Explore Religious Heritage Across Europe

The Cathedral of Messina was consecrated on 22 September 1197 in the presence of Emperor Henry VI (1191-1197) and his wife Constance, daughter of the Norman king Roger II of Sicily. In the course of history, it has been destroyed and rebuilt several times so that practically nothing remains of the original structure of the building. In each of the earthquakes of 1783 and 1908, the entire interior furnishings were also destroyed by the collapse of the walls. After the 1783 earthquake, the bell tower was removed and two neo-Gothic towers were added to the two side apses next to the choir. After the earthquake of 1908, the cathedral was rebuilt in its medieval state from 1919 to 1923. In 1933, a free-standing bell tower was erected next to the cathedral. On the night of 13 June 1943, Messina was bombed and the cathedral was completely burnt down. The independent bell tower, however, was spared. The cathedral was consecrated again in August 1947.

Messukylä Old Church is a medieval grey stone church, the oldest building in Tampere. A wooden church stood on this site as early as the 15th century. The present stone church was built in place of the wooden church, judging by the style of the masonry and windows, between 1510 and 1530. The church has preserved five wooden sculptures from the years 1430 and 1440, of which the image of the Virgin Mary has been transferred to the National Museum. The other four are still visible in the church.

This is a simple, small building that was put on the Jewish cemetery in 1930 as the successor of the first 'lykenhuisje' from 1900.

The building is located outside of the village in south-western direction (approx. 0,5 km) on the top of a hill overlooking the village.

Metamorfosis tou Sotiro (Transfiguration of the Saviour) is one of the painted churches of the Troodos Mountains. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2001.

The building is located outside of the village in northern direction (approx. 2 km), in a complex of several small churches.

The initial medieval church in Metiş was demolished in the 19th century and replaced by a neo Gothic building, one of the so-called Gustav-Adolf-churches. The association Gustav Adolf is the oldest Evangelic relief organization and made donations for building new churches in the Diaspora in the 19th century. Only the western tower built in the 14th century was preserved from the first construction. The ring wall had three defence towers and an outer bailey, but only the northern tower with its timber frame parapet walk still stands today. Later the parish house was built next to it. On the exterior of one of the 14th-century bells in Metiş the Gothic majuscules are still visible.

The Metropolitan Cathedral of Aigio Panagia Faneromeni (Assumption of Mary) is the oldest temple in the city of Aigio. It was built for the first time in 1366 and rebuilt after the earthquakes of 1861. The design of this latter temple was entrusted to architect Ernesto Chiller. The church has a cruciform shape with a dome. It combines the Neo Romanesque and Byzantine styles.

The Metropolitan Cathedral of Rethymno is dedicated to the Presentation of the Virgin Mary (Eisodia Theotokou). It is popularly called Megali Panagia (Great Holy Virgin) to distinguish it from Mikri Panagia (Little Virgin).

The Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint Great Martyr Dimitrie, the protector of Craiova, was built on the site of an older church founded by the boyars of Craiova at the end of the 15th century (1483) or the beginning of the 16th century. The present Saint Dumitru Cathedral was built in 1889 after the destruction of the old church by an earthquake in 1840. The interior paintings were done between 1907 and 1933. The church did not become an Orthodox cathedral until 1940.