7 unique temples recognized as striking examples of modern religious architecture

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

The temple in the understanding of most people must necessarily comply with the classical architectural canons corresponding to a particular religion. But this view is most likely associated with our ideas about the conservatism of religion. For Orthodox Christians, this is true. The Russian Orthodox Church is proud of its traditions and the fact that it has not changed them for hundreds of years. However, not all confessions are guided by these dogmas.

Ribbon Chapel - wedding chapel

This spiral miracle is located in Japan, on the island of Honshu. The architect, the famous Hiroshi Nakamuro, managed to create a building, the very construction of which tells the story of happy love. This project does not have walls, floor and ceiling in the usual sense - their functions are performed by two spiral staircases that wrap around the chapel. The wedding ritual consists in the fact that the bride and groom, each on their own path, go upstairs alone, where they meet with each other and with a beautiful view from this point. At the same time, constructively one spiral supports and strengthens the other, and together they also create a fairly seismically strong structure.

Reading between the lines - transparent church

Two young Belgian architects Peterjan Gijs & Arnout van Vaerenberg were able to create a unique building that looks almost transparent. It consists entirely of metal plates and bridges that hold them together. Despite its small size, the building weighs 30 tons. Despite this, the silhouette of a classic German church seems to float in the air. There is an unusual architectural object in a very picturesque place, which can only be reached on foot - this is another idea of its creators. The play of light and pristine nature create a special mood among church visitors and give rise to many thoughts about the soul, faith, man and his place in this world.

Hallgrímskirkja - Hallgrímür Church

Hallgrimskirkja - Lutheran Church, is the fourth tallest building in Iceland. It was built in the center of Reykjavik and is dedicated to the 17th century national leader Hallgrimur Petursson. Usually it evokes in people very different associations - with a volcanic eruption, with stalagmites, with ice hummocks or with an organ. By the way, it really does have an organ - a unique instrument weighing 25 tons was created especially for this church by a famous German master. Hallgrimskirkja is one of the most recognizable buildings in Iceland, with a rich history and pride among Icelanders.

Church of Saint-Pierre de Firminy - Church of Saint-Pierre

This monumental structure was the last work of the famous modernist architect Le Corbusier. The construction of the temple took over 40 years. The church is located in the small industrial town of Firmini in the center of France. This is an old industrial area, therefore, according to the idea of the creator, the temple should resemble an adobe oven or a natural grotto. A variety of artistic techniques are used to create this effect inside the building - small sources of natural light located on the roof and a unique interior. According to Le Corbusier,

Chapel of the Holy Cross - chapel of the Holy Cross

This unique structure seems to grow out of the famous Arizona red rocks. Such an unusual Catholic cathedral was built in America in 1956 by M. Staude. The height of the window with the cross is about 27 meters. Margarita Staude is a deeply religious person, for more than 20 years she has been looking for a place for a church, which was to become the main work of her life. By the way, she financed the construction entirely from her own funds and dedicated this church to her mother. Now this object is visited not only by believers, but also by tourists from all over the world. Their number reaches 4 million per year.

Igreja da Santíssima Trindade - Basilica of the Holy Trinity

This church is located in Portugal and is one of the largest in the world. It was built in the city of Fatima in honor of the miracle of the appearance of the Mother of God in these places. The internal area of the relatively low building is 12,000 square meters. The basilica seats nearly 10,000 people. This huge modern building is designed for a constant influx of a huge number of pilgrims from different countries: it has 5 chapels, 50 confessions, the walls are decorated with quotes from the Bible in 23 languages.

Basilica Catedral Nuestra Senora de la Altagracia - Basilica of Our Lady of Altagracia

This church, unique in its architectural design, is the largest center of Catholic pilgrimage in the Caribbean. It is located in the Dominican Republic in the city of Salvaleón de Higuey. The basilica was consecrated on January 21, 1971, and since then this date has been considered a national holiday for the whole country. On this day, thousands of believers come here to touch the main relic - the miraculous icon of the holy virgin Virgen de la Altagracia, the patroness of the Dominican Republic.

New technologies may not only concern the architecture of cathedrals. One of the churches mentioned above - Icelandic Hallgrimskirkja in 2012 became the protagonist of a grandiose light show. Projection show at a church in Iceland is a sight worth seeing.