After the Zytglogge, this late-Gothic church gets the most attention in Bern. Its spire is the highest in Switzerland and the portal, which has 234 colored depictions of the Last Judgment, is its most famous feature. The left half of the portal depicts the saved, the right half the damned. The 170 small figures are […]
Tag Archives | church
St. Peter und Paul Kirche, Bern
This structure caught my attention because it looked brand new, a rarity on a continent full of ancient churches. This sparse, mock-Gothic church was built in the 19th century and was the first Catholic church to be constructed here since the Reformation.
St. Mauritius Pfarrkirche, Zermatt, Switzerland
St. Mauritius Pfarrkirche’s soaring steeple is visible from many points in Zermatt. This Catholic church anchors one end of the village. Construction on the church began in 1913. World War I disrupted the project’s progress, but the church was finally completed in the 1930’s. The church replaced a 16th-century structure. Historically, Zermatt’s residents have been […]
La Madeleine, Paris
A great way to experience European churches and palaces is to attend classical concerts. Listening to masterful compositions in ornate, historical surroundings is both transporting and relaxing. For me, it’s a bit of time travel, even if the time periods don’t match up. Recently, we heard a concert at La Madeleine. L’Église de la Madeleine […]
Chiesa di San Giovanni, Torno
Tiny lakeside Torno and its few villas and (of course!) churches sit on a point on Lake Como. The Romanesque-Gothic Chiesa di San Giovanni is the main attraction as it contains a nail from the cross, supposedly. I was impressed by the landscaped tiered cemetery fronting the lake.
Chiesa di Sant’Ignazio di Loyola a Campo Marzio
This Baroque Roman Catholic church was dedicated to Jesuit founder Ignatius of Loyola. It was constructed in the 16th century and functioned as a rectory church to adjacent Collegio Romano. The college quickly outgrew the original church, so in the 17th century the massive structure we see today was built. This church has a Latin […]
Chiesa del Gesù
Get your sunglasses out! Entering Rome’s most important Jesuit church, Chiesa del Gesù, is like looking directly at the sun. This overwhelming, stunning gold and marble interior was designed by Giacomo Barozzi da Vignola, a pupil of Michelangelo’s. The centerpiece is the ceiling fresco, designed by Giovanni Battista Gauli, who also frescoed the cupola, including […]
Eglise St. Jean Baptiste, Arras, France
This small Catholic church peeks above the rooftops. When this church was built in the 12th century it was called Saint Nicolas des Fosses since it was constructed on the site of Bastion Saint Nicolas. In the1560’s, that church was demolished and rebuilt. During the French Revolution, most churches were sold as national property and […]
Église Saint-Michel, Luxembourg
This church sits on the oldest religious site in the city, where the castle chapel of the Counts of Luxembourg was built in the 10th century. The church has gone through many incarnations; it was destroyed, rebuilt and renovated many times throughout the centuries in different styles including Gothic, Romanesque and Baroque. The current building […]
St. Georg
St. Georg’s original 18th century Baroque building was destroyed by bombs during WWII. This one was rebuilt in 1957. I liked the simple, nautical interior and the art exhibit right outside. St. Georg, church, Hamburg, Germany
