Since the 1600s, religion has played an active role in the state of Delaware. Over time, log and wood structures that served as houses of worship morphed into more substantial brick and stone buildings. Steeped in history, these churches were often the hub of not only religious activities but also social life. Read about the top five churches in Delaware >
Tag Archives: architecture
The Legacy of Carl Ludvig Engel
I had no idea who Carl Ludvig Engel was. But as I made my way around Finland, his name kept popping up. I would be awed by a fantastic cathedral and later on find out Engel was the architect. I would admire a stately municipal building and then discover that Engel was the architect for that, too. And his name kept reappearing, in houses and theaters and parks. I was soon on the hunt for more of Engel’s works, and they were pretty easy to find. Read about Engel’s top five works >
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The Best of Annapolis Architecture
A day trip from my wonderful accommodations in Dover, Delaware, brought me across state lines to Maryland. I was immediately enamored by Annapolis, now one of my favorite small U.S. cities, thanks in no small part to some outstanding structures, from utterly charming homes along brick sidewalks to impressive churches to the spectacular campus of the United States Naval Academy. Read about the top five buildings in Annapolis >
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Amsterdam’s Architectural Treasures
It’s easy to fall into one of the 165 canals that course their way around Amsterdam, especially when you’re gawking at everything surrounding you. On average, 100 people do so every year (as well as about 35 cars and thousands of bicycles). I was careful to keep an eye on the often unprotected drop into the drink as I strode around the largest city in the Netherlands, admiring both those wonderfully characteristic slender canal houses with gabled roofs and the much grander megastructures that make this city so memorable. Read about the top five buildings in Amsterdam >
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Scotland’s Spectacular Churches
Some are so ancient, you can almost hear the ghosts of worshippers from nearly a millennium ago. The churches of Scotland, like much of the nation’s architectural inventory, are astoundingly sturdy-looking, as if nothing could ever destroy them. They’re also exquisitely beautiful, with the most delicate details that often belie their bulk. They continually impressed me as I made my two-week loop around this irresistible land. Read about the top five churches in Scotland >
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Canada’s Choicest Churches
By 2029, an estimated 9,000 religious spaces in Canada will be lost—victims of harsh weather, evaporating congregations, abandonment, deterioration, and deliberate razing. That’s nearly one-third of all the ecclesiastical buildings in the entire country, so you better hurry if you want to see some irreplaceable structures before they’re gone forever. Fortunately, my favorites (except one) seem pretty secure…for now. Read about the top five churches in Canada >
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Bourbon on Saturday, Church on Sunday
Kentucky produces approximately 95 percent of the world’s bourbon. That’s a lot of booze. And perhaps if Kentuckians imbibe a bit in what they don’t export, it may explain why, at last count, there are 5,011 churches in the Bluegrass State. That’s a lot of worshipping. And people in Kentucky are doing it in all sorts of structures, from what is barely more than a cabin to what could pass for an old Holiday Inn to cathedrals that easily rival anything in Europe. Read about the top five churches in Kentucky >
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Gems in the “City of Glass”
I was using Vancouver as my base to explore a small part of southwestern British Columbia. It was a wise choice, making access to Victoria, the Sea-to-Sky Highway, and multiple hiking and nature adventures simple. It was also a wise choice for staying local, because this highly livable city is both bustling and laid back, with plenty of things to see, from a colorful Little India to excellent museums to Stanley Park, one of the world’s best urban parks—and to some very impressive architecture just waiting to be admired among all the glass and steel skyscrapers. Read about the top five buildings in Vancouver >
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Pre-War Perfection in Düsseldorf, Germany
While walking between the Christmas markets in Düsseldorf, Germany, including one of the largest in the entire country, and snacking on ginger Lebkuchen and sipping glühwein, I stopped to admire some wonderful buildings. Although much of the city (about 64 percent) was destroyed during the Second World War, these survivors escaped total destruction and remain some of the city’s most spectacular structures. Read about the top five buildings in Düsseldorf >
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Argentina’s Most Beautiful Churches
Four intranational flights in Argentina took me from Buenos Aires to Puerto Iguazú to Salta to Mendoza and back to the capital. It was a whirlwind trip around the northern part of the country during which I hiked around one of the world’s top waterfalls and around the tallest mountain in the Americas, experienced both Latin and Native American cultures, ate llama cutlets and sucked on coca leaves to stave off altitude sickness, and roamed through some of the country’s best cities, filled with beautiful (and often crumbling) architecture, including fantastic houses of worship. Read about the top five churches in Argentina >
Stephen Travels 