We can all agree that churches are impressive buildings in most cases. However, these ten variations of God's house definitely take home the prize as the largest and most majestic in the world. If you want to experience church services with a concert audience, just pack your bag and rosary - here we give you the 10 largest churches in the world!
The word church comes from the Greek "kyriakon," meaning "the house of the Lord." Cathedrals are the seat of the bishop, and basilica is the architectural term for a hall-type church building. The way you define a church can vary.
However, we have chosen to include all types of buildings intended for Christian worship in this list, including cathedrals and basilicas.
10. Ulm Cathedral - Germany
The foundation stone of the German church Ulmer Münster was laid as early as 1377, but the huge church building was completed only in 1890. It is not surprising that the construction of the church took several hundred years, as it has an area of 8,260 m² and can accommodate 2000 visitors. The tower is 161.51 meters, the highest in the world.
9. Basilica of Nuestro Senora del Pilar - Spain
This baroque church is located in Zaragoza, Spain, and was built between 1681 and 1872. During the Spanish Civil War, no less than three bombs were dropped over the church. Fortunately, none of them detonated and today all three are on display in the cathedral. The massive church building is 130 meters long, 67 meters wide and an impressive sight with its eleven domes and four towers.
8. Basilica of the Holy Trinity (Fátima), Portugal
This modern Roman Catholic church in the Portuguese city of Fátima was inaugurated in 2007 and can almost be compared to a large spaceship. The 95-meter-long, 115-meter-wide and 20-meter-high church accommodates a total of 9,000 visitors. In other words: There are obedient services in the Trinity Church.
7. Liverpool Cathedral - England
The mighty cathedral in the center of Liverpool is the tallest in the world with its 189-meter church building and thus also the largest Anglican church in the world. The church tower is 101 meters high - impressive, as the cathedral lacks a spire. Construction began in 1904, but due to the outbreak of World War II, the cathedral was not fully completed until 1978. The largest of the twelve church bells is called "Great George" and weighs a little more than 15 tons.
6. Basilica of Our Lady of Licheń - Poland
The beautiful Lichén-Stary Basilica houses by far the entire small Polish village of Lichén with more than 1,000 inhabitants in its 10,000 m² main building. The main dome is 98 meters high and the church tower is one of the highest in the world at more than 142 meters. The church cave is 120 meters long and 77 meters wide. This makes it the largest church in Poland. The church was built in honor of a miracle that occurred in 1813 after a wounded soldier in Napoleon's army had a vision of St. Mary telling him that his wounds would heal and that he needed to go home.
5. Duomo di Milano - Italy
This famous Gothic cathedral is located in the center of the square Piazza Dumo in the center of Milan. The building is 157 meters long, 92 meters wide, 108 meters high and can accommodate 40,000 people. The oldest parts date back to the 13th century and it took almost 500 years to complete the spectacular cathedral before it was finally inaugurated in 1965. Duomo du Milano consists of 52 columns, each representing one of the weeks of the year.
4. Cathedral of Saint John the Divine, New York - USA
The Grand Cathedral of Saint John the Divine is located at 1047 Amsterdam Avenue in New York. The first stone for the huge cathedral was laid in 1892, the last hundred years later. The building was delayed by two world wars, and in 2001 large parts of the cathedral burned down, requiring extensive restoration work. More than 183 meters long, the cathedral has a ceiling height of 71 meters and the interior is 11,200 square meters. Curiosity: This is where Sopranos star James Gandolfini was buried after his quick death in 2013.
3. Cathedral of Seville - Spain
The Roman Catholic Cathedral in Seville was built as early as 1402 and was not completed until the beginning of the 16th century. The cathedral also includes the 105-meter-high Giralda Tower, a converted 11th-century minaret that belongs to the mosque where the cathedral used to be. The gigantic church building, 135 meters long, 100 meters wide and 42 meters high, was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1987 and is the final resting place for Christopher Columbus, among others.
2. Our Lady of Aparecida - Brazil
Loa The huge Catholic Basilica of Nossa Senhora da Conceição Aparecida can accommodate up to 45,000 visitors and adds a special touch to the Brazilian city of Aparecida. The church was built in 1955 in the Romanesque style and is 12,000 square meters in size, 188 meters long and 183 meters wide. The tower rises 102 meters into the sky. The huge building is a well-visited pilgrimage site and therefore has an associated parking lot with space for 4,000 buses and 6,000 cars, a health center and a shopping center nearby.
1. St. Peter's Basilica - Vatican City State
The largest church building in the world is, of course, the workplace of the Pope. St. Peter's Basilica, the main church of Catholicism, is basically the entire Vatican City with 15,000 square meters of interior space. In total, there is room for just over 60,000 people - more than a crowded Friends Arena! The church is 132.5 meters high, 187 meters long and has over 20,000 visitors daily. This makes it one of the most visited buildings of any category in the world. The current building began construction in 1506 and was completed 120 years later when it was consecrated by Pope Urban III in 1626. Several famous architects have left their mark on the church in various ways, including Bramante, Rafael and Michelangelo. Deep beneath its floor also rests Sweden's former regent Queen Kristina.
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