Put on your Sunday best because it’s time for the tallest cathedrals in the world. I love churches. I also love Chvrches, but that’s for a different article. Seriously though you should check them out. Seriously though, sometimes enjoying a church is ALSO like walking on a tightrope. You have to take in the beauty and also the repression. It’s an interesting dynamic.
Still, I can enjoy the beauty of their architecture no matter what. Sitting in an enormous building made for ritual with such attention to detail and history is inspirational. Whether it is spiritually or personally inspiring is up to you. But where can you find there great cathedrals? Where are the highest? Well, we’ve certainly got the list for you. You may also be interested in the 11 Biggest Churches in America.
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We have set out to rank the tallest cathedrals in the world, and as the title suggests, our ranking method is going to be pretty simple. We will consider the height of the cathedrals to rank them. The taller the building, the higher its position will be on our list today. To learn about the tallest cathedrals, we sought help from various online sources that have such measurements available. I think this is about time I name a few of them, we took help from ZoekenVindAlles, ChurchPOP and Ctbuh primarily to come up with our list. Hopefully, you will enjoy reading through our list of the tallest cathedrals in the world.
11. St. Peter’s Church
Location: Hamburg, Germany
Height: 132.2 m (436 ft)
Completion year: 1878
The St. Peter’s Church is built atop the site of several previous cathedrals. This church has been used as a Protestant cathedral since the Reformation. The church was built by the order of Pope Leo X. St. Peter’s Church is well known for some of the amazing works of art it features in both its interior and exterior. If you are planning a visit to Hamburg, you should definitely visit St. Peter’s Church.
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10. Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception (New Cathedral)
Location: Linz, Austria
Height: 134.8 m (440 ft)
Completion year: 1924
The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception is a relatively new building compared to others in the list. Its construction started in 1862, and it was completed at 1924. This is the largest cathedral in Austria, however, Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception is not the highest in Austria. There over 20 thousand seats in the cathedral, which is an enormous number without a doubt. Planning a large wedding? Another fun fact is that the cathedral is merely 2 meters shorter than the tallest cathedral in Austria, which is our next entry in the list.
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9. St. Stephen’s Cathedral
Location: Vienna, Austria
Height: 136.4 m (448 ft)
Completion year: 1433
The construction of the cathedral began in the mid-twelfth century, but it was not complete till the 1433. However, the cathedral was operational for a long time before it was completed. In recent years, the cathedral became the subject of controversy when scaffolding being used to renovate the cathedral were rented as advertisement space to cover the costs. Due to the controversy, this practice was discontinued soon after. As you can tell, this is the tallest cathedral in Vienna.
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8. St. Peter’s Basilica
Location: Vatican City (Rome, Italy)
Height: 136.6 m (448.1 ft)
Completion year: 1626
St. Peter’s Basilica holds significant importance in the Christian world. On top of that, it is probably the largest cathedral by volume in the world. As you can see from the stats it stands a staggering 136.6 meters in height. If this was a list about the largest Cathedrals, St. Peter’s Basilica would easily have made into the top 3, but since we are merely considering the height, it has been positioned further down the list.
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7. Basilica of Our Lady of Licheń
Location: Stary Licheń, Poland
Height: 141.5 m (464 ft)
Completion year: 2000
At number 7th position of our list of tallest cathedrals in the world, we have Basilica of Our Lady of Licheń. It is the newest cathedral to get a place on the list. The construction process on the cathedral began in 1994. The tallest point of the cathedral is measured to be almost 141.5 meters or 464 feet. It has become a place of importance for pilgrims in recent years. Thousands of people visit Basilica of Our Lady of Lichen cathedral each year from Poland and from around the world to admire its remarkable architecture and to rekindle their faith.
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6. Cathedral of Our Lady of Strasbourg
Location: Strasbourg, France
Height: 142.0 m (466 ft)
Completion year: 1439
This cathedral is one of the oldest to make the list, as the construction records of Cathedral of Our Lady of Strasbourg could be traced back to 1015. However, the cathedral was completed in the year 1439. The cathedral held the title of the tallest cathedral in the world for over 227 years from 1647 to 1874 after the tallest cathedral back then caught fire. But after 1874 the title went to the another cathedral which is the next entry on our list.
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5. St. Nicholas Church
Location: Hamburg, Germany
Height: 147 m (482 ft)
Completion year: 1874
This construction of St. Nicholas Church that ranks 5th in our list of tallest cathedrals in the world began in the year 1189. However, several renovations and improvements were made during the next couple of centuries, basically, the entire structure was rebuilt that added height to it. After the completion of the cathedral, it became the tallest building in the world, not just the tallest cathedral. However, this was for a brief period. Unfortunately, during the Second World War, the cathedral was hit several times during bombing raids by the allies, and today only the tower is left standing.
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4. Rouen Cathedral
Location: Rouen, France
Height: 151.0 m (495 ft)
Completion year: 1876
The construction of the cathedral that ranked 4th in our list of tallest cathedrals in the world started in 1202, but the whole construction process was plagued with several setbacks including lighting strikes, budget shortages, structure collapses and even vandalism. However, the cathedral was finally completed in 1876. The cathedral was hit during bombings in the Second World War, but it survived the war and still stands proudly today. Along with its religious significance, the architecture is a sight to behold. It is a must see location if you find yourself in Rouen, France.
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3. Cologne Cathedral
Location: Cologne, Germany
Height: 157.4 m (516 ft)
Completion year: 1880
The most remarkable thing about this cathedral is that its construction process ran for over 600 hundred years. Now THAT is commitment. Six centuries to complete a single structure is rather long period of time. Naturally, the end product is a sight to behold. It displays the architectural prowess and also the determination of the people involved in its construction. The construction was held off during 1473 and resumed in the 19th century after the discovery of the original plans, and as stated above, was finished in 1880. Today it proudly stands as the 3rd tallest cathedral in the world.
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2. Basilica of Our Lady of Peace
Location: Yamoussoukro, Ivory Coast
Height: 158.0 m (518 ft)
Completion year: 1989
Basilica of Our Lady of Peace is the tallest Catholic church in the world at the height of 158.0 meters or 518 feet. The construction of the church started in 1985, and it was completed very quickly in 1989. It is also the largest church in terms of volume as well. However, as you can see that it is a rather modern construction, but it is still very impressive for what it is. Ivory Coast is a popular tourist destination, and at the city of Yamoussoukro, the Basilica of Our Lady of Peace is a major attraction.
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1. Ulm Muenster
Location: Ulm, Germany
Height: 161.5 m (530 ft)
Completion year: 1890
We have arrived at the very top of our list of tallest cathedrals in the world, and here we have Ulm Muenster. After its completion in 1890, this cathedral was the tallest man-made structure in the world. However in after only 11 years, in 1901, it lost its title of the tallest building ever built, but even to this day it remains the tallest cathedral. This alone makes it for an ideal site for a visit.
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We have arrived at the end of our list of tallest cathedrals in the world. We sincerely hope that you liked our article, and we want you to give us some feedback in the form of comments.
