Beautiful Churches and Their Meaning

[bbbbbbb]

Independent Presbyterian, Birmingham, AL

Independent Presbyterian, Savannah, GA

I was hoping that someone would post a picture of the Independent Presbyterian Church in Savannah. Could you post an exterior photo or two, as well? This is a beautiful post-Revolutionary church building.

The center aisle is exceptionally wide because it was their practice to set up a long table down the aisle to use when they celebrated communion. The marble checkerboard pattern was very popular for stone floors throughout the nineteenth century.

 

[WirSindBettler]

I was hoping that someone would post a picture of the Independent Presbyterian Church in Savannah. Could you post an exterior photo or two, as well? This is a beautiful post-Revolutionary church building.

The center aisle is exceptionally wide because it was their practice to set up a long table down the aisle to use when they celebrated communion. The marble checkerboard pattern was very popular for stone floors throughout the nineteenth century.

 

[bbbbbbb]

Thank you for the really excellent photo!

 

[WirSindBettler]

We've sort of skirted around them a bit, but here are some really beautiful Lutheran Stave Churches. As a Norwegian-American, they're a part of my heritage; as a Lutheran, they're a part of my theology.

Borgund Stavkyrkje, Lærdal (completed in the late 12th century):

My grandfather's paternal family is from this area.

Eidsborg Stavkyrkje, Telemark (completed in the mid 13th century):

Flesberg Stavkirke, Numedal (completed c. 1200 AD, altered 1735 AD):

Garmo Stavkirke, Lillehammer (completed in the mid 12th century):

Gol Stavkirke, Hallingdal, now in Oslo (completed in the late 12th century):

Grip Stavkirke, Møre og Romsdal (completed in the mid to late 15th century):

Hedalen Stavkyrkje, Sør-Aurdal (completed in the late 12th century):

Heddal Stavkirke, Notodden (completed in the early 13th century):

Hopperstad Stavkyrkje, Vik (completed c. 1130 AD)

Here's the church in view of the town. My grandmother's paternal family had a farm about a mile to the left of this shot, along the fjord.

Kaupanger Stavkyrkje, Sogndal (completed c. 1190 AD):

The ladder goes up to the bell tower, and is how they ring the bells.

Kvernes Stavkyrkje, Averøy (completed in the mid to late 14th century):

Lom Stavkyrkje, Lom (completed in the late 12th century, altered in the 17th):

Røldal Stavkyrkje, Odda (completed in the early 13th century)

Undredal Stavkyrkje, Aurland (completed c. 1147 AD)

Urnes Stavkyrkje, Luster (completed c. 1132 AD)

And now for reconstructed stave churches:

Fantoft Stavkirke, Fortun, destroyed by arson, rebuilt in Bergen

Without a doubt the most beautiful church exterior ever (in my opinion):

And now, to satisfy my next desire, here are some pictures of Norway, one of the most beautiful yet brutal countries to live in due to weather and terrain:

Rondeslottet

Loen

Seen in the far north of Norway:

 

[MoreCoffee]

Thanks for the Norwegian church photos. My paternal ancestry is Swedish. My maternal ancestry is English.

 

[WirSindBettler]

Cathedral of St. Eunan and St Columba, Letterkenny, Donegal (pronounced dunnygawl not dawnigul), Ireland

 

[seashale76]

I want to go to Norway now.

 

[James Is Back]

I want to go to Norway now.

Me too. Maybe we can start a CF Members To Norway Fund

 

[seashale76]

Me too. Maybe we can start a CF Members To Norway Fund

Or a CF group tour. That would be interesting.

 

[ChristsSoldier115]

Kaupanger Stavkyrkje, Sogndal (completed c. 1190 AD):

I like how there is a ladder there, hung up no different than my uncle has his ladder on his barn. I wouldn't even think of doing that to a building over 800 years old.

 

[WirSindBettler]

Continuing off the trend of Scandinavian churches, here are some Swedish ones:

Göteborgs domkyrka, Gothenburg

Härnösands domkyrka, Härnösand

Linköpings domkyrka, Linköping

Luleå domkyrka, Luleå

Lunds domkyrka, Lund

Skara domkyrka, Skara

Storkyrkan, Gamla Stan

Strängnäs domkyrka, Strängnäs

Uppsala domkyrka, Uppsala

Visby domkyrka, Visby

 

[MoreCoffee]

12th century church in old upsala

Another view of the same.

Church in my Father's home town in Sweden. - Härnösand

 

[seashale76]

Continuing off the trend of Scandinavian churches, here are some Swedish ones:

Storkyrkan, Gamla Stan

Appropriate considering today is St. George's day.

My husband's parents are both of Swedish extraction. He still has relatives there my FIL is in touch with.

 

[WirSindBettler]

Though not Scandinavian, here's a beautiful Finnish church:

Espoon tuomiokirkko, Espoo

 

[WirSindBettler]

Chapel Royal, Hampton Court Palace

St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle

 

[Optimax]

There are many beautiful church buildings.

However there is a church building more beautiful then all of them put together.

Where you might ask.

Look at any born again believer in which the Holy Spirit dwells.

And there, even though all of their beauty may not be seen.

What lies therein is most beautiful.

 

[Wryetui]

I am very sad to see all these astonishing and beautiful churches becoming museums because people won't go there to worship, but just to take pictures

 

[MarkRohfrietsch]

I am very sad to see all these astonishing and beautiful churches becoming museums because people won't go there to worship, but just to take pictures

For this I truly grieve. These buildings are silent witnesses to humanity, who are becoming even more disinterested.

 

[WirSindBettler]

Now that I've gone over the Church architecture pretty much every region my ancestors came from except for one, it's time to turn to my favorite Saxon churches.

St. Marien zu Lübeck (Reconstructed, altar looked far different before bombing)

St. Petri-Dom zu Schleswig (probably my favorite of these)

Doberaner Münster

St.-Nikolai-Kirche in Stralsund

Schweriner Dom

 

[WirSindBettler]

Патріарший кафедральний собор св. Володимира, Київ, Україна