The question of which church is the largest in the world has gotten increasingly difficult to answer in recent years. “Megachurches” and “gigachurches” are terms used to describe churches with very large congregations. Even if one ignores the building’s layout and focuses solely on the space, it will still be difficult.
The people within are what make the church what it is, as the old adage goes. Churches come in a wide variety of architectural forms and styles, and many of them are associated with important religious symbols.
The World’s Ten Largest Churches
Based on total square footage, below are the top 10 largest churches in the world.
1: St. Peter’s Basilica
Located in the Vatican City, St. Peter’s Basilica is the largest cathedral in the entire globe. Its width is 15160 metres and its length is around 186 metres. The cathedral’s dome is 136 metres in the air. St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome is the holiest site for Roman Catholics. The massive chapel offers room for 20,000 worshippers to pray simultaneously.
It was constructed in 320 A.D., but Pope Nicolas V made significant alterations to it in the 15th century. At the highest point of the colonnade, you’ll find 140 statues depicting various saints.
The statues were first sculpted in 1662, and it took about 41 years to finish them. Several notable people, including popes, the Roman emperor Otto II, and the Swedish queen Christina, are buried at St. Peter’s Basilica.
2: Basilica Of The National Shrine Of Our Lady Of Aparecida
Brazil is home to the world’s second-largest church, the Basilica of Our Lady of Aparecida. The building is 12,000 square feet in size. This church in the city of Aparecida is often regarded as Brazil’s holiest site dedicated to the Virgin Mary. It can hold as many as 45,000 guests.
Legend has it that in 1717, a group of fishermen hauled out the headless statue of the Virgin Mary from the Paraiba River. They brought the statue of the Blessed Mother inside. In 1945, it was brought to the shrine and stored there.
Between 1834 and 1888, the original shrine was rebuilt, and a new church was constructed nearby. The church’s towers are 102 metres high, while the dome is 70 metres high.
3: Seville Cathedral
Seville, Spain is home to the world’s third-largest cathedral, Seville Cathedral. There are a total of 11520 square metres devoted to the cathedral. This church is notable for being listed as a world heritage site in Spain by UNESCO. The legendary explorer Christopher Columbus is supposed to be buried in this church.
It was built between the years 1402 and 1528 on what had been a Muslim place of worship. It was done on purpose to demonstrate the city’s strength following a series of Christian state-led operations to reclaim land from the Muslims.
The cathedral’s main feature is the 45 wooden sculptures depicting scenes from the life of Jesus Christ, which are displayed in the huge, gold-decorated interior. The minaret of the former Almohad Mosque may be seen next to the cathedral.
4: Cathedral Of Saint John The Divine
Organisation headquartered in New York Saint John’s Cathedral is the largest Anglican cathedral and the fourth-largest church in the world. The building itself is 11200 square metres in size.
Construction of the cathedral, which was designed by two prominent American architects, began in 1892 and continued for over two decades. After George Heins passed away, the cathedral’s new architects decided to go with a Gothic style.
Construction halted for many years due to the conflict. A little portion of the cathedral caught fire in 2001 due to an unfortunate accident. At the front door, there are several carved Bible verses that are instantly recognisable. The church’s main entrance is a bronze arch.
5: Milan Cathedral
The Milan Cathedral in Milan, Italy, is the second-largest Catholic cathedral in the world and the fifth-largest church overall. It is one of the finest surviving examples of Gothic design.
Chuch is home to over 135 spires, each of which is topped by a statue commemorating a significant figure in Italy’s past. It took about 500 years to complete the Milan cathedral, work on which began in 1386.
6: Basilica Of Our Lady Of Lichen
Our Lady of Lichen Basilica is the sixth largest church in the world. It took ten years, but by 2004 this stunning church had been built in the Polish city of Konin.
There are 33 stairways, which reflect Jesus’s early life and lead to the church. Each of the 365 windows, 52 doors, and 12 columns represents one of the 365 days in a year, the 52 weeks in a year, and the 12 Apostles.
7: Liverpool Cathedral
The Liverpool Cathedral is the seventh-biggest cathedral in the world and the largest in the United Kingdom. It has a length of 189 metres and a width of 687 square metres.
The Liverpool Cathedral went through several stages of development before being finished in 1978. The building process didn’t begin until 1904, which is 74 years ago.
8: Church Of The Holy Trinity
In addition to being the largest church in Portugal, the Church of the Holy Trinity is the eighth-largest in the world. The Santarem neighbourhood of Portugal is home to this Marian shrine.
This church has an area of 8700 square metres on the inside, making it large enough to hold 9000 worshippers. Its construction began in 2004, and it took three years to finish.
9: Basilica Of Our Lady Of Pillar
The El Pilar basilica was the first Marian-dedicated church in Spain. The Basilica of Our Lady of Pillar is the ninth-largest church in the world, with an area of 8,318 square metres. The first structure to resemble the current El Pilar Basilica was constructed back in the 17th century. After a century, it was repaired, and the final church pillars were built in the 20th century.
10: Ulm Minster
The Ulm Minster Church in Germany is the world’s tallest and tenth-largest church. With an area of 8260 square metres, this church may be found in the German city of Ulm. From the rooftop, one can take in a breathtaking vista of Ulm and its surroundings.
In 1377, work began on this protestant chapel. The 15th-century oak choir seats of Ulm Minster are the church’s most famous feature.
