"Cathedrals, Churches and Mosques" by Andrew_W_K

I love great cathedrals - they are truly something special. Even though I'm not in the least religious I will always make the effort to go and look at a great cathedral or church or mosque for that matter. Of all the great religious buildings I have been to though Wells cathedral stands out above the rest for me. The west front is spectaluar with its carved saints and the way it is set back from the road with a vast expanse of green before it manages to give it a timeless look. I know there are grander buildings and more important places of worship but for sheer beauty Wells takes first place for me.

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The Cathedral at Santiago de Compostela

Santiago de Compostela

Pilgrims have been coming here since the middle ages and they continue to this day. Its a fantastic cathedral built from wonderful golden coloured stone that sits in front of a huge plaza. Some of the stone carvings are among the best I've seen. You get a sense of being overwhelmed by the sheer scale of the place. If it can evoke those feelings in the tourists of today what must the pilgrims of the middle ages felt? This is the third most important place in the Catholic religion and where St James (Santiago) is said to be buried.

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Byzantine Style in Southern Greece

Byzantine Churches

Far less grand than the great cathedrals of europe are the small Byzantine churches that abound all over Greece. These are among the prettiest, most harmonious buildings to be found anywhere in the world. The style is instantly recognisable and unique though you can see the influence of the Byzantine style in many other places (notably Venice). There are so many to choose - there are dozens in Mystras alone - that to pick just one is a task in itself so I'm going to pick one from the Mani peninsula in the southern Peloponnese. There's nothing significant about it - I just like it.

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St Peters Basilica

St Peters

It would be impossible to leave out the Vatican simply because of the size and scale of the place. The piazza designed by Bernini is a masterpiece of space and symmetry in itself with its encircling colonnade and central Egyptian obelisk. The building itself exudes power and dominates the surrounding area. The interior is no less magnificent and there is insufficient space here to describe all the features of this cathedral. Anyone more interested can google more info than you can shake a stick at.

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The Blue Mosque

The Blue Mosque

In the heart of Instanbul is the Blue Mosque - a dazzling building of stone and marble and one of the great sights of Istanbul and an exquisit example of Ottoman archetecture. The mosque also known as Sultan Ahmed Mosque got the blue name in reference to the blue tiles that adorn the walls within. Unusually the mosque has 6 minarets instead of the normal 4.

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Aulnay Church

Aulnay

Aulnay church lies in the Charente region of France. It is one of the most perfect examples of the Romanesque style and now a World Heritage site. It's perfect proportions and weathered stone make it one of the prettiest churches in France.

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Heath Chapel Shropshire

Heath Chapel - Shropshire

A few miles from where I live is a perfect little Norman chapel that stands in the middle of a farmers field. No one much goes there and yet it is a fine example of Norman "everyday" archetecture. Long may it remain.

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Crowland Abbey

Crowland Abbey

Out in the fens of east England is the small town of Crowland that has one of most atmospheric old abbeys anywhere in England. Once a proud abbey it was dissolved in 1539 and over the centuries large parts of it have collapsed leaving the romantic ruin we see today. Of the part of the abbey that is still intact this now serves as the local parish church for the town.