Types Of Churches

church There are several key 'types' of churches, usually determined by their denomination. Some styles can be used by more than one denomination (such as the cathedrals in the United Kingdom which are either Catholic or Anglican), and there are also specific structures which began as one denominational building and were taken over or converted into another (such as the Hagia Sofya Mosque in Istanbul which was once Orthodox Christian but has been Muslim since the Medieval period).

One of the best known styles of church building is the cathedral. Cathedrals are intended to be the seat of the regional Bishop, and as such have always been incredibly important pieces of architecture. They are almost always larger and more grand than the churches and chapels used by the congregation, and have been known to house works of art by some of the world's greatest artists. Famous cathedrals within the United Kingdom include Salisbury Cathedral, Durham Cathedral and Canterbury Cathedral.

Another well-known style of church is the basilica, a feature of both Catholic and Orthodox church architecture. Basilicas were originally Roman buildings which were used as public gathering spaces. When the Roman Empire was officially declared as being 'Christian', these buildings were legalized as religious gathering areas. The term 'basilica' came to be applied to other such structures that were built after the conversion. Famous basilicas include St Paul's Basilica in Vatican City (the seat of the Pope), St Marks Basilica in Venice, and the Basilica of San Lorenzo in Florence.