The dome of Parma Cathedral is decorated with a fresco called “Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary”. The author of the fresco is Correggio, Antonio Allegri, an Italian painter, draughtsman, and fresco artist of the mature Renaissance period, who created frescoes that influenced the art of the following centuries. He created frescoes that influenced the art of the following centuries. His paintings are full of illusionism, three-dimensional solids, and space on the plane, and became a model for Baroque painting. 1)
The Cathedral of Madrid was consecrated by Pope John Paul II on June 15, 1993. His statue is located on the cathedral's grounds, on Calle de Bailen. On May 22, 2004, Philip VI of Bourbon, Duke of Asturias, and Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano were married in this cathedral. 2)
The crown of thorns is one of the Christian attributes-symbols of the martyrdom of Jesus Christ. Currently, the relics of the crown of thorns are located in the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris and are a rim in the form of intertwined twigs. Throughout the Middle Ages, there was a practice of plucking the thorns from it and translating them to many places (mainly churches and monasteries), and they were placed among the insignia of power. Hence, the crown in its current state is devoid of thorns. 3)
Pinnacle is a vertical decorative element in the form of a slender stone tower, ending at the top with a spire, the edges of which are decorated with frogs and topped with a flower. It is characteristic of Gothic and neo-Gothic architecture. The pinnacle, besides its decorative role, also had the function of ballasting the buttress. 4)
Oscar Niemeyer designed the famous cathedral in Brasilia. In 1956, Juscelino Kubitschek, the new president of Brazil, visited Niemeyer. He told him about his vision of building new national capital and invited him to lead the project. Niemeyer organized a zoning competition, after which he designed Brasilia's buildings himself. 5)
Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família, commonly known as the Sagrada Familia, is a sizable Art Nouveau Catholic church in Barcelona. The church was designed by Catalan artist Antoni Gaudí (1852-1926). Although still under construction, the church has already been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and in November 2010 Pope Benedict XVI consecrated the church and gave it the status of a minor basilica. Did you know that the first design of the church was not prepared by Gaudi? Construction began in 1882 and it wasn't until a year later, in 1883, that the famous Catalan designer took over the design and altered it according to his style, which combined Gothic with Art Nouveau. 6)
The Cathedral of Vasily the Blessed, also known as the Cathedral of the Protection of the Mother of God on the Moat, is located in Moscow and marks the exact center of the country's capital. The temple was built in 1561 during the reign of Ivan the Terrible and stands out from other Orthodox churches with its large color palette. The Sobor, which was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1990, is certainly one of the most famous religious buildings in the world and has received gusto in many films by producers from around the world. 7)
The Hagia Sophia was historically a Christian temple in the Byzantine Empire, then turned into a mosque after the capture of Istanbul (formerly called Constantinople) by the Turks in 1452, and has served as a museum since 1934 until today. The building was constructed in 537 AD at the beginning of the Middle Ages and gained its fame for its incredible, huge dome. At the time, it was the largest building in the world and a true engineering marvel. Its construction is believed to have changed the history of architecture, and the building itself is the epitome of Byzantine architecture. 8)
The Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá, in a small town not far from Colombia's capital, is an underground Catholic church located more than 200 meters underground in a salt mine in Mount Cundinamarca. The salt cathedral is often visited by tourists but is also a pilgrimage destination for the faithful. It is divided into three naves, which symbolize the birth, life, and death of Jesus. The icons, decorations, and architectural details were hand-carved in halite rock. 9)
The Shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary on the Rocks in Ipiales can be found near Colombia's border with Ecuador in the department of Nariño. The church was inspired by an alleged miraculous apparition of the Virgin Mary in 1753, which sparked pilgrimages by the faithful to the site. The first church was built in the mid-18th century with straw and wood. It was replaced by a new, larger building in 1802, which was connected to the other side of the canyon by a bridge. The current church, in neo-Gothic style, was built between 1916 and 1949. 10)
The monastery, popularly known as Holy Trinity Church, is located near the village of Gergeti in Georgia. The church is located on a hill, 2170 meters above sea level, on the left bank of the Terek River, with the peak of Kazbegi towering over it. Cminda Sameba was built in the 14th century and it is the only church in the province with a dome with a cross. It owes its fame to its isolated location in the steep mountains and beautiful landscape. 11)
Hallgrímura Church is a Lutheran parish church in Reykjavík, the capital of Iceland. It is 74.5 meters tall, making it the tallest church in Iceland and the sixth tallest structure in the country after the longwave transmitter radio mast in Hellissandur, the US Navy radio masts in the city of Grindavík, the Eiðar longwave transmitter, and the Smáratorg tower. The church is named after the Icelandic poet and clergyman Hallgrímur Pétursson (1614-1674), author of the Passion Hymns. The design by state architect Guðjón Samúelsson was commissioned in 1937. He is said to have designed it to resemble flowing lava flows. Construction took 38 years. Work began in 1945 and was completed in 1986, however, the distinctive tower was completed long before the work was actually finished. 12)
In the Red Rocks mountains in Sedona, Arizona, there is a Catholic chapel built in 1956. What makes it unique is that it was “built” into the side of a rocky hill in the middle of the desert. The chapel was designed and commissioned by the local farmer and sculptor Marguerite Brunswig Staude. In 2007, the Chapel of the Holy Cross was selected as one of Arizona's seven man-made wonders. 13)
The Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Seville is the largest Gothic cathedral in the world. The interior of this tabernacle will delight you more than the exterior. Here you will find amazing columns, arches, and an altar lined with gold. There is also the tomb of Christopher Columbus, a place you'll recognize from afar thanks to the club of tourists around it. Despite a large number of visitors, this place has a wonderful atmosphere. Adjacent to the cathedral is a shaded terrace and a magnificent Giralda tower. 14)
The best-preserved example of Byzantine architecture. St. Mark's Basilica is the main church and one of the most important monuments of Venice and Italy. Today it is probably the best-preserved example of Byzantine architecture. It stands in St. Mark's Square next to the Doge's Palace. The basilica, whose core is about 1,000 years old, with its five domes, arches and masquerade windows, and stunning interiors, is rightfully one of the most beautiful medieval buildings in the world. It is the Church of the Doge, the state church of the former Republic of Venice, the reliquary of St. Mark, and, since 1807, the cathedral. 15)
The Column Church in Heddal (Heddal Stavkirke) is considered probably the most beautiful wooden church in Norway. But it is by far the largest. Like other similar churches, it was built in the 13th century. 16)