This one is on my bucket list to visit (great twitter follow, btw);

Again Albi Cathedral https://t.co/hdJFWi3yWf

— Stained Glass Zealot † (@glass_zealot) March 21, 2022

Saint Francis de Sales, Saint Louis, MO

Notre Dame before the fire

San Luigi dei Francesi In Rome



Has the Contarelli Chapel with 3 Caravaggio masterpieces

Not the most ornate church, but the largest organ Bach played/helped design would be neat to go visit/hear.

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The most impressive item in St Wenzel's is without a doubt the magnificent Baroque organ. This is the largest organ played by Bach and the largest organ built by the famous organ builder Zacharias Hildebrandt (1688-1757) that is still in working condition. It is played often.
Johann Sebastian Bach was instrumental in the design of this organ. He cooperated closely with his friend

Hildebrandt, who in 1743 received the contract for replacing the existing organ with a new, larger instrument. On 27 September 1746, J.S. Bach and master organ builder Gottfried Silbermann Hildebrandt's former teacher tested and approved the organ.

In 1748, Johann Christian Altnikol became the first organist a year later he became Bach's son-in-law. No existing organ in the world has more Bach in it. Altnikol observed in 1753 "… und wer diese Orgel gesehen und gehöret, der is niemals ohne Bewunderung davon hinweggegangen." (Implying, although the German is more descriptive and stronger, "no one who saw or heard this organ had ever left without being impressed")

Through the centuries, the organ was altered to reflect changes in taste and restored several times. The latest restoration completed in 2000 by Hermann Eule Orgelbau Bautzen returned the organ largely to the original condition to reproduce the sound as closely as is possible to what was heard in Bach's lifetime.
The Hildebrandt organ has around 3,300 pipes, 52 stops and is played via three manuals and a set of pedals see full technical description at Hildebrandt-Orgel.

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edit to add picture, which I failed at.

In reply to notex St. Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin is similar. Not terribly large or ornate, but Jonathan Swift is buried there and it was the site of the first performance of Handel's Messiah. Definitely worth a visit.

I'll throw in with St Stephen's in Vienna and the Cologne cathedral as well. I'd actually enjoy a list of orthodox options, for those who are knowledgeable (or monasteries).

Of course the Hagia Sophia would be amazing to see, if sad.

Vienna:



Cologne (just a little nave!):



I've actually been to the Strasbourg one, which is cool, but life is too short so I am not sure I'll make it back, though it again has a fascinating history going back to some roman bits still in place.



The Germans, when I was there 15 or so years ago, seemed to be spending some pretty good money restoring some of their older remaining churches.

In reply to nortex97

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I'd actually enjoy a list of orthodox options, for those who are knowledgeable (or monasteries).

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For something a little different, there is a good amount of Byzantine-style architecture in Italy, which is probably a more accessible destination for most Americans than Orthodox countries:

Basilica of San Vitale (Ravenna):

https://mandalameadow.com/ravenna-mosaics/

Monreale Cathedral (Sicily):


La Mortana (Sicily):


https://arsartisticadventureofmankind.wordpress.com/2015/06/06/expansion-of-byzantine-art-through-sicily-and-southern-italy-norman-arab-byzantine-art/

Basilica of St. Josaphat - Milwaukee. WI (Link gives some history, a few photos and VR 360 Tour)

In reply to Serotonin The baptismal building at the Duomo in Florence is truly beautiful and deeply influenced by Byzantine / Orthodox art.

Favorite one I've visited is the Catedral de Sevilla

Have been to Cologne Cathedral:


And Salzburg Cathdral:


Best I've been to in the US is Cathedral Basilica of St John in Savannah, Georgia:


Wish list:
Notre Dame - Paris
St Peter's - Vatican City
Pantheon - Rome
San Giovanni in Laterano - Rome
St Mark's Basilica - Venice

The greatest church is one that faithfully preaches the gospel and administers the sacraments.

In reply to nortex97 my church is kinda pretty inside

Milan:

For those of us too poor/don't want to/can't go the Vatican also has a really cool virtual site, fyi;

https://www.vatican.va/various/basiliche/san_pietro/vr_tour/index-en.html

https://www.vatican.va/various/cappelle/index_sistina_en.htm

In reply to nortex97 Beautiful.

If you are visiting London then Westminster Abbey and St Paul's get all the attention (and they are both incredible), but St Bartholomew is worth a visit, and if you go offseason there's a good chance you'll have the place to yourself:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Bartholomew-the-Great

And for any Braveheart fans the church is located right next to the site where William Wallace was executed (marked by a plaque).

Cathedral of the Madeleine - Salt Lake City

In reply to mesocosm

mesocosm said:

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My favorites are all of the ones in Europe that are no longer used as churches because of lack of churchgoers. The ones that become government offices, conference centers, bars & restaurants, movie theaters, secular schools etc.

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The building materials for Basilica of St. Josaphat (above) was salvaged from the United States Custom House, Court House, and Post Office in Chicago. . The entrance doors even use the brass hardware of the long-gone Federal Building. .



The Basilica has also outlived its replacement Fed building.

Notre Dame Cathedral Montreal - I never wanted to leave..Truly awesome..JPII said Holy Mass there...

In reply to Serotonin LOL, some people do worship the fed, I suppose. Apropos your user name, it probably also generates stress to many, when considered.

The Iglesia de San Joaquin de Flores in Heredia, Costa Rica is a positively beautiful church. It does not hurt that the priest who ran the church in the fall of '09 was an exceptionally kind man, who cared for the people of the town, catholic or not. I always put money in their collection plate when I went with the family I was living with to watch mass.

St. Joseph's downtown Church, San Antonio

In reply to Ag_of_08 Pretty cool.

Many will know of this one, but it is neat to see/visit. St Mary's in Plantersville, TX ('the painted church').



(Yes, they have a periodic quilt show stilI I think).

Some cool older ones in Texas to see/visit are at this link;

http://texasescapes.com/Texas_architecture/TexasChurches.htm

Here are 5 cool ones I'd like to get to some day in South America.