Great churches

The small settlement of Kunoy (population 64), on the island of Kunoy, sits dramatically on cliffs above the sea on a backdrop of a vertical mountain wall. There are beautiful views of the neighbouring island, Kalsoy, but there are beautiful views everywhere on the Faroe Islands. Kunoy even has a fine white church, which stands right at the edge of the cliffs, above a small colony of seabirds. You can drive to Kunoy from Klaksvik over the narrow causeway.

Faroe Islands are spectacular in general, but there are places which are extremely spectacular, Saksun is one of them. Just the road leading to Saksun is well worth the journey. It's a rolling one-lane road (with on-coming traffic) down a valley with grassing sheep and smaller waterfalls. At the end of the road lies the tiny settlement of Saksun high above a cove with more waterfalls tumbling down the steep mountain walls. On a outcrop stands a picture-perfect old church with turf roof from where there are panoramic views over the cove. On the opposite side of the church, a trail leads down to the shore of the cove and further out to the Atlantic Sea. The walk takes about an hour return and is best done during low tide.

The old wooden church of Petäjävesi is such a fine example of Nordic wooden churches that it has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The church was constructed in 1763-65 and has remained nearly unchanged. The big floor planks are made of wall logs of a chapel that stood previously on the spot. The church stopped being used as a church from 1879, but the graveyard was still used afterwards. Today you can hire it for weddings, christening or even concerts. It's open daily as a museum during summer time.

From the outside Temppeliaukio Church doesn't look like much. Just a green copper dome ontop of a rocky outcrop in the middle of a residental area. But the church is hewn into solid rock. Inside it's a prime example of Nordic modesty. Natural light flows through narrow glass panels which hold the cobber string dome, making it surprisingly bright even during wintertime. The raw granite walls stand as bare as they were the day the church got hacked into the rock. Concrete balcony and minimalistic Finnish interiour in cool colours finish off this crazy architectural masterpiece from 1969. Temppeliaukio Church rank as Helsinki's number one attraction which it fully deserves, for it's truely an astonishing sight.

The wooden church in Tornio is one of the oldest wooden ones in Finland. It was first founded in 1621, but not completed until 1647. In 1682 it burned to the ground after it got hit by lightning. The present church was built in 1686, though some work went on until the beginning of 18th century. The bell tower, west of the church, was added in 1687 and is still in use today (the oldest of its kind). The church is now the oldest wooden church still in use in Finish Lapland, but only during summer.

Like a white castle appearing in the sky, the Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Paris is a popular landmark. Located in the 18th arrondissement, its a monument planned as a guilt offering after the devastating Franco-Prussian War and the embarrassments of the government that came with it. It is located at the peak of Butte Montmartre, the highest point of Paris. Needless to say, stunning panorama views can be enjoyed in addition to the church steeped in religious and political history. Inside the Basilica, you'll find golden mosaics above the choir perch that remains one of the largest of its kind while the bronze doors to the portico reenact scenes from the last supper in intricate detail. Visit Sacre Coeur either in the early morning or late evening, when crowds are less and if you want to avoid the long walk up, there's a furnicular to help you out. For budding photographers, dusk provides beautiful shots of the church against a pinkish hue.

Esztergom is famous for its soaring basilica which overlooks Danube river and Slovakia on the other side. It's the largest building in Hungary and is among the largest churches in Europe, so it's naturally to get drawn to it, but don't necessarily skip the rest of the town. The neighbourhood at the foot of the basilica is surprisingly nice and so is the river front. The view of the basilica is particularly good from the bridge leading to Slovakia. The rest of the town centre is interesting too, and even the area around the bus station is a lovely insight into ordinary Hungarian life with small local bars and shops with outdated fashion.

Irregardless of your religious leanings, one cannot discount the significance of the birthplace of Jesus. Tucked away in the back alleyways of Bethlehem, the Church of the Nativity was built on the place where Jesus of Nazareth was born in a manager over 2,000 years ago. Palestine's first, and so far only, UNESCO listed site, the church is said to be the oldest continually operating church in the world. Lacking in the grandeur if compared to the Vatican or similar structures, the Church still sees its fair share of visitors. Sneaking in between the seemingly endless stream of tour buses is half the challenge but worth it for a moment at one of the most important spots in Western culture.

One of the main sights in Valletta is St. Johns Co-Cathedral built by the Knights of Malta in the 16-century. From the outside the grand cathedral is rather plain, but the inside is a mind blowing mix of golden colours, vivid murals, and carved ornamentation. The whole floor is made up of about 375 tombs, each housing a dead knight and covered with a richly inlaid marble tombstone, some rather morbid with lots of skeletons, skulls, and bones. The cathedral is also rich in more traditional religious art like altars and paintings.

Any little community on Majuro has at least one church. They often belong to either United Church of Christ, Mormon Church (LDS) and Seventh-Day Adventists. Some of the churches seem a bit out of proportions compared to how big the congregation must be, but churches tend to be that way in general. The graveyards are another interesting aspect of life (and death) on Majuro. They often have a beautiful location with a backdrop of palms and views of the sea.