Hidden in caves 600ft below ground, carved into volcanic rock and filled with furniture made from bones: Meet the world's most unusual churches
By Katie Davies|
Churches often have breathtaking architecture but there are a select group of places of worship that really do stand out from the crowd.
Across the world and through time, churches have been placed in the most unusual locations imaginable such as deep caves in Hungary, carved into volcanic rock in Ethiopia or on a floating rock island in France.
Cheapflights.com made a top ten of their favorite to visit - a fitting vacation guide over Easter.
Breathtaking: The Borgund Stave Church in Norway is one the country's 28 remaining wooden churches
Historic: The 12th century Norway church looks striking from a distance and close up
They include the stunning Saint Michel d’Aiguilhe, floating on a rock island in the middle of French countryside.
They include the stunning Saint Michel d’Aiguilhe, floating on a rock island in the middle of French countryside.
The church was built in 962 and it is said Joan of Arc's mother prayed there. She would have been one of the thousands who has climbed the 268 steps up to the chapel which has sweeping views of the surrounding areas.
Worship: People are shown at morning mass around the Church of Saint George, in Lalibela, Ethiopia
In the ground: The Ethiopian church is sunken in the rock and is the most unusual building
Red rock: The Christian church has been described as an eighth Wonder of the World
The list
also includes the Church of Saint George, Ethiopia, which is carved from
red volcanic rock, and the Gellert Hill Cave in Hungary, which was used
as a field hospital by the Nazis during World War II.The church's cave location is similar to that of the Temppeliaukion Lutheran Church in Töölö, Helsinki, which is built into solid rock and also makes the list.
In the opposite direction is the 244 feet tall Hallgrímskirkja, Reykjavik, which is the sixth tallest structure in Iceland.
On the spookier side there is the Sedlec Ossuary in Kutná, Czech Republic, which contains the skeletons of between 40,000 and 70,000 people arranged into decorations and furniture.
Modern churches have also proved architectural delights.
The Roman Catholic Chapel of the Holy Cross in Sedona, Arizona, is a commanding sight against the desert rock and the Thorncrown Chapel in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, encourages thoughts of the natural world with its all-glass exterior.
Iconic: The Hallgrímskirkja in Reykjavík, Iceland, is 244 foot tall and is the largest church in the country
Huge: The church took 38 years to build and the tower was completed long before the church's completion
High-up: The
church of St. Michel d'Aiquilhe atop the pinnacle of Rocher St. Michel
Views: The statue of the Virgin and Child can also be seen atop the peak of Rocher Corneille in France
Joan of Arc: It is said Joan of Arc's mother prayed at the church above Le Puy, France
No bones about it: The Sedlec Ossuary of the Cemetery Church of All Saints in Kutná, Czech Republic, dates back to the 14th century. The decorations and furniture inside it are made from human remains
Rock church: The Temppeliaukion Lutheran Church, carved into the rock in Töölö, Helsinki opened in 1969
Underground: The Gellért Hill Cave is underground in Budapest, Hungary. It was used as a Nazi field hospital
Commanding: The Chapel of the Holy Cross makes an impressive sight in the rocks of Sedona, Arizona
Glasshouse: The Thorncrown Chapel in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, U.S. has a facade made of glass
Mining: Zipaquira's Salt Cathedral is built in a salt mine near the town in Colombia
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