
(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.
4. Device to Root Out Evil (Calgary, AB, Canada)
(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.
5. Trendsetters Church (Phoenix, AZ, USA)
(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.
6. Church of St. George(Lalibela, Ethiopia)
(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.
7. Written Stone (Monastery, Romania)
(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.
8. Bruder Klaus Chapel (Mechernich, southern Germany)
(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.
9. Salt Cathedral of Zipaquira, (Cundinamarca, Colombia)
(Photography by Nidya Rincón -nidyarincon@hotmail.com)
(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.
10. Cathedral of Maringa (Parana, Brazil)
(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.
11. Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, (Milwaukee, WI, USA)
(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.
12. The Felsenkirche a.k.a. Church of the Rock, (Idar-Oberstein, Germany).
(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.
13. Catholic Church (Uruguay)
(image credits:sent by email)
14. Grundtvig’s Church, (Copenhagen, Denmark)
(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.
15. Mr. Eko’s Church (The Island)
(Image credits: Stillframe)
Architects: Eko and Charlie.
16. Church with an A (Madrid, Spain)
(Image credits: R.Duran)
A Parish Church at the beginning of Alcalde Sainz de Baranda St. (Madrid, Spain).
17. Pilgrimage Church(Neviges, Germany)
(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.
18. San Francisco de Asis Church (Ranchos de Taos, New Mexico)
(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.”
19. Church in a Hill(Luxembourg)
(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.
20. Church Birdhouse (Greer, South Carolina, USA)
(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.
Full list can be found here: 50 Most Extraordinary Churches of the World
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September 1st, 2009 at 1:09 am
Here is the church link: http://www.beazleymoliere.com/projects/our-saviors-church-lafayette/
September 1st, 2009 at 1:08 am
Here is a cool church:
July 17th, 2009 at 7:02 am
There is another Church in Romania that should be mentioned in here. It is the tallest wooden church in the world and one of the tallest wooden buildings. Here you have some links for it. It is 54 metters high, build in 1724.
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_zsCTXh5JHEs/SL-fVN-WAGI/AAAAAAAACVE/bkED7qQ2BLg/51.+Biserica+Surdesti.JPG
http://public.fotki.com/harwons/dana/romania/surdesti_church/
http://www.puzzleworld.org/Maramures/surde03.htm
June 21st, 2009 at 5:33 am
lovely churches again, and some of them ever weirder than the previous ones! As you can see churches are also on my blog, cheers, rc
June 13th, 2009 at 5:23 pm
These churches are superb. Takes a lot of dedication and devotion to build some of them.
June 9th, 2009 at 4:48 am
Christ King Church, Turners Cross, Cork City, Ireland
http://www.corkpastandpresent.ie/media/christ_the_king_church.jpg
http://www.irish-architecture.com/tesserae/000016.html
Pretty cool building.
May 5th, 2009 at 9:26 am
Another interesting chapel is Thorncrown Chapel in Eureka Springs, AR. Not only the architecture, but also the gorgeous, natural setting. http://www.thorncrown.com/
April 10th, 2009 at 12:16 pm
An incredible collection. And, I am sure there are more to be found and recorded. I’ve been in a few of those on this web site…and I am always amazed at the creativity that goes into telling “the story.” One does not have to be among the faithful to appreciate the work and creativity that went into the churches. Yet, as someone once said (a pastor!, no less!), “Our Lord must be looking at all that and saying, ‘Good Grief!’ ” That statement is over-flowing with theology, if one wants to take the time to think it over.
Good work on this site!!
RSH
April 6th, 2009 at 7:00 pm
Thank you for the gorgeous page!
March 30th, 2009 at 2:29 pm
Don Justo’s Self Built Cathedral:
Justo Gallego Martínez is building his very own Cathedral in Mejorada del Campo near Madrid, Spain
http://www.citynoise.org/article/732
Amazing!
March 27th, 2009 at 10:18 pm
I wonder how the attendance is at No. 1…..Is it handicapped acessible?
March 25th, 2009 at 11:56 pm
This is a wonderful architectural collection of places of worship. You have done a great job putting this together.
Thanks for sharing and God bless.
March 24th, 2009 at 6:05 pm
Beautiful buildings -and pictures — but God does not dwell in houses made with hands!!!!
March 20th, 2009 at 6:37 pm
The bible says that a fool says in his heart there is no God (to answer the doctor) If some of you could let your minds adapt to each of these beautiful churches you might enjoy them all .
March 11th, 2009 at 5:01 am
church birdhouse is good
March 10th, 2009 at 8:58 pm
Need more Nature and more beauty.
March 9th, 2009 at 1:16 pm
Нечерта я по вашему не понимаю!!!!
March 9th, 2009 at 3:37 am
This image of the Mont.St.Michel is only a portion of the beauty, inside is fascinating and massively huge, so much to do there set within it’s own village of joy!
http://www.sacred-destinations.com/france/images/mont-st-michel/pano
March 6th, 2009 at 8:44 am
Awesome.
Here’s some cool ones too (they’re all mormon temples):http://www.ldschurchtemples.com. I like the Calgary Alberta and the San Diego ones.
March 2nd, 2009 at 6:51 am
What humans build to venerate the almighty. Who says there is no God!
March 1st, 2009 at 7:08 am
Hi, Just had to reply so here’s my verdict:
1. Saint Michel d’Aiguilhe Chapel – It’s incredible – no info but would love to go there Rating out of 25 – 25
2. Wireman Chapel St.Petersburg – Quite unacceptable & unorthodox I don’t think you need to instill timelessness in a church. 5.
3. Chapel in the Rock Arizona – Amazing, an eclectic mix of modern day and wild wild west – 20.
4. Calgary – What a laugh, this sculpture is a symbolism of force and I love the story behind the artist. 25.
5. Phoenix – Very interesting but alas not spiritual at all and more about design. 10.
6. Church of St. George – 2.
7. Romanian Church – Strange. 5.
8. Germany – That’s not a Church it’s a scupture. 1.
9. Salt Cathedral, Bogota – Inventive ways to use salt! 15.
10. Cathedral of Maringa, Brazil – 5.
11. Milwaukee Greek Orthodox – Reminiscent of Abu Dhabi Airport. 10.
12. Felsenkirche, Germany – Magical. 10.
13. Uraguay – Plain & weird. 2.
14. Grundtvigs Church, Denmark – It looks very acoustic. 8.
15. Mr. Eki’s Church – Ahhh 8.
16. Madrid – 5
17. Pilgrimage Church, Neviges, Germany – This is an odd looking conception but thoughtful. 10.
18. De Asis Church S.F. – 1.
19. Church in a Hill, Luxembourg – Magic. 7.
20. Birdhouse in your Soul – I like. 2.
That’s it.
February 25th, 2009 at 1:10 pm
So does number 15 change often? It appears that it is easily destroyed by high winds… After all of the beautiful churches in Part I and Part II, I felt as though Eko’s church was a joke. Breathtaking view, but so little information. where is “the Island?”
February 19th, 2009 at 7:49 am
i would say im very touched at number 15,….. so simple, calm, dramatic soulful
February 18th, 2009 at 8:34 pm
And here *I* thought the birdhouse church was for cardinals…
February 1st, 2009 at 3:52 pm
well these churches are really unusual.
January 31st, 2009 at 12:23 pm
#1 and #9 have to be my favorite..
that is Too Cool…
January 26th, 2009 at 8:02 am
A couple of other people have already mentioned the Chapel of Saint Kinga in Wieliczka, Poland, but having been there myself I feel I ought to recommend you check it out too! Built 101m underground, the entire chapel (and it’s pretty big) was carved out from salt mines. If any of you ever find yourselves in the Krakow area it’s well worth a detour to go see it!
January 25th, 2009 at 11:04 pm
Amazing: both articles. Some churches though are so gothic–who would use them. What mummies and ghouls live in such halls; how many bodies and souls burned to forge such creations?!
Amazing nevertheless.
January 21st, 2009 at 1:11 pm
Got one, “église sainte Jeanne d’Arc” in Rouen (France).
http://www.cathedrale-rouen.net/patrimoine/visites/stejda.htm
January 17th, 2009 at 6:41 pm
I have another one:
Le Corbusier, Notre Dame du Haut, Ronchamp
Informally known as Ronchamp, the chapel of Notre Dame du Haut in Ronchamp (French: Chapelle Notre-Dame-du-Haut de Ronchamp), France completed in 1954 is considered one of the finest examples of architecture by the late French/Swiss architect Le Corbusier and one of the most important and successful examples of religious architecture in the 20th century, an honor it shares with the Matisse Chapel in Vence.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Notre_Dame_du_Haut
January 16th, 2009 at 10:56 pm
Number 4 is Vancouver, not Calgary.
January 15th, 2009 at 7:23 pm
Bruder Klaus Chapel is buillt by local farmers, but designed by the internationally renowned architect Peter Zumtor
It’s nice to add for the Monastery in Romania that this is the Moldvian style churches -which traditonally are completelly painted with religious paintings, both inside and outside http://www.romanianmonasteries.org/images/insideallchurches/arbore.jpg
Apart from this tradition in the East, there is a quite different tradition in Maramures, the north, where the highest wooden churches of europe can be found, with incredible craftship. http://guideromania.ro/site/wp-content/uploads/Image/maramures/Surdesti%20-%
January 15th, 2009 at 7:03 am
Church of Bones – Czech Republic – Check it out. Best of All.
January 15th, 2009 at 6:13 am
Have you guys seen a chapels made in salt in the old salt mine in Wieliczka near Krakow, Poland? Check it out, cosmic!!!
January 13th, 2009 at 4:14 pm
No, Cagemonkey is right. I personally photoshopped several of these myself, right onto the horizon in each location. I am really impressed with my own ability to use shadowing to make these things look real.
January 13th, 2009 at 11:42 am
I would love to leave a comment that wittily summed up my viewing experience, but I can’t. You see, I am not real; I am (obviously) photoshopped.
January 12th, 2009 at 10:49 pm
what about Mile Hi Church of Religious Science in Denver, Co? it is a very unique shaped church. when it was built a huge pile of dirt was made then concrete was poured on top, the dirt was taken out from under. They didn’t realize what a hard job that was going to be. a new church was built next door due to not having enough room and it is also a unique shape.
January 12th, 2009 at 8:02 pm
Great pics! It really shows how much different churches can be.
January 12th, 2009 at 4:58 pm
Cagemonkey, you are a dufus. You obviously find it easier to paste in ‘obvious photoshops’ than actually find out for yourself. Is this all you can do? Perhaps you really are an ape, just pressing a little button to deliver monkey food every 10 minutes, and pressing another with an Adobe logo on when you need your arse wiping. Which ones are ’shopped? Not the church of St George, I know that.
January 12th, 2009 at 11:37 am
The architectural randomness of churches has always astounded me. If there ever was a more unique, often hideous, and elaborate way to build something, a church would do it.
January 12th, 2009 at 10:04 am
What about the lotus temple, New Delhi? (Bahai)
January 12th, 2009 at 12:27 am
Well, the last one, number 20, is OBVIOUSLY for birds of pray!
January 11th, 2009 at 3:15 pm
it was a nice post until you got to the “lost” crap. i’ll see you in hell.
January 11th, 2009 at 1:06 pm
Dear Cagemonkey,
Have you ever heard of Von Daneken? He wrote a book that claimed that every one of mankind’s greatest achievments was down to aliens. You have taken this a step further, and decided that all the wonders of the world are produced in a cheap computer programme. OK, elephants can’t climb trees, cars can’t fly, and these things are there to amuse us, or make fools of us, but you have to get off your lardy butt and look around to see how capable and determined we can be.
you’ll die of incredulity if you don’t………..
January 11th, 2009 at 12:21 pm
What do you think about Meteora, Greece?!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meteora
I believe those churches / monasteries could exist in your great list!
Thanx!
January 11th, 2009 at 7:39 am
See this one:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bigsleep/2901429506/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/porschista/3012051821/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/hiriberri/2682915537/
January 11th, 2009 at 7:34 am
There is a nice cathedral in Santiago de Compostela (Galicia [Spain])
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cathedral_of_Santiago_de_Compostela
January 11th, 2009 at 7:00 am
Have you ever seen Köln Cathedral? its in germany
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cologne_Cathedral
January 11th, 2009 at 4:49 am
Take also a look at:
Madonna della lacrime, Siracusa, Italy
Salt Mine, Wieliczka, Poland
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wieliczka_Salt_Mine
January 10th, 2009 at 2:12 am
Thanks Stephen, corrected.