Richmond, Virginia, is one of the most historic cities in the United States I’ve ever visited. The past is ever-present, no matter where I looked. A large part of that is the city’s religious institutions. With 1,414 religious organizations and churches in the greater Richmond metropolitan area, there’s one group for every 163 persons in the city. And that means there’s tremendous diversity when you’re visiting and want to see a great range. Read about the top five churches in Richmond >
Tag Archives: churches
Oklahoma’s Churches Are More Than OK
Adolf Hitler in stained glass. Dogs attending services. An Art Deco beauty co-designed by a female architect way back in 1929. A collateral victim of one of the worst terrorist attacks on U.S. soil. An abbey church on a now defunct college campus. Visiting churches in Oklahoma proved to be a highly unusual experience. More than just beautiful structures, these houses of worship are packed with some truly fascinating stories. Read about the top five churches in Oklahoma >
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Norway’s Captivating Churches
Arguably the most iconic example of Norwegian architecture (and the one that always amazes me) is the stave church, a medieval wooden Christian church building constructed between 1150 and 1350 that used to be prevalent throughout Norway, with numbers estimated to be around 2,000. Sadly, fewer than 30 have survived. Since then, new and different—and quite beautiful—styles have taken their rightful place in the country’s ecclesiastical architectural inventory. Read about the top five churches in Norway >
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Great Churches in the Great Lakes State
By some estimates, there are approximately 12,000 churches in Michigan. Declining attendance in these churches, no matter what the faith, means that many have closed permanently, and many more are headed in that direction, with the very real possibility of being razed. That would be a shame, because these are some very fine buildings that enhance the beauty of cities and towns all around the Great Lakes State. Read about the top five churches in Michigan >
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The Visual Delights of Malta’s Churches
Estimates of Malta’s Catholic population range from 80% to 98%. Even at that lower figure, this is a country with a lot of Catholics. And it has spectacular churches to support their practice. No matter what city I went to, there was always a gorgeous church, or many of them, depending on the size of the city. Valletta, the capital, alone has 28 churches, in a city that you can easily walk from end to end in under an hour. But even smaller cities seem to have more than enough to tend to the religious needs of a total national population of just over half a million. Read about the top five churches in Malta >
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Holy Harrisburg!
Harrisburg was a one-day stopover on my drive between Indianapolis and my home in New York. I had always wanted to see the Pennsylvania state capitol, and after checking in to the wonderful Manor on Front, I strolled along the Susquehanna River to my destination. The capitol’s massive green dome is certainly impressive, but so is the surprising number of lovely churches packed into a relatively small downtown. Read about the top five churches in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania >
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Warsaw Saw War—and Then Rebuilt Its Churches as if Nothing Had Happened
I wasn’t surprised by the number and the beauty of the churches in the overwhelmingly Catholic city of Warsaw, Poland, where three-quarters of the population of 1.8 million identify as Roman Catholic. I was surprised, however, by how many of them had been obliterated during World War II and then rebuilt. Some took on a simpler variation of the original, but many were restored to their baroque, rococo, and neoclassical glory. Read about the top five churches in Warsaw >
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Germany’s Glorious Churches
No matter where I went in Germany, a church steeple or spire always seemed to be above me. With nearly 50,000 churches spread out across the country, that’s easy to understand. From charming mountain-town churches to tremendous city cathedrals, these striking buildings have added style and beauty to their surroundings for centuries. Read about the top five churches in Germany >
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The Best of Florida’s Churches
Considering that Florida was claimed for the Spanish crown and received its name from “Pasqua Florida” (Easter Flower), and that the oldest continuously occupied settlement of European origin (founded in 1565, way before Plymouth Rock) was named for a Christian saint (St. Augustine), it’s no wonder that I came across plenty of beautiful churches across the state. When you’re traveling around the Sunshine State, you’ll want to duck into these structures, not only to escape the heat and humidity, but also to admire some beautiful art and architecture and to experience some very long histories. Read about the top five churches in Florida >
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Finland’s Fantastic Churches
In 1900, nearly the entire population of Finland belonged to the Evangelical Lutheran Church. Today, only about two-thirds identify with that faith. That’s not the only thing that has changed: Just under one-third have no religious affiliation at all. One thing that has not changed, however, is the beauty of the churches where Finns (although not as many) go to attend to their spiritual needs. Read about the top five churches in Finland >
Stephen Travels 