From its rugged Pacific coastline to its dramatic Rocky Mountain spine, British Columbia is one heck of a beautiful Canadian province, ideal for athletes and nature lovers. But urbanites shouldn’t feel excluded in this vast, wild region. They’ll feel right at home in the two largest cities, Vancouver and Victoria, that teem with cultural events as well as some impressive architecture. Read about the top five buildings in British Columbia >
Tag Archives: Christ Church Cathedral
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 >
Missouri’s Best Religious Buildings
One has the largest collection of mosaics in the world. Another has some of the finest stained-glass windows in the United States. Still a third has a reredos that knocked my socks off. What are they? They’re some of the most beautiful churches in Missouri. Read more about them >
Montreal Churchgoers Are Particularly Blessed
I fully expected to see plenty of Catholic churches in Montreal, founded as a Roman Catholic colony by France. But once the British won the Seven Years’ War and English immigrants arrived, Protestant churches were soon rising among their neighbors. Nicknamed “la ville aux cent clochers” (the city of a hundred bell towers), Montreal, Quebec, teems with beautiful houses of worship of various denominations, including Canada’s largest church, the third-largest dome in the world, and a scaled-down replica of the Vatican City’s Basilica of St. Peter. Read more about the top five churches in Montreal >
The Greatest Story Ever Told on a Crucifix
If you celebrate Easter, then you most likely start your day by preparing a big holiday meal, tearing into a chocolate bunny, watching your children search your home for hidden colored eggs, or putting on your Sunday best — including the obligatory bonnet — for the Easter Mass. The most important day in the Christian calendar brings with it the most powerful image as well: Jesus on a cross. Although it’s His resurrection that Christians celebrate today, it’s this Good Friday image that solidifies what His life and teachings were all about. Since that pivotal day at Golgotha, the Crucifixion has been represented countless times in countless cultures in countless media — paintings, sculptures, stained-glass windows, and more. Read about the world’s top five crucifixes >
Five Churches in Ireland That Require Your Attendance
With thousands of churches all over the Emerald Isle, you never have to go very far to find a house of worship. Their styles span nearly a millennium, their denominations vary — and going to church has never been more interesting. Combining fascinating history, spectacular architecture, and centuries of spirituality and tradition, they have become irreplaceable components of both the cities in which they stand and the typically green countryside that they adorn. These are my top five churches in Ireland. Read more >