The largest temples. The largest cathedrals in Europe
In Paris, one of the main symbols of the city is burning - Notre Dame Cathedral, it caught fire on the evening of April 15. In the Cathedral there could be Crown of Thorns and part of the Cross from which Jesus was taken down - great Christian relics. Parisian firemen's ladders do not reach the flames; they are too short. And there is a possibility that Notre Dame can no longer be saved.
A cathedral is always one of the main churches of a city, or a temple that is dedicated to some special event, therefore, unlike ordinary churches, cathedrals were built with special grandeur. The temple cannot cease to be a cathedral - this status is assigned to it once and for all. In principle, particularly large sizes for the cathedral are not necessary, but from the very beginning it was designed for large divine services, so it simply has to be made larger. We invite you to take a look at the tallest and most majestic cathedrals and churches in the world.
1. Ulm Cathedral (Germany), height 161.5 m.
This Lutheran cathedral is considered the tallest cathedral in the world. The height of the cathedral together with the spire is 161.5 m, and 768 steps allow you to rise to a height of 143 m. The foundation of the cathedral took place in 1377, construction began almost 20 years later - in 1392. By 1405, construction of only the main part of the cathedral was completed, with interruptions it continued to be completed for several more centuries, and construction was completed only in 1890. Thus, the entire construction of Ulm Cathedral took almost half a millennium.
2. Notre-Dame de la Paix (Côte d’Ivoire), height including the cross on the main dome 158 m
This basilica is considered the largest of Christian churches in the world. More than 18,000 people will be present at the service here at the same time. True, the Roman Cathedral of St. Petra, with a smaller area, can accommodate three times as many believers.
3. Cologne Cathedral (Germany), height 157.4 m.
Construction of this beautiful Gothic cathedral began in 1248 and was completed only in 1880. During this 632-year construction, a legend even developed that the city of Cologne would not be threatened while the construction of the cathedral continued. This cathedral is the third tallest cathedral in the world. Christian churches, but at the same time it is the tallest of all churches that have two identical towers. 533 steps allow you to rise to a height of 150 m.
4. Rouen Cathedral (France), height 151 m.
This fourth-tallest cathedral has the world's tallest cast-iron tower. One of the founders of impressionism, the French artist Claude Monet created 50 paintings depicting this cathedral in different lighting and at different times of the year.
5. St. Nicholas Cathedral (Germany), height 147.3 m.
The cathedral was heavily damaged by bombing during World War II and remains unrestored to this day. From 1874 to 1876, this cathedral was considered the tallest building in the world.
6. Strasbourg Cathedral (France), height 142 m.
From 1625 to 1874, this cathedral was considered the tallest building in the world. The cathedral is built from sandstone and is one of the largest buildings in the world made from this material.
7. Basilica Holy Mary Our Lady of Lichen (Poland), height 141.5 m.
This largest basilica in Poland was designed by Polish architect Barbara Bielecka. The temple was built from 1994 to 2004 using donations from believers.
8. St. Stephen's Cathedral (), height 136.4 m.
This majestic Gothic-style cathedral is one of Vienna's main attractions.
9. New Cathedral (Austria), height 134.8 m.
This cathedral is the largest, but not the tallest cathedral in Austria, inferior in height to St. Stephen's Cathedral by only 2 meters. The cathedral was built in 1924.
10. St. Peter's Cathedral (), height 136.4 m.
This is the largest cathedral in the Vatican and one of the largest cathedrals in the world. The world's largest Christian church, Notre-Dame de la Paix in Côte d'Ivoire, is modeled after this cathedral. It is larger in area and in height, but St. Peter's is designed to accommodate three times as many parishioners.
11. And finally, St. Vitus Cathedral in the capital of the Czech Republic - Prague. It is not the tallest cathedral - its height is only 96.5 m, but it is the longest cathedral in the world. The length of its main nave is 124 m.
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The church that TravelAsk will tell you about today is amazing in its size. It is rightfully the largest in the world.
Main church of Ivory Coast
A real giant among churches is located in Africa, in the capital of Côte d’Ivoire, in the city of Yamoussoukro. The church has a very sonorous name: Notre-Dame de la Paix, which translated from French means Basilica of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Peace. This Catholic church is listed in the Guinness Book of Records.
The area of the church is 30 thousand square meters, it is located on an area of 130 hectares. The height of its dome is also quite impressive - 158 meters. This also makes the church the second tallest in the world after Ulm Cathedral in Germany, which is 161.5 meters high.
By the way, the dome of the basilica is the largest in the world: its diameter is 90 meters.
Why Africa?
In general, it is surprising that the most big temple, and also Catholic, is located in Africa. After all, Catholicism is far from the most popular religion here; moreover, Christians make up 33% of the country and are mainly represented by Pentecostals, Adventists and Methodists. The majority of Muslims here are about 40%. So where did this temple come from? We found out everything about this seemingly strange fact.
It's all about the first president of Côte d'Ivoire, Felix Houphouët-Boigny. The country was a French colony for a long time, and gained independence in 1960. It was then that Houphouët-Boigny, who was in power for several decades, was proclaimed president.
Felix did the incredible: he moved the capital from the millionaire city of Abidjan to the small town of Yamoussoukro, where he was from. The population of the city at that time was approximately 200 thousand people. Now, by the way, there is a little more: just over 280 thousand residents live in the city.
In addition, the president decided to leave a memory of himself in the new capital, so he ordered the construction of the largest church in the world. The Basilica of Our Lady of Peace is a gift to Pope John Paul II.
Construction of the basilica
Notre-Dame de la Paix is a copy of the main temple of the Vatican - the Saint Cathedral, only surpassing it in size. But, despite all its scale, the temple can accommodate only 18 thousand people, while the Vatican Cathedral can accommodate 60 thousand.
Italian marble was brought to the country especially for the construction of the basilica, and the stained glass windows were created from French colored glass, of which there are (!!!) 7 thousand square meters. No other temple has so much painted glass; this is also a kind of record. By the way, one of the stained glass windows depicted the chief architect - President Felix Houphouet-Boigny.
This giant was rebuilt quite quickly, in just 4 years; construction lasted from 1985 to 1989. The temple cost, according to various estimates, from 175 to 400 thousand dollars, part of which was donated by the president (according to him, only from 175 to 400 thousand)))). By the way, this is approximately 6% of the country’s annual budget. In general, for Côte d’Ivoire this is an unheard of luxury, because many people here live very poorly. 1,500 workers from Africa were involved in the construction; the main architects were the French.
The church was illuminated in 1990; the Pope himself came to this ceremony. True, the main condition was the construction of a hospital next to the temple, but it began to be built quite recently. And in 1990, a stone was laid near the basilica, which can still be seen today.
Next to the Basilica of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Peace there are two more buildings, very similar to the temple, only smaller in size: this is the papal villa and the house for the priest. By the way, the Pope visited here only once, at the consecration of the temple.
Competitors of Notre-Dame de la Paix
In fact, the Basilica has two competitors; it is noteworthy that they are also located in Africa, only in Nigeria. So, in Lagos there is a Pentecostal temple “Tabernacle of Faith”, it only has about 50 thousand seats. In addition, in 2011, another Pentecostal temple opened here - the National Temple of the Apostolic Church of Nigeria. It can accommodate about 100 thousand believers at the same time.
Since ancient times, humanity has been building grandiose castles and palaces, as if competing in architectural skill. But there are buildings that were created in honor of God and his power, which helps people in difficult times. What kind of temples and cathedrals have come down to us from ancient times and amaze our contemporaries with their beauty and grandeur.
Ulm Cathedral, Ulm, Germany
Ulm Cathedral is the tallest cathedral in Europe, its height is 161.5 meters. The construction of this architectural work began on June 30, 1377; at the expense of local residents, about 10 thousand people lived in the city at that time. For a number of reasons, the cathedral was completed only on May 31, 1890, with the installation of a cruciferous flower on the spire of the building. 513 years passed from the start of construction to the end of construction. During World War 2, when almost the entire city was bombed, the cathedral was one of the few that survived. The cathedral is made in the Gothic style; you can admire its beauty for hours. The length of the cathedral is 123 meters and the width is 49 meters, up to 20 thousand people can be in it at the same time. Having climbed 768 stone steps to a height of 143 meters, you find yourself on an observation deck from which you can enjoy magnificent views of the city and the Alpine beauty.
Notre-Dame de la Paix, Yamoussoukro, Ivory Coast
Notre-Dame de la Paix is the largest church in the world, listed in the Guinness Book of Records. Catholic Church built in the image and likeness of St. Peter's Cathedral. The Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace was built over 4 years from 1985 to 1989. The height of the building reaches 158 meters, the area of the basilica is 30 thousand square meters; thanks to the spacious nave, the cathedral can accommodate 18 thousand people, 7000 seats and 11 standing places. The cathedral is made of marble; 121 thousand square meters of marble and 7000 square meters of stained glass were used for its construction. Thanks to the stained glass windows, sunlight entering the cathedral creates incredibly beautiful images. Pope John Paul II consecrated the Notre-Dame de la Paix church and laid a stone on the site of which the leaders of the poor African country promised to build a hospital. Almost 30 years have passed, the stone remains in place, and funds for the construction of the hospital have not been found.
Construction of the Gothic cathedral in Cologne began in 1248 and continues to this day. There is a legend that as soon as all the improvements to Cologne Cathedral are completed, the end of the world will come. Cologne Cathedral is the tallest church with two towers, the height of the towers reaches 157.4 meters. The total length of the building outside is 144.58 meters, width 86.25 meters. The area of the cathedral is 7914 square meters. The stained glass windows on the cathedral windows have been preserved since the Middle Ages. By climbing 509 steps you can get to the top of the cathedral and admire the views from the height of a 50-story building. Cologne Cathedral has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1996.
St. Peter's Basilica is the most grandiose building in all Christendom. In its modern form, the cathedral was built in 1626; such masters of architecture as Raphael and Michelangelo had a hand in its creation. Although its history dates back to the 4th century with the construction of a small basilica, where the Apostle Peter is supposedly buried. Today, the majestic structure rises to the sky to a height of 132.5 meters, its length is 187 meters, width 114.5 meters, and area 44,000 sq. m. At the same time, 60,000 people can be inside the building and about 400 thousand more in the area near it. The grandeur of the structure is also emphasized in the architecture of the cathedral; there are marks in it showing the size of other Christian churches that are inferior to it in size and grandeur.
The largest Catholic cathedral in France is located in the city of Rouen. The first mention of a church in this city was back in 314, after which the churches were liquefied and destroyed during various wars. It acquired its modern appearance in 1877, the construction of the Catholic Cathedral was completed. The church is made in the Gothic style, due to the fact that it was built over many years, giving it even more flavor and colorfulness. Building height 151 meters, it is the tallest cast iron tower in the world. The length is 137 meters, the width of the facade is 61.6 meters. Rouen Cathedral is one of the national heritage monuments of France.
Strasbourg Cathedral, Strasbourg, France
For 250 years it was the tallest building in the world. The cathedral was erected in 1439, its height is 142 meters. Due to its geographical location, the decoration of the church was influenced not only by French, but also by German culture. In addition to its magnificent architecture, the cathedral is famous for its astronomical clock, which not only shows time accurately to the second for several centuries. Thanks to the work of the best minds in France, the clocks are calculated annually church holidays dates that change annually and show the orbits of all the planets that were known to mankind in 1832, at the time this function was introduced. The slowest part of the clock demonstrates the precession of the earth's axis - a complete rotation occurs in 25,800 years.
Seville Cathedral, Seville, Spain
The Seville Cathedral was built on the foundations of a mosque, as a symbol of the victory of Christians over Muslims in the struggle for the Iberian Peninsula. This is the largest Gothic cathedral in all of Europe, its construction began in 1401 and was completed in 1519. The building amazes not only with its architectural grandeur and beauty; according to legend, the remains of Christopher Columbus rest here, and the cross that adorns the top of the cathedral is made of the first gold, brought from South America. The cathedral is also decorated with paintings by such masters of painting as Murillo, Velazquez and Goya. The area of the temple is 11520 sq. meters, length 116 meters, width 76 meters, height of the central nave 42 meters. Seville Cathedral has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987.
Cathedrals and churches have always been built on a special scale. The main task of any architect was to build a majestic, unusual and eye-catching building. There was a serious struggle over who would build the taller and larger structure. I suggest you get acquainted with the tallest and largest cathedrals in the world
We have already talked in detail about each of these cathedrals, so the article will provide links to more detailed description. Let's arrange all these structures in descending order:
1. The tallest religious building in the world is Ulm Cathedral - its height together with the spire is 161.5 meters. It is also notable for the fact that its construction dragged on for more than 5 centuries, from 1377 to 1890, when the spire was completed
4. The fourth largest, immortalized by Claude Monet, is the Rouen Cathedral in France. Its construction began in 1020, its height is 151 meters
5. In 5th place, not restored after the Second World War - St. Nicholas Cathedral in Hamburg. Its height is 147 meters
7. Located in Poland Basilica of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Lichen, its height is only half a meter lower than Strasbourg Cathedral - 141.5 meters
8. The height of St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna is 136.4 meters. Gothic cathedral is the main attraction of Vienna, which is not surprising
9. The new cathedral in Linz rises to 134.8 meters. Was built in 1924
10. The famous St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican closes the top ten. Its height is 136.4 meters, which is not much lower than the other cathedrals from the second five, but in terms of area it is one of the largest in the world
As an addition, I would like to add one more cathedral to this list, which impressed me very much. This is St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague, although its height is only 96.5 meters, it is no less majestic than the rest of the buildings on this list. In addition, it is one of the longest cathedrals in the world, with the length of the main nave being 124 meters
Ulm is a German city where the tallest cathedral in the world is located. Also in Germany, in the cities of Cologne and Hamburg, two more of the five tallest churches on the planet are located.
This includes the French cathedral in Rouen and the grand basilica in Yamoussoukro, the capital of the West African country of Côte d'Ivoire. The article provides short description, history and photographs of the tallest cathedral in the world, as well as four churches that are slightly inferior to it in this championship.
Ulm Cathedral
With a stunning Gothic (total height of 162 m) it is located in the center of the German city of Ulm, on the spacious Marktplatz square. This cathedral is the tallest in the world, it towers above all other city buildings, it can be seen from the Danube and even areas located on the opposite bank. Laying catholic church took place in 1377. The predominant part of the building was erected between 1392 and 1405, after which the consecration ceremony was performed and the church received its first parishioners. Although Ulm Cathedral remained unfinished according to plan, construction work ceased as the vaults reached the maximum weight that the walls of the side naves could support.
After renewed construction in 1530 - 1543, the building, together with the bell tower, reached a height of 100 m. Due to the strengthening of Protestantism in Germany, the cathedral became Lutheran by the middle of the 16th century, which it remains so to this day. The final phase of construction work took place from 1817 to 1890, after which the completed temple with its openwork bell tower tent became the tallest cathedral in the world. During the bombing by American aircraft in 1944, the city was reduced to ruins, but the building remained untouchable and was completely undamaged. Its magnificent architecture and interior design invariably attract many tourists to Ulm, which is not rich in attractions.
Notre-Dame de la Paix
This 158-meter basilica lacks just over four meters to be considered the tallest cathedral in the world. But the 30,000 sq. meters is considered the largest church on the planet, as recorded by the World Book of Records. It is located in Yamoussoukro, the new capital of the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, once called the Ivory Coast. Erected in honor Mother of God Mira, the church became a copy of the Roman Cathedral of St. Peter's, surpassing it in height and area, and also trying to compete with the main Vatican temple in beauty and luxury.
The construction of such a large-scale Catholic sanctuary in a very poor African country, where Christians make up 33% of the population and Muslims 39%, was the decision of President Felix Houphouet-Boignipe. From the start of construction in 1985 until its completion in 1989, about 300 million US dollars were spent, which doubled the republic's external debt per capita, exceeding those of all African countries.
It is curious that the consecration of the cathedral took place after its construction was completed in 1989. In response to the president’s request to consecrate the temple, the Pope put forward a condition: a public hospital should be built near Notre-Dame de la Paix. After the president made a promise regarding the construction of a hospital, the pontiff himself laid a stone near the completed church, which served as the foundation of the building and is usually considered the first in temple construction. The consecration ceremony took place in September 1990, conducted personally by John Paul II, and a month and a half later the Vatican decided to assign the cathedral the honorary position of a minor basilica.
Cologne Cathedral
The 157-meter temple, which took third position in the list of the highest, again directs attention to the medieval The Cathedral in the rich and powerful Cologne was originally conceived as a large-scale and majestic structure that would outshine other temples. It was supposed to be not only the main cathedral and the residence of the archbishop, but also as a repository for the remains of the Three Kings (Holy Magi). The relic was received from Emperor Barbarossa in gratitude for his service by military leader Rainald von Dassel in 1164, after which he transported it to Cologne. The shrine, which is considered a masterpiece of Romanesque art, took ten years to build from precious metals and stones for the relics. This shrine, together with no less valuable relics, the staff and monstrance of St. Peter is still kept in the cathedral.
In 1248, the archbishop of Cologne laid the first stone, which marked the foundation of the cathedral. Then followed the first, almost two-century stage of construction, which lasted from 1248 to 1437. The structure was erected in accordance with the design of Gerhard von Riehle, the first and main architect of Cologne Cathedral. Some work on installing the roof continued until the beginning of the 16th century. However, the cathedral was without towers, and a number of works remained unfinished.
Funding and construction resumed in 1842, and in 1863 construction began on two identical towers. By mid-October 1880 they were completed and reached a height of 157 meters. At this point, the construction of Cologne Cathedral, which lasted a total of 632 years, completely ended. The building is included in the UNESCO cultural heritage list; it amazes with its ancient grandeur and Gothic beauty, although it is not the tallest cathedral in the world. Photos only remotely convey its legendary splendor and monumentality.
Rouen Cathedral
Reaching 151 meters, this temple is famous for being crowned by the world's tallest cast iron tower. History of Rouen cathedral marked by a series of destructions and restorations. Among the tallest churches on the planet, this building can perhaps be called the most ancient.
Construction of the Romanesque building began in the 1020s; the crypt remains from the architecture of those times. The Romanesque nave collapsed after a fire, and after 1200 a new, Gothic nave took its place. All parts of the church were gradually replaced, and the current image of the cathedral is fully consistent with the architectural canons of the Gothic style. In the 18th century, significant damage was caused by a severe hurricane. But the largest destruction was caused by air strikes on the city during hostilities in the spring of 1944. The most ancient element of the Rouen Cathedral remained the Saint-Romain Tower, built in 1145, from which, after the bombing on April 1, only the charred walls of the base remained. The explosion on April 19 severely damaged the chapels and nave, and the north tower burned down on May 31. The last damage to the building was the damage to the bell tower after the December storm of 1999. Due to frequent destruction, the temple undergoes constant reconstruction. Today, the active Rouen Cathedral is a monument of French national heritage.
Cathedral of St. Nicholas
The architecture of most Christian churches includes bell towers, spiers and towers. The vertical dimensions of temples are primarily indicated by their height. The 147-meter tower in the German city of Hamburg is one of the tallest cathedrals in the world. It belonged to the Lutheran Church of St. Nicholas, the ruins of which were preserved from war times as a reminder of the victims of the tyranny of 1933 - 1945. There is an elevator inside the tower that takes you to the observation deck located under the spire. And nearby in the pavilion there is a museum of the history of the temple. In terms of height, the tower structure is considered the second building in Hamburg and the fifth most high cathedrals planets.
Orthodox churches
The highest Orthodox Cathedral is the Peter and Paul Cathedral in St. Petersburg. It reaches 122.5 m and ranks 22nd in the world ranking of the tallest churches. Russian tsars were once buried there, but now it is an inactive temple and architectural monument. Until the middle of the last century, the cathedral was the tallest building in Russia, and until 2012 - in St. Petersburg. Among the active Orthodox Christians (103 m) in Moscow is considered to be the highest today. After it comes St. Isaac's Cathedral (101.5 m) in St. Petersburg.
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