2. INTRODUCTION
Many places of worship showcase some of the most detailed and beautiful
craftsmanship of any type of architectural building. The dedication that
religious followers have to their places of worship, whether that’s a
Christian Church, a Jewish Synagogue, a Buddhist Temple, or any other
sacred space, clearly shows through the design and art of these
buildings.In this post, we’re going to look at four of the most beautiful
churches, temples, and other places of worship around the world. Let’s
get started.
3. THE SOFIA
SYNAGOGUE,
BULGARIA
The Sofia Synagogue is a place of worship for the Jewish people
in Bulgaria. It happens to be the second largest Synagogue in
Southeastern Europe with a capacity of over 1,100 people.One of
the most beautiful features of this place of worship is the
sacred space art that fills the building. In fact, the entire
building can be considered an homage to multicultural art
combining styles from various cultures and years within
traditional Jewish styles. The ark for the Torah is one of the
most striking features of this building with intricate designs of
gold, yellow, and cream throughout. Large chandeliers hang
from the ceiling adorned with designs and carvings. This was
actually imported from Vienna, which shows just how
multiculturally inclined this space is. The courtyard is filled
with amazing landscaping design and the second floor contains
a museum.
4. ST. BASIL'S CATHEDRAL, MOSCOW, RUSSIA
St. Basil’s Cathedral is one of the most
famous and beautiful churches in the
world. Known for the loud and bright
colors & designs on the outside of the
building, the architecture is very
classically Russian. The architecture was
essentially the first of its kind when it
was built and it still maintains an
amazing uniqueness that simply cannot
be duplicated. The various towers of this
Christian building are in different
shapes, heights, and colors. The various
towers, domes, and galleries inside are
covered with amazing and colorful
murals made with a wide variety of dyes,
materials, and designs. This entire
church is simply jaw-dropping in the
creativity and interesting qualities that
it itself qualifies as a piece of art.
5. The Al Aqsa mosque located in the Old
Jerusalem area of Israel is the third holiest site
in the entire religion of Islam. It’s known for its
large and iconic golden dome. The walls of the
tower and the mosque itself are all decorated
in intricate tiles, paints, and more. This is an
interesting building and has become a site of
not only holy visitation, but also a highly
politicized one as well since it’s become a
symbol of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Despite that, millions of people visit this
beautiful building every year. This is also
Jerusalem’s largest mosque; 4000 Muslims can
worship there at one time.This mosque is so
grand and beautiful that it was actually used as
a royal palace by Crusaders in the 12th
Century. Inside, there’s no seating: just
carpeted floors to kneel and lay on for worship.
Beautiful arches, tall ceilings, and art complete
this magnificent holy site.
AL AQSA MOSQUE, JERUSALUM,
ISRAEL
6. Lastly, we have Seiganto-ji, a traditional
Buddhist temple. This gorgeous temple is in a
traditional Japanese architectural style. What
really makes this space one of the most
amazing places of worship on Earth is the lush
and beautiful nature that surrounds it.
Waterfalls, verdure forests, stunning rock
faces, and more make this a perfect location
for a religion focused on meditation and
staying in the moment. Described as calming,
clear, and harmonious, you’ll feel instantly at
ease and accepted by the Buddhists who
worship here as long as you respect their
religion and the quiet harmony they find with
their temple and the nature that surrounds
them.
SEIGANTO-JI TEMPLE, JAPAN