The world’s most wonderful places of worship

Temple of Light, Austin, Texas, USA

The late American artist Ellsworth Kelly was predominantly celebrated for his abstract paintings. The Temple of Light in Austin was both the first building he designed and his final work. The stone structure draws from the romanesque religious architecture of Paris, where Kelly lived following his military service during the second world war. A staunch atheist, he conceived the secular space as a temple of meditation, calm and light, with 33 stained-glass windows and an 18ft-tall redwood totem sculpture in lieu of a crucifix. Inès Cross

Saghmosavank Monastery, Armenia

Armenia is dotted with monasteries that have more historical importance than this one. Geghard, in the middle of the country, has a spring flowing through it, and visitors collect the water in bottles, believing it to be holy. Khor Virap sits in the Ararat Plain, by the Turkish border, and you can climb down into where Gregory the Illuminator, the saint who eventually made Armenia the first state to adopt Christianity in AD301, was imprisoned. But this little monastery, which sits just north of Yerevan, feels uniquely spiritual. It is perched precariously on the edge of the Kasakh gorge, which seems to split the earth in each direction for miles. It’s quiet, without many tourists. Inside, it’s cold and dark and ancient. Armenians are a people who have lost a lot of history – much of our culture and many of our monasteries have been destroyed. Saghmosavank reveals the culture’s beating heart, reminding me that it’s still palpable, and still very much alive. Lilah Raptopoulos

Church of San Giovanni Battista, Mogno, Switzerland

Visiting this church, which was designed by Mario Botta in the 1990s, is a truly spiritual experience, which begins on the journey up the mountain. The chapel is perfectly built for the snowy, alpine environment: a simple geometric form that accentuates the abundant natural light. Standing inside, you feel like you’ve been taken out of your regular life and put into a fantasy world. Ini Archibong

Hozoviotissa monastery, Amorgos, Greece

The stark white structure of this 11th-century monastery (the second oldest in Greece) clings like a limpet to the cliffs. No more than 5m deep at any point, it was designed to be visible only from the sea in tribute to the Virgin Mary, whose icon is said to have arrived here by unmanned boat. Inside, cheerful monks greet visitors with glasses of local psimeni raki and loukoumi sweets, and you are encouraged to rest in the dim interior, surrounded by framed icons, staring out of the tiny windows at the endless rippling blue. Conservative dress is mandatory, and with 300 steps up to the entrance, it’s worth bearing this in mind before you set off. Helen Bain

Church of the Holy Family, Brasília, Brazil 

The expansive horizon of the Brazilian highlands inspired the sweeping lines and low-to-the-ground form of this Catholic church. Set on a flat plane just outside the capital of Brasília, it announces itself with a concrete monolith that acts as a kind of steeple. Inside the otherworldly circular nave, there are only two materials, wood and concrete, which serve to emulate the sky and land visible through the surrounding window. Baya Simons

Khuha Kharuehat Pavilion, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Thailand 

Actually two conjoined caves, Phraya Nakhon Cave is found in Thailand’s Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park, 250km south of Bangkok. The cave’s interior provides a serene backdrop for the Khuha Kharuehat Pavilion, a temple built in the 19th century to commemorate the then king, Rama V. Through an opening in one of the cavern’s roofs, the sunlight beams down on the tiny yet opulent building, giving the scene an almost mythical quality. Precious Adesina

Vatopedi Monastery, Mount Athos, Greece 

I’ve been to lots of places devoted to religion in my life. I was able to go to Mecca, to the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus and to visit the Pope’s personal pharmacy in the Vatican; next month I’m going to visit the troglodyte churches of Ethiopia. But the place that amazed me the most is a tiny self-administered community in north-eastern Greece: the Republic of Mount Athos. In 2014 I visited its Vatopedi monastery, a place that has remained largely unchanged in the 1,000 years it has been standing. They wake you up at three o’clock in the morning to pray and women are forbidden – even female animals. Ramdane Touhami 

St Thomas Becket Church, Fairfield, UK

The medieval village that once stood here is long departed, but the church remains, solitary and peaceful, in a Kent marsh surrounded by dykes. You pick up the enormous iron key from a hook on a nearby house, and traipse across fields of sheep, crossing footbridges to reach it. The lime-rendered timber interior returns you to its 12th-century origins, with black and white box pews and Georgian oval boards inscribed with Bible texts. For the full Great Expectations atmosphere, go on a winter’s afternoon with a red sky and geese flying overhead. If a sea fret rolls in, the church seems to float on a bed of mist like an apparition. HB 

Otaniemi Chapel, Espoo, Finland 

There are churches that move you through their grandeur and scale, and there are others, though very few, that impress through their lightness and modesty. The Otaniemi Chapel, designed by Finnish couple Heikki and Kaija Siren in the 1950s, is one of those rare examples. The space is defined by windows that occupy an entire wall and give onto the forest. In between the simple wood and brick building and the trees is a slender white cross, which mediates between church and landscape. The sense of transcendence here is achieved not through the building but by shifting the focus to the forest outside. I have only visited once, yet it remains indelibly seared on my memory, inscribed like that white cross against the dark green of the forest. Edwin Heathcote

Capela de Nossa Senhora Baluarte, Ilha de Mozambique, Mozambique

It’s the oldest European building in the southern hemisphere, built by the colonising Portuguese in the 1520s on this tiny island off the coast of northern Mozambique. Mould blooms in huge abstracts along its walls; wind and hard southern African light pour through cross-shaped embrasures in its apse, playing on the ceiling of the dome. Whispering, forlorn, full of ghosts. Maria Shollenbarger 

Church of Saint George (Bete Giyorgis), Lalibela, Ethiopia

In Lalibela, a town in northern Ethiopia, the most beautiful religious structures are not sumptuous buildings dominating the skyline, but rock-hewn churches carved deep into the ground. Most notable is the Church of Saint George, or Bete Giyorgis, dating to the late 12th or early 13th century, a monolithic cross-shaped building hewn from the volcanic rock. PA

Nevelson Chapel of the Good Shepherd at Saint Peter’s Church, New York, USA

The first thing you experience when you enter this chapel, found inside St Peter’s Church on New York’s Lexington Avenue, is peace and serenity. It was designed by the late American sculptor Louise Nevelson, known for the found objects that she would assemble into sculptures, boldly painted all black. I loved her High Priestess of Art persona, her folkloric fashions, layers of lashes, luxurious furs, all topped off with scarves and hats. She herself was as imposing as her art. The oneness that she created with her sculptures is echoed within the chapel, which is all white except for the timber floor. Anna Sui

Mosque Ibn Tulun, Cairo, Egypt

This mosque, built in AD876, is surrounded by three courtyards, each lined by arcades of archways, which allow a breeze to blow through the complex, keeping its worshippers cool. BS

Church of the Light, Osaka, Japan

One of Tadao Ando’s most famous structures is defined less by his signature concrete slabs than by the gaps between them: a slim Latin cross is extruded from the eastern wall of the church he designed in Osaka, sending shafts of morning light down the central aisle and across its bare surfaces. Following his Church of the Wind and Church on the Water, the Pritzker-winning architect had hoped this church would be similarly exposed to the elements, but his client insisted on filling the cruciform opening with glass. In 2017, Ando created a full-size replica of the building and exhibited it at Tokyo’s National Art Center, unglazed. Marion Willingham

Grand Synagogue of Edirne, Turkey

The fire that swept through Edirne, northern Turkey, in 1905 destroyed all 13 of the city’s synagogues. For the sum of 1,200 gold coins, the Jewish community were able to construct a replacement in the form of the Grand Synagogue, which opened just in time for Passover in 1909. The opulent interior, designed by French architect France Depré and modelled on Vienna’s largest synagogue, features intricately tiled floors and wall work in butter yellow, bubblegum pink and ice blue. BS

Shwedagon Pagoda, Yangon, Myanmar

The glittering Buddhist stupa, which sits on a hill in the middle of Myanmar’s largest city Yangon, is the most significant building in the city, visually, spiritually and symbolically. Its golden, bejewelled form dominates its skyline, and over the centuries it has been witness to natural disasters and political turmoil – from earthquakes and colonial occupation to more recent pro-democracy protests against the brutal military dictatorship. When it’s possible again, visit the complex, ideally at sunset, to feel all of this history, as well as the profoundly serene and spiritual experience of this living site of worship. Debika Ray

All Saints’ Church, Tudeley, UK 

In 1963 Marc Chagall was commissioned to create a single memorial window in honour of the daughter of a local family who died in a sailing accident. When he arrived to supervise its installation he declared: “It’s magnificent! I will do them all!” His richly saturated evocations of the Creation, Ascension and the accident itself are perfectly set off by the austere lines of this unassuming stone church, with the colours giving a poignant sense of being underwater. The windows are set at eye level, the better to examine Chagall’s signature scratchings, as well as his distinctive smiling donkeys, fish, birds and tumbling angels. HB 

The Italian Chapel, Lamb Holm, Orkney 

The graceful façade of this Catholic chapel on Lamb Holm in the Orkney Islands sits on two Nissen huts bolted together. Built by Italian prisoners of war in c1943 using donated concrete, poster paints and salvaged metal (its lanterns were once corned-beef tins), it is testament to both ingenuity and the hope of peace. The trompe-l’oeil interior of brickwork, stained-glass windows and ceiling bosses was painted by Domenico Chiocchetti; on one day he also captured a seagull, painting one of its wings red and the other green, releasing it to let the Italian flag fly across the prison camp. HB

Siena Cathedral, Tuscany

This 800-year-old gothic-romanesque confection is known for its monochrome theme. It’s wrapped in black and white stripes of marble both within and without, echoing Siena’s city colours. Naturally, though, there is plenty of painting, gold and gilt inside. Totally timeless but, still, always surprising. Louis Wise

The Saint-Pierre “Cocteau” Chapel, Villefranche-sur-Mer, France 

Once a building used to store fishing equipment, the Cocteau chapel on the Côte d’Azur is today adorned with sunset-toned frescoes by the French artist and poet Jean Cocteau. Look closely and you’ll see paintings depicting scenes from the life of the Apostle Peter, patron saint of fishermen. BS

Monte Grisa, Trieste, Italy

In 1945, the Bishop of Trieste and Koper vowed to erect a temple to “Mary Mother and Queen” if the city pulled through the destructive conflict between Nazi and resistance forces. Trieste survived to see the advent of brutalism, and is now overlooked by this monumental concrete structure from an altitude of around 300m. MW

Bradford Synagogue, West Yorkshire, UK

The Victorian era saw a small community of Germanic Jewish people arrive in Bradford, West Yorkshire, bringing to the wool-producing city the lavish Moorish revival architecture that was so popular in central Europe. The Bradford Synagogue was born out of this period, and boasts a brick-red vaulted ceiling that echoes the Moorish quatrefoil clover-form, Mozarab-style stained-glass windows and ornate filigree lacework. BS

Borobudur temple compounds, central Java, Indonesia 

Central Java’s magnificent 9th-century Mahayana Buddhist temple, the largest in the world, was originally home to more than 500 Buddha statues. Today, only 72 remain, sitting erect and impassive in their stupas, forming a nine-level hill that’s ascended by tourists in dawn’s indigo hours to watch the sun rise. I did this years and years ago, with such a bad case of food poisoning that I was semi-delirious and vomiting at regular intervals on the way up. But that sunrise was a legitimately holy moment. MS

Meenakshi Amman Temple, Madurai, India

Located in Madurai, in the southernmost state in India, this Hindu temple is a 15-acre complex dedicated to the ancient goddess Meenakshi Amman and her husband Sundareswarar. More than 30,000 colourfully painted statues depicting gods, animals and demons adorn the outside walls of the temple’s 14 towers, some of which can be seen from across the city. PA

San Cataldo, Palermo, Sicily 

Palermo’s ravishingly pretty bricks-and-mortar masterclass in the story of Sicily as cultural crossroads. The bell tower nods to the medieval cathedrals of northern France, whence came the Normans; the Byzantine arcades inside speak to an older, closer Christianity; and the domed red Arabic merlons recall the caliphates whose dominion brought citrus fruit, maths, granita and more to one of Italy’s oldest kingdoms. MS

Holy Trinity Sloane Square, London, UK

John Dando Sedding designed this redbrick and Bath-stone church during the arts and crafts movement. For a lectern, there’s a bronze angel by pre-Raphaelite Henry Hugh Armstead; behind her, 48 panels of stained-glass saints by Edward Burne-Jones and William Morris. Musician as well as architect, Sedding provided a generous chamber for the 4,200-pipe organ – the largest of any parish church in London. MW

Pazzi Chapel, Florence, Italy

Santa Croce is hallowed, dimly lit and lined with masterworks (including Giotto’s lovely murals). The Pazzi Chapel, just outside, is exquisite and a possibly perfect building designed by Brunelleschi. But it’s the cloister (also designed by Brunelleschi) beyond that I find myself returning to time and time again. It’s airy, relaxed and gently visited. The arcades and columns are elegant and ideally proportioned, inspiring a sense of lightness. It’s one of the most wonderfully civilised places anywhere in the world. David Coggins

Chapel of Saint John the Theologian of Sycamore, Patmos, Greece

There are roughly 400 churches on the tiny Greek island of Patmos, where St John the Theologian, one of the Twelve Apostles, is said to have written the Book of Revelation. The place I found to be particularly spiritual was not the extraordinary monastery of St John, which sits perched above Chora, the capital, but a tiny chapel hidden away in a valley, where, according to legend, St John used to perform baptisms using the tiny Roman bath that’s attached to the chapel. There are no signs, only some steep steps suggesting the way. On arrival we found trees laden with passion fruit, pomegranates and figs. Bamboo rustled in the breeze. The chapel itself is very small and traditional, with its domed roof and thick, whitewashed walls. It is really just a room where you can light a candle, but standing inside I felt overwhelmed by a sense of history and peace. Fiona Golfar

Église Louise Bourgeois, Bonnieux, France

The simple vaulted interior of this chapel, built alongside the Couvent d’Ô convent, today houses eight sculptures by the French-American sculptor Louise Bourgeois, which were commissioned by the convent’s owner, the banker and collector Jean-Claude Meyer. Works include a Carrara-marble font, a crucifix with a cross in the form of an arm, and a confessional lined with tapestries. BS

Girona Cathedral, Spain

Built between the 11th and 18th centuries, Girona’s landmark cathedral is unique in its blend of architectural styles. Upon entering the towering building, visitors are greeted by a baroque façade with eight locally carved sculptures decorating the three orders, while inside sits a huge gothic nave, the widest of its kind in the world, and a series of geometric stained-glass windows designed by Irish artist Sean Scully. IC

Şakirin Mosque, Istanbul, Turkey 

Located at one of the entrances of historic Karacaahmet Cemetery in Üsküdar, Istanbul, this mosque is the work of local architect-designer Zeynep Fadıllıoğlu, the first woman to ever design a Mosque. Fadıllıoğlu is best known for her restaurant and nightclub fittings, and this space bears some of her signature glamour. Inside, a giant dripping-glass chandelier illuminates the space, which combines a modern aesthetic with traditional Ottoman motifs. IC