Beautiful European Religious Architecture

[The Lawspeaker]

Post here examples of beautiful European religious architecture.

Sainte Chapelle (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sainte-Chapelle), Paris.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6f/3918ParigiSteChapelle.JPG

As seen from the outside.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/158/347220555_0fb3d42e37.jpg
The Lower Chapel.


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/70/Sainte_Chapelle_-_Upper_level_1.jpg
The Upper Chapel.

http://www.visitingdc.com/images/sainte-chapelle-paris.jpg
Another magical image of the Upper Chapel.

[Mesrine]

The best moment to visit the Sainte-Chapelle is when the weather is variable. The changes of lighting through the stained glass is one of the most spectacular things I've ever seen. You hear the tourist crowd say "oooooooooh" and "aaaaaaah".

[The Lawspeaker]

The best moment to visit the Sainte-Chapelle is when the weather is variable. The changes of lighting through the stained glass is one of the most spectacular things I've ever seen. You hear the tourist crowd say "oooooooooh" and "aaaaaaah".
Next time when I am in Paris I will be sure to visit it. I have seen a lot of pictures and videos of this amazing chapel and I want to see it with my own eyes.
Definetely a chapel worthy of a King. Which it was by the way as it served the French Royal Family.

[Psychonaut]

Here's one of my favorites:

http://www.theapricity.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=2823&stc=1&d=1254347506

http://www.theapricity.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=2824&stc=1&d=1254347506

http://www.theapricity.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=2825&stc=1&d=1254347506

[The Lawspeaker]

Another example. Because I love it so much.

Maastricht, the Netherlands this time.
This is the former Dominicanenkerk - now a bookshop and probably the most beautiful bookshop in the world.


http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/1168865.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2325/2086348847_6ca2a4c2b8_o.jpg

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_S-9f3rWuWYA/R9FfEZM5ADI/AAAAAAAAAcs/95tDDSNDhzg/s320/Selexyz+Dominicanen+Maastricht+outside.jpg


It's not the only religious building in Maastricht that made the transition from religion to a more secular purpose. Maastricht was once an important religious center but times are definitely changing but other then 20 years ago churches and monasteries are no longer being torn down (and thank God/Gods/Goodness for that).

The former Kruisherenmonastery in Maastricht was turned into a hotel. Quite expensive, quite successful and quite beautiful.

http://www.chateauhotels.nl/fotoboekfoto.aspx?id=a7a50eb7-554b-4781-8bbc-09da9e329775&version=full

http://www.chateauhotels.nl/fotoboekfoto.aspx?id=cd177c2a-8f85-40c4-ade7-0b041a5dbb17&version=full

http://www.chateauhotels.nl/fotoboekfoto.aspx?id=40265f17-1b5a-4950-a58f-e64ff3c702ae&version=full

http://www.chateauhotels.nl/fotoboekfoto.aspx?id=303324c1-6411-4810-8022-d6becf987f35&version=full

http://www.chateauhotels.nl/fotoboekfoto.aspx?id=a3daa726-8c72-497a-a474-5a9e787a4709&version=full

I found these amazing pictures on their website (http://www.chateauhotels.nl/default.aspx?sc=7&taal=nl). (just so people won't think that I nicked them)

[Malva]

http://www.sol.com/images/VALENCIA/Monumentos/Valencia-Catedral%20de%20Valencia04.jpg
Valencia
http://expocastilla.foroscastilla.org/data/media/26/catedral%20burgos.jpg
http://diegoapereda.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/catedral-de-burgos2.jpg
Burgos
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8miz8we7C3M/Rx3kuyMg-sI/AAAAAAAAABE/IUdowqIWQ0g/s320/Catedral%2Bde%2BTortosa.bmp
Tortosa
http://portalescolson.com/boletines/271/catedral-segovia.jpg
Segovia
http://www.mariocalvo.eu/ETAPAS/03jornada/segovia-catedral.jpg
Segovia
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/112/274500016_d5c658f38d.jpg
León
http://www.portalviajar.com/europa/espana/salamanca/salamanca%201%20-%20las%20catedrales.JPG
Salamanca
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa309/alissonsj/BLOGGER/CatedralGranada-1.jpg
Granada
http://z.about.com/d/gospain/1/0/K/D/-/-/xcourtyard.jpg
Madrid
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ytHhYvNzbm8/SGUP8QeibPI/AAAAAAAABkQ/LLtlifwgSZE/s400/Templo+Expiatorio+de+la+Sagrada+Familia+2.jpg
Barcelona
http://www.igme.es/INTERNET/patrimonio/galeria/images/42-san_juan_pe%F1a.jpg
Huesca
http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z272/luheca2/SantuariodeCovadonga2.jpg
Covadonga
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/14/Monasterio_de_las_Descalzas_Reales_(Madrid)_06.jpg
Las descalzas Reales, Madrid
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/89/Iglesia_de_San_Jer%C3%B3nimo_el_Real_(Madrid)_02.j pg
San Jerónimo, Madrid
http://helektron.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/basilica_del_pilar2.jpg
Basílica del Pilar, Zaragoza
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8b/La_Seo.jpg
La Seo, Zaragoza
http://www.portalviajar.com/europa/espana/santiago-de-compostela/santiago%20de%20compostela%2035%20-%20catedral%20de%20noche.JPG
Santiago

[The Lawspeaker]

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/09/Urnesstavkirke.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ea/Stabkirche_Urnes_18.07.2008_8.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e2/Nidhogr.JPG

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/81/Detalle_de_la_Urnes_stavkyrkje_%28III%29.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/07/Detalle_de_la_Urnes_stavkyrkje_%28I%29.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1a/Urnes_stavkyrkje_interi%C3%B8r.jpeg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/ff/Urnes_stavkyrkje_koret_Wilse.jpeg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f2/Urnes_stavkyrkje_interioer_Wilse.jpeg


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b5/Urnes_stave_church.jpg
The Urnes Stave Church (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urnes_stave_church) in Luster, Norway.

[Cato]

http://www.toomanymornings.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/stonehenge.jpg

http://www.sacredsites.com/europe/greece/images/parthenon-500.jpg

[The Lawspeaker]

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1a/St_Pauls_aerial.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/51/St_Paul%27s_Cathedral_London02.jpg

http://www.englandtravelpictures.com/England-travel-London-St-Pauls-Cathedral-J-Salmoral.jpg

http://cache.foxsaver.com/thumbnails/2007/12/17/578607750l.jpg


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2e/Dome_of_st_pauls.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9b/Cath%C3%A9drale_St-Paul_-_entr%C3%A9e_principale.jpg

http://weare.com.au/coppermine/albums/userpics/normal_England_London_St_Pauls_Cathedral.JPG

Saint Paul's Cathedral (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Paul%27s_Cathedral) (London)

There seem to be no pictures that can truly express it's splendor.
When I was in London I disliked most of the city but LOVED Saint Paul's.

[Alex Delarge]

Sé de Lisboa
http://barnabasnagy.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/se_de_lisboa_frentebarrosomarriageeu.jpg

Jerónimos
http://bp0.blogger.com/_OQcseO1dBgY/R1FjENJJ3BI/AAAAAAAAAK4/inCpMa_qTgo/s1600-R/mosteiro_3.jpg

Alcobaça
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/35/Mosteiro_de_Alcoba%C3%A7a_(Portugal)_2.jpg

Batalha
http://fotos.sapo.pt/topazio1950/pic/000kd95y

Santa Luzia
http://templars.files.wordpress.com/2007/08/santaluzia.jpg

another view of Santa Luzia
http://www.panoramio.com/photos/original/23262361.jpg

Fátima
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b8/Santu%C3%A1rio_de_F%C3%A1tima.JPG

[The Lawspeaker]

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/09/Zwolle_Windesheim_Klooster.jpg

The old village brewery, then cloister, now Protestant Church of Windesheim (Province of Overijssel), Netherlands.

[askra]

the holy well of Santa Cristina (a bronze age construction used for the cult of water and as astronomic observatory)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3106/3245628764_263b50c53f_o.jpg

the tuscan romanesque Basilica of Santissima Trinità (Codrongianos)

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3299/3521102273_8e8cb3d688_b.jpg
http://farm1.staticflickr.com/61/192646854_bab633c306_b.jpg


the Cathedral of Cagliari

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3179/2901764228_e57413038c_b.jpg

the spanish baroque facade and gothic arcade of San Nicola Cathedral (sassari)

http://www.travel-images.com/pht/sardinia225.jpg

pre romanic Basilica of San Gavino in Porto Torres

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3071/2695906762_f964d35b95_b.jpg

the gothic church of San Pietro di Zuri (built with red trachyte rocks)
http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2757/4454356644_ec74af88f0_b.jpg
http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2778/4453584209_6e61dca239_b.jpg



the ex orthodox church of Santa Sabina (Silanus)
http://rete.comuni-italiani.it/foto/2008/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/48154-800x559-500x349.jpg

the byzantine Church of San Giovanni del Sinis (Cabras)
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3117/2613511926_b6813d58ac_o.jpg


Santa Maria del Regno (Ardara)

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3506/3958352822_11f0b09b6f_b.jpg


San Michele of Salvenero
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3198/2477131404_69a59d60b7_o.jpg

alghero's cathedral Gothic Catalan bell tower

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3483/3743224440_b70f5cc533_b.jpg

the gothic cloister of San Domenico

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3218/2592818100_7630798c42_z.jpg?zz=1

the cathedral of Castelsardo

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2774/4083777268_bc3fc2b459_b.jpg

[Austrvegr]

A few beautiful Russian churches



http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f161/11aaabbb11/01-pokrov.jpg



http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f161/11aaabbb11/02-kolomenskoye.jpg



http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f161/11aaabbb11/03-vasily.jpg



http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f161/11aaabbb11/04-rostov.jpg



http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f161/11aaabbb11/05-fili.jpg



http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f161/11aaabbb11/06-kiji.jpg



http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f161/11aaabbb11/07-troitsa.jpg



http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f161/11aaabbb11/08-nikola.jpg



http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f161/11aaabbb11/09-chesma.jpg



http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f161/11aaabbb11/10-kulikovo.jpg[/img]