USA: Churches across the States

St Louis Cathedral in New Orleans. Photo / Creative Commons image by Flickr user w4nd3rl0st

Europe isn't the only place to boast impressive churches and cathedrals, the United States also has a wonderful mix of traditional and modern places of worship.

New Orleans

New Orleans' Cathedral-Basilica of Saint Louis, King of France (also called St Louis Cathedral) is among the oldest cathedrals in the US, with the first church built here in 1718. It is the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans and the current cathedral, with its "brick-between-posts" construction and triple steeples, is the expansion and rebuild of the third church built on this site in 1793 in the French Quarter.

New York

St John the Divine Cathedral in Manhattan. Photo / Creative Commons image by Flickr user mgarbowski

Manhattan's block-long French Gothic Cathedral Church of St John the Divine in New York competes with England's Liverpool Cathedral for the title of the largest Anglican cathedral and church. Its design is Gothic Revival. A large fire in 2001 meant the church was closed for repairs and did not reopen until late 2008. Construction and restoration are ongoing, leading to the cathedral's nickname, St John the Unfinished.

Arkansas

Thorncrown Chapel is set in woods near Eureka Springs, Arkansas, its modern design creating the appearance of a forest rather than a chapel. Its glazed facade is transparent and native timber trusses were chosen to match the natural setting while its design was inspired by the gothic Sainte Chapelle in Paris.

Thorncrown Chapel in Arkansas. Photo / Creative Commons image by Flickr user nwlynchphotos

Washington DC

It took 83 years to build the Washington National Cathedral, with construction starting in 1907 and finishing in late 1990. The design is a mix of Middle Ages Gothic architectural styles incorporating pointed arches, flying buttresses, ceiling vaulting, stained-glass windows, carved stone decorations and three towers.

The Washington National Cathedral. Photo / Creative Commons image by Flickr user marnievaughan

Florida

Memorial Presbyterian Church in St Augustine, Florida. Photo / Creative Commons image by Flickr user sabl3t3k

St Augustine's historic Memorial Presbyterian Church was built in 1889 by railroad magnate Henry Morrison Flagler in honour of his daughter, Jennie Louise Benedict, who died from childbirth complications. The church design was inspired by St Mark's Basilica in Venice and built using a construction method of poured concrete mixed with crushed coquina stone.

CHECKLIST

Further information: See DiscoverAmerica.com.