The largest Catholic cathedrals in the world. The greatest temples in the world

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For a long time, the largest Christian temple in the world was the main Basilica of St. Peter in the Vatican. Its dimensions are impressive - 212 m in length and almost 150 m in width with an occupied area of ​​more than 22 thousand m2. The height at the top of the cross on the dome is 136 m. The cathedral can accommodate about 60 thousand people. It was built in the 16th century by such great masters as Donato Bramante, Raphael and Michelangelo.

As with Cologne Cathedral, construction took several centuries. How much do you need to replace the advantages of Gdansk to make the capital of amber a great weekend idea? This is an important place in history associated with Solidarity and the fall of communism in Poland. Exactly, this invaluable inventor of the mercury thermometer.

Only in Gdansk we will see Hans Memling's brilliant work "The Last Judgment" and the most important - the largest brick sacred site in Europe, St. Mary's Basilica. Less famous name This impressive church is co-Cathedral of the Assumption Holy Virgin Maria. It looks like this huge building may seem hidden in a maze of streets, but it still dominates the city. It once received the royal term "crown of the city" due to the spire and ceramic towers that rise above its roof. Here too, from the viewpoint of St. Mary's Basilica, at the top of the 82-meter tower, you can admire a vast panorama of Gdańsk.

The cathedral became the prototype for many other large churches, including the Basilica of Notre Dame de la Paix (Our Lady of Peace) in the capital of Côte d'Ivoire, Yamoussoukro. It was built in 1989 and is now listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the largest church in the world - its area is about 30 thousand m2, its capacity is 20 thousand people. The Vatican Council also served as a model for St. Paul's Cathedral in London. Its dimensions are 170 by 90 m. The author of this outstanding structure is the English architect Christopher Wren.

The vastness of the Gothic basilica may overwhelm the exterior, but its interior is calming with muted colors. Thanks to this, priceless monuments are immediately visible, and they are full of them, like in a museum. Unfortunately, legend has it that the work supposedly drew a curse on its creator. Well, then the mayor of Gdansk, Konstantin Ferber, envy of Hans' talent, had to place an order to blind the artist. When the clock was due to be repaired several years later, the master of dramatic retribution reportedly destroyed mechanical mechanism with a hammer and died immediately after falling to the floor.

In fourth place is the Milan Cathedral. Its dimensions are 158 by 92 m. Unlike the previous three, it has a clearly defined Gothic style, which, by the way, is not typical for Italy. In general, the appearance of this temple is unique. It is made of marble and filled with various decorative elements. In fact, the Milan Cathedral is almost the largest marble building in the world. The Florence Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, which ranks fifth, is just a little smaller than it. Its dimensions are 153 by 90 m, and the capacity is the same - about 40 thousand people.

Triptych "The Last Judgment" by Hans Memling

Of course, we must not forget that for many people the coat of arms of the Gdansk Church of St. Mary was the triptych of the Last Judgment by Hans Memling. The Dutch painter's overwhelming vision of the end of the world is fascinating and provokes debate not only among art historians.

It is known from historical sources that the organ was played from the very beginning of the church, and the new new instruments were amazing. Thus, St. Mary's Church needed a Bandmaster, and whoever remained received great honor. Although, unfortunately, without success.

The largest religious building in Russia is the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, which is located in Moscow. The temple was originally designed by the architect Ton; its construction began in 1839. However, in 1931 the temple was destroyed and subsequently rebuilt in its original location. Its reconstruction ended in 1997. The temple has enormous dimensions: its height is 105 m; in general, the temple building looks like an equilateral cross about 85 m wide, with a capacity of 10 thousand people. The architecture of the temple is inspired by Byzantine traditions; the interior decoration is also impressive with its luxury, borrowed from the Byzantine Orthodox religion.

Soon after, the temple was taken over by Protestants for over 400 years during the Lutheran period. Today it is difficult to take your eyes off this magnificent, towering building based on a Latin cross plan and topped with crystal, star and network vaults. Its floor takes the form of a memorial book due to the tombstones of rich people placed in it. The center of the Basilica of St. Mary is surrounded by 31 chapels, among which it is difficult to choose the most interesting. Just as it is difficult to describe all the monuments of the Concatentra of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary - they are certainly better to see.

The largest mosque in the world is Mecca's Forbidden Mosque, which is main shrine Muslim world. The Kaaba is located in the courtyard of the mosque. The mosque was built in 638. From 2007 to 2012 by decision of the king Saudi Arabia Abdullah ibn Abdulaziz Al-Saud is undergoing a new large-scale reconstruction of the mosque. During the expansion, mainly in the northern direction, the territory increases to 400 thousand m2 and accommodates 1.12 million people. Two more minarets are being built, as well as a new King Abdullah Gate, and all old and new premises are equipped with air conditioning. Taking into account the reconstructed territory of the district, a total of 2.5 million people will be able to participate in ceremonies and events at the same time. The cost of reconstruction is $10.6 billion.

Its golden domes now shine against the Russian sky. New York's Cathedral of St. John the Divine, often called the Cathedral of St. John the Incomplete, has been under construction for over a century. In Christian countries, powerful cathedrals dominate the landscape of many cities. For believers, they are evidence of faith in God. And non-believers evaluate them as works of art or pearls of architecture. However, these impressive and often terribly expensive sacred objects raise the following questions: why and how were they built and for what purpose were they used?

The Prophet's Mosque in Medina is the second largest in the world and the second holiest site in Islam. There was a mosque on this site during the life of the Prophet Muhammad. The prophet's grave is under a green dome. It is believed that he himself took part in the construction of the mosque, which was rebuilt many times, expanded, and at the moment its capacity is from 600 thousand people, and its territory is 400–500 m2. It is believed that during the Hajj period it can accommodate up to 1 million people.

After Christ's death, his disciples organized themselves into assemblies, many of which met in private homes. For several decades, these congregations were cared for by “elders,” or spiritually mature men. However, after the death of the apostles, there was a deviation from true Christianity. Over time, some of the elders came out to others, and, contrary to Jesus' warning, they came to be considered bishops who led several congregations. The word "church", originally applied to Christians themselves, began to refer to the building where they praised God.

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is the largest mosque in the UAE. Located in Abu Dhabi, it is named after Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the founder and first president of the United Nations United Arab Emirates. The mosque can simultaneously accommodate 40 thousand believers. The main prayer hall is designed for 7 thousand worshipers. There are four minarets at the four corners of the mosque, which rise approximately 107 meters. The outer row of the main building is covered with 82 domes. The domes are decorated with white marble, and their interior decoration is also made of marble. The courtyard is lined with colored marble and has an area of ​​about 17.4 thousand m2.

Soon, some bishops wanted churches worthy of their position. Thus, a new name - the cathedral - was invented for the name of the episcopal church. This is why the word originally meant a throne, constituting a symbol of the bishop's temporary power. From his cathedral the priest led the diocese. Venice - Cathedral St.

At 325, i.e. the episcopal office in the cities was officially recognized at the Council of Nicaea. From that time on, bishops enjoyed the favor of the Roman state and often received gifts from government officials in the form of huge estates. They also captured many pagan places of worship. Church structures survived the fall of the Roman Empire, and in the Middle Ages they began to play a dominant role. It quickly turned out that this era was “the time of the cathedral,” as the French historian Georges Duby put it.

In Russia, the largest in area is the Makhachkala Juma Mosque - the main mosque of the Dagestan capital, built in the image of the famous Istanbul Blue Mosque. After reconstruction in 2007, the Juma Mosque can accommodate up to 15 thousand people within its walls. The second largest mosque in Russia is the Grozny beauty – “Heart of Chechnya”, which can accommodate over 10 thousand parishioners. The mosque is part of the Islamic complex of the republic, the total area of ​​which is 14 hectares. The mosque has its own television and radio studio.

Cities taking advantage of these demographic changes are experiencing a time of prosperity. As a result, the richest, with the headquarters of a bishopric, became the most suitable places for the construction of monumental cathedrals. Because these great projects could only be realized where money was constantly pouring in!

Popular worship of the Virgin Mary and the relics of saints encouraged the construction of cathedrals. By spreading it, the bishops added a lot of publicity to their councils. At that time in France these buildings became known as Notre Dame. “What city has not sacrificed its church, and often its cathedral?” - asked “Theo” in the Catholic Encyclopedia. This is how the Paris Cathedral, dedicated to the saint, is arranged. Stephen's was replaced by Notre Dame Cathedral. And the main destination of pilgrimage for residents of Northern Europe was the Notre Dame Cathedral in the French city of Chartres.

The Kazan Kul Sharif mosque is the fifth largest in terms of capacity and one of the most beautiful in Russia. It accommodates more than 2 thousand people. This is the main mosque of Tatarstan, located on the territory of the Kazan Kremlin. Construction of the temple began in 1996 as a recreation of the legendary multi-minaret mosque of the capital of the Kazan Khanate, the center of religious education and the development of sciences in the Middle Volga region of the 16th century. The mosque was destroyed in October 1552 during the storming of Kazan by the troops of Ivan the Terrible. Named in honor of its last imam, Seid Kul-Sharif, one of the leaders of the defense of Kazan.

In the Horizon Book of Great Councils we read: “No other figure, not even Christ himself, dominated the lives and thoughts of the cathedral builders as much as Mary Panna.” Why, however, were many of these buildings so huge? Indeed, the Seville Cathedral, whose ceiling has been raised to a height of 56 meters, is reportedly the second largest in the world. The tower of the Strasbourg Cathedral is 142 meters high and a 40-storey building.

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According to the Encyclopedia Britannica: “Cities competed with each other to see who could build the tallest cathedral.” Members of city councils, citizens and artisans raised the cathedral to the rank of symbols of their cities. According to one author, building a cathedral is a "bottomless sack". So, where did the funds come from to build objects, the self-sustaining of which is now absorbing everything? more? Sometimes, as in the case of the Bishop of Paris, Maurice "de Sully", the enterprise financed the prelate from his own pocket.

Borobudur, the largest Buddhist temple in the world, was built around 800 AD. e. on the island of Java. The builders of this Buddhist sanctuary tried to reproduce the legendary Mount Meru from ancient Indian mythology, its huge golden peak on which the entire universe rests. When viewed from above, Borobudur (the name means “many Buddhas”) appears as a huge geometric sign and sacred symbol of the mandala, that is, a diagram of the universe that unites the sky (the three round upper terraces of the complex) and the earth (the four lower terraces). The complex was built on and around a hill, so its shape is a step pyramid. The foundation is square with a side of 118 m. The temple has eight tiers, the lower five are square, and the upper three are round. On the upper tier there are 72 small stupas, each in the shape of a bell with a lot of decorations. Inside the stupas there are 504 statues of Buddha and 1,460 bas-reliefs of religious subjects.

It also happened that funds were provided by secular rulers, an example of which is the king of Aragon - Jacob I Zdobyvka. More often than not, however, the costs were covered by the influence of the dioceses, including feudal taxes and revenues from the goods they owned. Additional funds came from the loyalty of believers, the sale of indulgences, and punishments for sins. In the French city of Rouen, to gain the right to eat dairy products during Lent, one had to donate to a cathedral tower called the Butter Tower.

The size of the temple has a functional meaning - a larger number of believers can gather in it for prayer. But in the symbolism of the architecture and decorative decoration of temples, ideas about the universe are also revealed.

Below is a list of the ten tallest churches in the world. It does not include temples, which for various reasons were destroyed and no longer exist. For example, Old St. Paul's Cathedral, which reached a height of 150 meters. However, it was completely destroyed during the Great Fire of London in 1666.

Some donors have been exceptionally generous. They were honored with statues or portraits on the stained glass windows of the church. The Christian principle of anonymous giving was clearly forgotten. Since costs often exceeded the original cost estimate, a constant influx of cash. It is therefore not surprising that during the feverish collection of money, misappropriation and extortion sometimes occurred. For example, charges of heresy often included confiscation of property. On this basis, the Cathars, among others, were plundered, and several churches were built for the acquired funds.

New Cathedral in Linz – 135 m

The New Cathedral in Linz is also known as the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, a Catholic cathedral located in the city of Linz, Austria. Construction of the church began in 1862, on the initiative of Bishop Franz Joseph Rudiger. In 1924 the temple was consecrated. It is the largest church building in Austria, which can simultaneously accommodate up to 20,000 people.

Santa Maria delle Grazie - Milan. Of course, to ensure the flow of donations, the church had to apply constant pressure. Contrary to the claims of some historians, the public was not at all tempted to build such temples. Historian Henry Kraus wrote: "Although the people of the Middle Ages were characterized by deep religiosity, building churches was not a priority for them." Consequently, many scholars criticize the church for its extravagance. The book Horizon of the Great Cathedrals acknowledged: Money spent by the church on building projects could be used to feed hungry people or maintain hospitals and schools.

St. Peter's Basilica – 136.6 m



St. Peter's Basilica is a Catholic cathedral located in Vatican City. It is the largest and most central building in the state. It is considered as one of the most revered Catholic shrines. Construction of the cathedral began on April 18, 1506, and was completed on November 18, 1626.

Therefore, we can say that the cathedral was created at the expense of hundreds of thousands of lives. The departments are evidence of the unique creativity of man. It is truly amazing that these huge buildings were created using very simple technical solutions. First detailed plans were made. The quarry used templates to produce uniform decorative elements and matching stone blocks. The exact location in the structure was carefully marked on the blocks.

On the construction site, real feats were accomplished using the then primitive equipment: rope pulleys and turnstiles, often touched by people walking in a wooden cylinder called a boardwalk. At that time, the mathematical formulas used by modern engineers were not known. The builders had to rely on their own feelings and experience. Not surprisingly, there were serious accidents. However, with structural innovations such as buttresses, buttresses, ribbed vaults or pinnacles, builders reached new heights.

St. Stephen's Cathedral – 136.7 m



St. Stephen's Cathedral is a Catholic cathedral located in the center of Vienna. It is a symbol of Austria, as well as one of the most popular and recognizable landmarks of the Austrian capital. The cathedral, designed in Romanesque and Gothic styles, was built on the ruins of two previous churches. Purchased modern look by 1511.

Construction of the cathedral lasted for the shortest of 40 years, but it could also take several centuries. Some of the cathedrals, such as Beauvais and Strasbourg, were never completed. Voices of opposition to these endeavors and the astronomical costs were raised within the church itself.

Even today, the cathedral of Evry, to name even one, is subject to serious criticism. Many who contributed to the construction of these huge temples undoubtedly truly love God. Apparently they had “zeal for God, but not for exact knowledge.” Jesus Christ never intended that his followers would build magnificent places of worship. True worshipers called for "worship in spirit and truth." Despite their beauty, the monumental cathedrals of Christianity contradict this principle.

Basilica of Our Lady of Lichen – 141.5



Basilica Holy Mother of God Lichenska is a Roman Catholic church located in the village of Lichen Stary, near the city of Konin, Poland. It was built at the expense of donations from pilgrims, according to the design of Barbara Beletskaya in 1994–2004. It is one of, as well as one of the main places of pilgrimage in Poland.

Strasbourg Cathedral – 142 m



Strasbourg Cathedral is a Roman Catholic cathedral located in the city of Strasbourg, Alsace region, France. It was built in 1439. In the period from 1647 to 1874 (227 years) he was. Today it is the largest cathedral in the history of European architecture, as well as the largest sandstone building in the world.

Church of St. Nicholas – 147 m



St. Nicholas Church is one of five Lutheran churches in the city of Hamburg, Germany. Made in the neo-Gothic style according to the design of the English architect George Gilbert Scott. From its construction in 1874 to 1876, the church was the tallest building in the world. At the end of July 1943, after the bombing of the city (“Operation Gomorrah”), it was destroyed. Now all that remains of it is the tower, which serves as a memorial and an important architectural monument.

Rouen Cathedral – 151 m



The fourth place in the list of the tallest church buildings in the world is occupied by the Rouen Cathedral - a Catholic church made in the Gothic style. Located in the center of Rouen, 330 meters from the right bank of the Seine River, France. Between 1876–1880 it was the tallest building in the world. Nowadays it is the tallest church in France.

Cologne Cathedral – 157.4 m



Cologne Cathedral is one of the most famous Gothic cathedrals, located in the city of Cologne, Germany. Its construction began in 1248, and was frozen in 1473, leaving the cathedral unfinished. The construction of the temple was resumed only in the middle of the 19th century, and was completed according to the original plan in 1880. This Roman Catholic cathedral is Germany's most popular attraction, with an average of 20,000 visitors daily.

Notre-Dame de la Paix – 158 m



Notre-Dame de la Paix or Basilica of Our Lady of Peace is a Roman Catholic church dedicated to Our Lady of Peace. Located in the city of Yamoussoukro, the capital of the state of Cote d'Ivoire. It was built between 1985–1989. Basilica of Notre-Dame de la Paix with a total area of ​​30,000 square meters is the most big church in the world.

Ulm Cathedral – 161.5 m



Ulm Cathedral - Lutheran Church, located in Ulm, Germany. The first stone was laid in 1377, since then the cathedral has been gradually completed and expanded. On May 31, 1890 it was completely completed. Its spire reaches a height of 161.53 meters, which is reached by 768 steps. It is the tallest church in the world, and the 4th tallest building built before the 20th century.

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