Church Architecture

St. John's Archcathedral, Warsaw
1390 - after WWII Architecture

St John's Archcathedral (Archikatedra św. Jana w Warszawie) is a Catholic church within the Old Town precinct in Warsaw, Poland. It is dedicated to John the Baptist.

St. Joseph Cathedral (San Diego, California)
1936-1941 Architecture

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St. Joseph Cathedral is a Catholic cathedral in downtown San Diego, California. It is the seat of the Diocese of San Diego. What started as a frame building in 1874 was replaced by a brick church in 1894 and a cathedral in 1936

St. Mark's Basilica
built 829–c. 836 rebuilt 1063–1094 Architecture

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Saint Mark’s Basilica (Basilica di San Marco a Venezia) is a world famous Byzantine cathedral in Venice’s St. Mark’s Square, sometimes known as Chiesa d’Oro or “Church of Gold." St. Mark’s Basilica was originally founded in 828 AD, after the relics of the patron saint Mark the evangelist were brought, or reportedly stolen, from Alexandria. At that time it was a temporary building forming part of the palace of the Doge Giustiniano Particiaco.

Saint Mark’s Basilica has undergone a series of transformations, first being built as a permanent church in 832 only to be burnt down in 976 as part of a rebellion. Although the church was rebuilt in 978, it was actually a construction project commenced in 1063 under the auspices of Domenico Contarini which formed the basis of the current form of Saint Mark’s Basilica.

In 1094 It was dedicated to Saint Mark. Since that time, Saint Mark’s Basilica has undergone a series of changes, both in terms of its architecture and social stature. Numerous people have added to and enhanced St Mark’s Basilica over the years, bringing pieces from around the world which have contributed to its grandeur.

From a religious perspective, St Mark’s Basilica was a state church until 1807, when it became the seat of the Patriarch of Venice and, on the subsequent orders of Napoleon, the city cathedral.

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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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