Church architecture often reflects the grandiosity of the higher power people gather to worship. In recent years, architects have sought out the most eye-catching designs possible.
But it's not just about having a steeple and pews. Some houses of worship mimick shapes in nature, like the Leaf Chapel in Hokuto, Japan. And the the Neue Synagogue in Mainz, Germany, is shaped like the Hebrew word Kedushah, meaning blessing.
Experts at the international building database Emporis.com rounded up a selection of the world's most spectacular churches based on modern architecture and design.
Catedral Metropolitana Nossa Senhora Aparecida is a Roman Catholic church in Brasilia, Brazil. Designed by famed architect Oscar Niemeyer, it consists of 16 concrete pillars.
Cathédrale de la Résurrection, a Roman Catholic cathedral in Évry, France, is unique for its rotund main sanctuary. Designed by Mario Botta Architetto, it is finished with brick and topped with 24 linden trees, meant to symbolize life.
The Chapel of the Holy Cross is a Roman Catholic church built into the buttes of Sedona, Arizona. Designed by Anshen + Allen, it's nicknamed "Beverly Hills of the Rocks."
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