This post is a religious one, enjoy!
Chartres, France
Chartres Cathedral, also known as the Cathedral of Our Lady of Chartres, is a Roman Catholic church. Mostly constructed between 1194 and 1220, it stands at the site of at least five cathedrals that have occupied the site since Chartres became a bishopric in the 4th century. It is in the Gothic and Romanesque styles.
The cathedral has been well preserved. The majority of the original stained glass windows survive intact, while the architecture has seen only minor changes since the early 13th century.
Since at least the 12th century the cathedral has been an important destination for a large number of Christian pilgrims, many of whom come to venerate its famous relic, the Sancta Camisa, said to be the tunic worn by the Virgin Mary at Christ's birth.
Vilnius, Lithuania
St. Anne's Church is a Roman Catholic church in Vilnius' Old Town, on the right bank of the Vilnia River established circa 1495-1500. It is an important example of both Flamboyant Gothic and Brick Gothic styles. As a prominent landmark in the Old Town of Vilnius, it enabled the district to be included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites.
The Church of St. Peter and St. Paul is a Roman Catholic church located in the Antakalnis neighbourhood of Vilnius, Lithuania. It is the centerpiece of a former monastery complex of the Canons Regular of the Lateran. Its interior has masterful compositions of some 2,000 stucco figures by Giovanni Pietro Perti and ornamentation by Giovanni Maria Galli and is unique in Europe. The church is considered a masterpiece of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth Baroque.
Onze-Lieve-Vrouw-Waver, Belgium
From the "Wintertuin" website:
We have no idea what prompted the Ursuline nuns in Onze-Lieve-Vrouw-Waver to make the rather bold decision to build this truly magnificent Art Nouveau building. After all, this style was considered hyper-modern in 1900. And yet, this enchanting Winter Garden with its colourful stained glass cupola was considered the most stunning feature of their boarding school, for young girls from good families. What’s even more intriguing is that nobody knows who designed the Winter Garden. And yet the architect’s design skills are unparalleled.
The Winter Garden is part of a magnificent listed complex, which is a stunning mix of architectural styles including Art Nouveau with neo-Gothic elements, neo-Empire style and Art Deco. It’s as if you have stepped into a different world. Names like the Empire Corridor, the Alpine Room, the La Fontaine refectory, the Piano Gallery and the Grand Staircase will spark your imagination.
