Explore Religious Heritage Across Europe

The Beth-Yaacov Synagogue in Geneva was built between 1857 and 1859 in the neo-Moorish style. It was the first synagogue to be built in the city. The architect Johann Heinrich Bachofen had to undertake study trips abroad for its construction because Switzerland did not have any synagogues with very distinctive features. Thus, the synagogue facade is a reproduction of the facade of the synagogue in Heidenheim.

The Bethlehem Chapel was built between 1391 and 1394 and was intended for preaching in the Czech language. The Bethlehem Chapel is mainly associated with the work of Jan Hus (1370-1415), who became its administrator on 14th March 1402. After changing its use many times, it fell into ruin and was therefore largely demolished in 1786. It was rebuilt in the first half of the 1950s as a memorial to the Hussite movement.

The Bethlen Ter Synagogue in Budapest was completed in 1931 by architects Lippòt Baumhorn and Gyórgyi Somogyi. This brick building in the Hungarian Secessionist style still serves as a synagogue.

Beverley Minster is one of the finest Gothic churches in Europe and is equal to the greatest of our cathedrals; after Westminster Abbey (the twin towers of which it may have inspired), it is regarded as the most impressive ‘non-cathedral' church in England.

The Bevis Marks Synagogue was completed and dedicated in September 1701. The interior and layout reflect the influence of the great Portuguese Synagogue of Amsterdam of 1675. A prominent feature of the synagogue is the Renaissance-style wooden ark containing the Torah scrolls located at the center of the Eastern wall of the building.

Built around 1506-1507, the "librairie" (old name) for canons, is one of the very rare examples of wooden buildings still preserved in northern France. Initially, access was from the south and the present stone gable was not built until the 17th century. At the same time, a retaining wall was built to relieve the beams of the first floor.

The synagogue in Biel was built in 1884 in the Moorish style. The synagogue was necessary for the growing Jewish community of Alsatian origin, attracted by the city's watchmaking industry. The synagogue was restored in the 1990s.

Biella Cathedral was built from 1402 to the 19th century on the site of a former 11th-century church. The cathedral was inaugurated in 1402 to honour a vow made by the population following the plague of 1399. In 1772 Santa Maria Maggiore was chosen as the cathedral of the new diocese of Biella and was completely restructured in the neo-gothic style by Ignazio Antonio Giulio.

Biertan gained its importance as a marketplace in competition with Mediaş and Moşna during the Middle Ages and was the seat of the bishop of the Evangelic Church from 1572 to 1867 . Therefore three mighty ring walls, two outer baileys and several defence towers protected the ensemble. The towerless three-nave hall church, almost completely preserved was built in 1500 on the foundations of a previous Romanesque building. The chancel had two defence levels, but the wooden one was demolished in 1803. The interior, covered by lierne vaults with ribbing shelters great treasures such as the stone pulpit from 1523, decorated with relief scenes or the late Gothic winged altar with 28 panel paintings and a delicate truss frame. The late Gothic sacristy door is a testimony of great craftsmanship. Richly decorated with inlay work, the door has a lock that was presented at the World Fair in Paris in 1889, a complicated system that centrally locks at 13 points simultaneously in order to safely keep the church treasure in the sacristy.

Bierzwnik Monastery is a former Cistercian monastery founded in 1286. With the Reformation, the monastery was closed and converted into farm buildings of a new estate created by the Margrave. The monastery church was rebuilt in the 19th century. Nowadays only the east and south wing floors, fragments of the cellars of the west wing and elements of the west cloister remain.