Church Architecture

Russian Orthodox Cathedral, Nice
Architect: Mikhail Preobrazhensly
1912 Architecture

The St Nicholas Orthodox Cathedral, Nice ( Cathédrale Orthodoxe Saint-Nicolas de Nice) is an Eastern Orthodox cathedral located in the French city of Nice. Property of the Russian Federation, it is recognized as a national monument of France, and it currently belongs to the jurisdiction of the Moscow Patriarchate. It is the largest Eastern Orthodox cathedral in Western Europe.

The cathedral was opened in 1912, thanks to the generosity of Russia's Tsar Nicholas II. From 1931 until 15 December 2011 the parish that occupied the cathedral was part of the Paris-based Patriarchal Exarchate for Orthodox Parishes of Russian Tradition in Western Europe under the jurisdiction of the Church of Constantinople. After 2011, following a final ruling by France's highest court, the Court of Cassation, the cathedral was declared to be property of the Russian state, and the congregation came under the jurisdiction of the Korsun diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church.

Sacre- Coeur
Architect: Paul Abadie
1875 - 1914 Architecture

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The Sacré-Coeur is also referred to as the “Basilica of the Sacred Heart” and is a majestic church located on Montmartre Hill, the highest point in Paris. It is a Catholic church and minor basilica in Paris dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Sacred Heart Cathedral (Davenport, Iowa)
Architect: James J. Egan
1881-91 Architecture

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Sacred Heart Cathedral, located in Davenport, Iowa, United States, is a Catholic cathedral and a parish church in the Diocese of Davenport. In 1856, the Bishop of Dubuque laid the cornerstone for the church. The church was named St. Margaret (or sometimes listed as St. Marguerite) in honor of St. Margaret of Scotland and Marguerite LeClaire. The church was built of red brick in the Romanesque Revival style.

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When we think of Christian architecture, we may picture towering cathedrals with intricate stained-glass windows, but the roots of this style are much more humble. The earliest Christian structures were not grand, but rather simple house churches. As Christianity grew, its places of worship grew in size and intricacy.

The transition from early Christian to medieval architecture paralelled societal and religious changes. The Romanesque style, characterized by its rounded arches and massive walls, was followed by the Gothic style with its pointed archs, ribbed vaults, and flying buttresses.

Christian architecture has created some of the world’s most iconic structures. These buildings all share a common thread: they are physical manifestations of the Christian faith.

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