The best of futuristic and sculptural churches around the world

Community Church of Knarvik, in Norway

Perfectly integrated in its environment, the project of the Norwegian agency Reiulf Ramstad Architects sparks a consensus, whether it's parishers or tourists, who never tire of photographing under every angle the lines of this UFO, set on a rock, where cult and culture mingle.

Dressed up in natural wood, the cultural monument seems to reach up to the sky. © DR

Chapel of the Virgin Mary, in Stykkisholmur, Island

This large white building, in concrete, was built in the 80s by Finnish architect Jon Haraldsson. On its promontory bordering a frozen fjord, a good part of the year, it surprises the gaze of visitors by its size, and it offers stunning panoramas from its summit.

In keeping with the initial blueprints, the chapel is formed of two large arms that join their hands to pray. © DR

Chapel Notre-Dame-du-Haut, in Ronchamp, France

In the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region, the creation of Le Corbusier, that dominates the hill of Bourlémont, was built on a former Roman sanctuary. Having become an official Historical Monument, this model of sacred architecture comprises a concrete shell and two twin facades.

Under a heavy veil of concrete, this white arch, with colourful stainglass windows, is a place of pilgrimage. © DR

The Metropolitan Cathedral of Our Lady of Aparecida, in Brasilia

Known for his prouesses, architect Oscar Niemeyer assembled 16 concrete arcs, weighing 90 tons each, to obtain this figurative crown of thorns. At the center of the Brazilian capital, the edifice is circled by a water basin and framed by 4 giant statues representing the Gospels.

Since 1970, this gigantic cathedral is part of the touristic circuits. © DR

Chapel of the Holy Cross in Sedona, Arizona

Imagined like an American spiritual forteress, this architectural fantasy is inlaid on a cliff, between the two rocks of a canyon. And in this town dedicated to the New Age, it has become the rendezvous of lovers who take advantage, in the evening, of the fabulous sunsets.

In a far-flung area of Arizona, the visit of this unusual church deserves the journey. © DR