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Photography: Sacred Places

Places I visited and photographed. Sites marked with '†' do not allow photography inside, and those marked with '††' ban it anywhere on their grounds (e.g., in courtyards, cloisters, etc.) Sometimes it is possible to sneak a few photographs anyway. Sites marked with '*' are those where I could only photograph the exterior. Sites in italics are inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Many churches, especially if they are not Roman Catholic or Anglican, are often closed except for services. Thus far, Bulgaria has proved be the toughest case: photography is basically banned in all churches, and sometimes even on the grounds of monasteries. The US, France, and Germany are by far the friendliest: I have not encountered a single ban in a functioning church yet! The UK is a close second with only the rare exception. Spain is a mixed bag: major cities are friendly, provinces less so, while Italy seems the exact opposite (many churches in Venice, for instance, do not allow photography).


England
    London
  • Brompton Oratory (RC)†
  • St Clement Danes
  • St Paul (Covent Garden)
  • St Paul's Cathedral†
  • Southwark Cathedral
  • Westminster Abbey*†
  • Westminster Cathedral (RC)

  • Oxford
  • Christ Church Cathedral
  • St Mary the Virgin
  • St Aloysius (RC)
  • St Giles*
  • St Mary Magdalen
  • St Michael at the Northgate

  • Cathedrals
  • Bath
  • Bristol
  • Bury St Edmunds
  • Canterbury
  • Carlisle
  • Chelmsford
  • Chichester
  • Durham
  • Ely
  • Exeter
  • Gloucester
  • Hereford
  • Lichfield
  • Lincoln
  • London - St Paul's†
  • London - Southwark
  • London - Westminster Abbey*†
  • Norwich
  • Oxford
  • Peterborough
  • Ripon
  • Rochester
  • Salisbury
  • St Albans
  • Southwell
  • Wells
  • Winchester
  • Worcester
  • York

  • Parish Churches
  • Bampton
  • Barfreston
  • Black Bourton
  • Burford
  • Cambridge - Great St Mary's
  • Cambridge - King's College Chapel
  • Cambridge - The Round Church
  • Carlisle - Our Lady & St Joseph's*
  • Carlisle - St Cuthbert
  • Colchester - St Peter's
  • Cirencester
  • Fairford
  • Fownhope
  • Great Malvern Priory
  • Great Witley
  • Kilpeck
  • Lanercost Priory
  • Lechlade
  • Lincoln - St Hugh's (RC)
  • Long Melford
  • Minster-in-Thanet
  • Northleach - St Peter & St Paul
  • Ramsgate - St Augustine (RC)
  • Ramsgate - St Laurence*
  • Stratford-upon-Avon - Holy Trinity
  • Studley Royal

  • Abbeys
  • Bath Abbey
  • Gloucester Cathedral
  • Fountains Abbey
  • Pershore Abbey*
  • St Albans
  • St Edmundsbury Cathedral
  • Tewkesbury Abbey
  • Westminster Abbey*†

  • Oxford Colleges & Chapels
  • All Souls
  • Balliol
  • Brasenose
  • Christ Church
  • Corpus Christi
  • Exeter
  • Hertford*
  • Jesus
  • Keble*
  • Lincoln
  • Magdalen
  • Mansfield
  • Merton
  • New College†
  • Oriel
  • Queen's
  • St John's
  • Trinity*
  • University†

  • Cambridge Colleges & Chapels
  • King's
  • St John's

United States
    The Missions of California
  • La Purísima Concepción
  • San Antonio de Pala
  • San Buenaventura
  • San Carlos Borromeo
  • San Diego de Alcalá
  • San Fernando, Rey de España
  • San Francisco de Asís
  • San Francisco de Solano
  • San Gabriel Arcágel
  • San José
  • San Juan Capistrano
  • San Luis, Rey de Francia†
  • San Luis Obispo de Tolosa
  • San Miguel Arcángel
  • San Rafael Arcángel
  • Santa Bárbara
  • Santa Clara de Asís
  • Santa Inés

  • Los Angeles
  • Bethel Lutheran*
  • First Baptist*
  • First Congregational*
  • First Presbyterian, Hollywood*
  • Good Shepherd, Beverly Hills
  • Immanuel Presbyterian*
  • Precious Blood*
  • Presbyterian, Beverly Hills*
  • St Basil
  • St James Episcopal*
  • St Sophia Cathedral
  • United Methodist, Hollywood*
  • Wilshire Boulevard Temple*
  • Wilshire Christian*

  • New York
  • Cathedral of St John the Divine
  • Central Presbyterian*
  • Church of the Ascension
  • Church of the Incarnation
  • Church of Notre Dame
  • Church of the Heavenly Rest
  • Church of the Holy Trinity
  • First Presbyterian
  • Guardian Angel*
  • St Batholomew's
  • St Francis of Assisi
  • St Francis Xavier
  • St Ignatius Loyola
  • St Jean Baptiste
  • St John the Baptist
  • St Mary the Virgin
  • St Patrick's Cathedral
  • St Paul's Chapel
  • St Peter's
  • St Sava*
  • St Thomas
  • St Vincent de Paul*
  • St Vincent Ferrer
  • Temple Emanu-El*
  • The Riverside Church
  • Third Church of Christ, Scientist*

  • St Louis
  • Cathedral Basilica
  • Christ Church Cathedral
  • Shrine of St Joseph
  • St Alphonsus Liguori*
  • St Francis Xavier College Church
  • St Stanislaus Kostka

  • Chicago
  • Bond Chapel (U of Chicago)
  • Covenant Presbyterian/All Saints
  • First Unitarian*
  • Fourth Presbyterian Church
  • Holy Innocents*
  • Holy Name Cathedral
  • Holy Trinity
  • Our Lady of Pompeii Shrine
  • Queen of All Saints Basilica
  • Quigley Preparatory Seminary
  • Rockefeller Memorial Chapel
  • St Alphonsus
  • St Boniface*
  • St Clement
  • St Hedwig
  • St James Cathedral
  • St John Cantius
  • St Josaphat
  • St Mary of the Angels
  • St Michael
  • St Patrick
  • St Stanislaus Kostka

  • New Orleans
  • St Joseph
  • St Louis Cathedral
  • St Mary's Assumption
  • St Patrick's

  • Columbia
  • Bethel AME Church*
  • Church of the Good Shepherd*
  • First Baptist Church*
  • First Presbyterian Church*
  • Second Calvary Baptist Church*
  • St Peter's
  • Trinity Cathedral*
  • Washington St United Methodist*

  • Santa Fe
  • Santuario de Guadalupe
  • San Miguel
  • St Francis Cathedral
  • Loretto Chapel
  • Cristo Rey

  • Washington, DC
  • Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception
  • Cathedral of St Matthew
  • Church of the Ascension and St Agnes
  • Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land
  • Holy Trinity Church
  • National Cathedral
  • National City Christian Church
  • St John's Episcopal Church*
  • St Patrick's
  • St Sophia Orthodox Cathedral*

  • San Francisco
  • Grace Cathedral
  • Mission San Francisco de Asís
  • Mission Dolores Basilica

  • Other
  • Christ Church, Alexandria, VA
  • Notre Dame, South Bend, IN
  • St Francis Xavier, Dyersville, IA
Italy
    Rome
  • Basilica of St Peter (Vatican)
  • Sant'Andrea della Valle
  • Santi Luca e Martina
  • Sacro Nome di Gesu
  • Santissimo Nome di Maria
  • Nostra Signora del Sacro Cuore
  • Santa Maria di Loreto
  • Sant'Agnese in Agone
  • Santa Maria in Aracoeli
  • Santa Maria in Montesanto
  • Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri
  • Santa Maria sopra Minerva
  • San Giovanni in Laterano
  • Santa Maria in Vallicella

  • Florence
  • Basilica di San Marco*
  • Basilica di Santa Croce
  • Basilica di San Lorenzo
  • Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore
  • Basilica di Santa Maria Novella†
  • Basilica di Santa Trinita
  • Basilica di Santo Spirito*
  • Battistero di San Giovanni
  • Chiesa dei Santi Michele e Gaetano
  • Chiesa di Orsanmichele*

  • Venice
  • Basilica di San Marco
  • Madonna dell'Orto
  • San Rocco (+ Scuola)
  • San Salvador†
  • San Sebastiano
  • Santa Maria Assunta (Gesuiti)
  • Santa Maria del Carmini (+ Scuola)
  • Santa Maria di Nazareth (Scalzi)
  • Santi Giovanni e Paolo
  • Santissimi Apostoli
  • Chiesa Evangelica Alemanna*
  • San Apollinare*
  • San Barnaba*
  • San Geremia*
  • San Giorgio Maggiore*
  • San Giovanni Evangelista*
  • San Marcuola*
  • San Moisé*
  • San Pantalon*
  • San Paolo Apostolo*
  • San Simeon Piccolo*
  • San Stae*
  • San Tomá*
  • San Vidal*
  • Santa Fosca*
  • Santa Maria dei Miracoli*†
  • Santa Maria del Giglio*
  • Santa Maria della Salute*
  • Santa Maria Formosa*
  • Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari*

  • Pisa
  • Santo Sepulcro*
  • San Francesco
  • San Frediano
  • San Giuseppe
  • San Martino*
  • San Michele in Borgo
  • San Paolo a Ripa d'Arno
  • San Paolo all'Orto*
  • San Sisto
  • Santa Caterina d'Alessandria
  • Santa Cecilia*
  • Santa Maria del Carmine*
  • Santa Maria della Spina
  • Sant'Andrea*
  • Santo Stefano dei Cavalieri
  • Chiesa e Convento di San Torpe
  • Duomo di Santa Maria Assunta

  • Turin
  • Cattedrale di San Giovanni Battista
  • Madonna degli Angeli
  • Santissima Annunziata
  • Gran Madre di Dio
  • Real Chiesa di San Lorenzo

  • Tuscany
  • Abbazia di San Galgano
  • Cortona - Santa Margherita*
  • Lucca - San Martino
  • Pienza - Duomo*
  • Pitigliano - Santi Pietro e Paolo
  • San Gimignano - Collegiata
  • San Gimignano - Sant'Agostino
  • Siena - San Francesco
  • Siena - Santa Maria Assunta
  • Sovana - Santi Pietro e Paolo
  • Sovana - Santa Maria Maggiore
  • Volterra - Battistero di San Giovanni
  • Volterra - Santa Maria Assunta
  • Volterra - San Francesco
  • Volterra - San Michele Arcangelo*

  • Other Cities
  • Alberobello - Santi Medici*
  • Alberobello - St Anthony
  • Lecce - San Giovanni*
  • Lecce - Sant'Oronzo
  • Lecce - Santa Croce
  • Messina - Duomo
  • Milan - Duomo
  • Padua - St Anthony†
  • Padua - St Guistina*
  • Trani - St Nicholas the Pilgrim
  • Praiano - San Gennaro

Bulgaria
Slovenia
    Ljubljana
  • St Nicholas Cathedral
  • Annunciation (Franciscan)†
  • Holy Trinity (Ursuline)
  • St Florian*
  • St James
  • St Peter
  • St Joseph
  • Our Lady of Mercy (Teutonic Knights)
  • St John the Baptist
  • SS Cyril and Methodius Orthodox
  • Lutheran (Evangelical) Church*

France
    Cathedrals
  • Amiens
  • Metz
  • Paris
  • Reims
  • Strasbourg
  • Versailles

  • Paris
  • Cathedrale St Louis
  • Eglise du Dome
  • Notre Dame
  • Pantheon
  • Sainte Chapelle
  • St-Etienne-du-Mont*
  • St-Eustache
  • St-Germain l'Axerrois
  • St-Jacques-de-la-Boucherie
  • St-Louis-en-l'Ile
  • St-Sulpice

  • Churches
  • Reims - St Remi Basilica
  • Versailles - Chapel Royal

Sweden
    Stockholm
  • Adolf Fredriks
  • Hedvig Eleonora
  • Katolska domkyrka
  • Katarina kyrka
  • Klara kyrka
  • Maria Magdalena
  • Riddarholmskyrkan†
  • Royal Palace Chapel
  • Sankt Jacobs
  • Sankt Johannes
  • Sofia kyrka
  • Storkyrkan
  • Tyska kyrkan

  • Uppsala
  • Domkyrka
  • Helga Trefaldighets

Switzerland
    Zürich
  • Fraumünster*
  • Grossmünster
  • Predigerkirche
  • St Peter

  • St Gallen
  • St Gall Cathedral
  • St Laurence

  • Kreuzlingen
  • St Stephan
  • St Ulrich & Afra

Czech Republic
    Prague
  • St Nicholas at Malostranske Namesti
  • St Vitus Cathedral*
  • Old Saints' Church
  • St George Basilica

  • Other Cities
  • Hruba Skala - St Josef
  • Kutna Hora - Assumption of Our Lady*
  • Kutna Hora - Sedlec Ossuary
  • Valdstejn Castle - Chapel

Netherlands
    Amsterdam
  • Eglise Wallonne*
  • Begijnhof Kapel (RC)
  • Buddhist Temple
  • De Krijtberg
  • Moses and Aaron
  • Nieuwe Kerk
  • Our Lord in the Attic (RC)
  • Oude Kerk
  • Saint Nicholas (RC)
  • Westerkerk
  • Zuidekerk*
Spain
    Madrid
  • Basilica di San Francisco†
  • Basilica Pontifica de San Miguel
  • Catedral de la Almudena
  • La Concepcion Real de Calatrava
  • San Gines
  • San Nicolas*
  • Santa Maria*
  • San Jose
  • San Sebastian
  • Santa Cruz
  • Real Iglesia de San Andres†
  • San Jeronimo el Real
  • San Pedro el Viejo
  • Santa Iglesia Colegiata de San Isidro

  • Barcelona
  • Sagrat Cor de Jesus
  • Cathedral
  • Les Saleses*
  • Santa Anna
  • Santa Maria del Pi
  • Betlem
  • Sant Jaume
  • Sagrada Familia
  • Sant Agusti
  • Sant Filip Neri*
  • Santa Maria de la Merce
  • Santa Maria del Mar
  • SS Just and Pastor
  • Sant Pau del Camp

  • Cordoba
  • Campo Madre de Dios*
  • Catedral - Mezquita
  • La Magdalena*
  • San Andres
  • San Augustin*
  • San Lorenzo
  • San Miguel
  • San Pablo
  • San Pedro*
  • San Rafael*
  • San Roque*
  • Santa Ana*
  • Santa Marina de Aguas Santas
  • Santo Domingo*
  • Nuestra Senora la Paz y Esperanza*
  • San Francisco
  • San Nicolas de la Villa*
  • Santiago Apostol
  • Synagogue

  • Girona
  • Sant Feliu
  • Cathedral††

  • Mallorca
  • Palma - Cathedral
  • Palma - St Michael

  • Other Cities
  • Montserrat - Monastery
  • Tarragona - Cathedral††

Austria
    Innsbruck
  • St James Cathedral
  • Hofkirche
  • Wilten Basilica
  • Premonstratensian Monastery Wilten

  • Salzburg
  • Abbey Church of St Peter
  • Franciscan Church
  • Holy Trinity
  • Maria Loreto
  • St Blasius
  • St Mark
  • St Michael
  • St Rupert Cathedral
  • St Sebastian

  • Smaller Cities
  • Seefeld - St Oswald
  • Seefeld - Seekirchl
  • Volders - St Karl

Germany
    Cathedrals
  • Cologne
  • Freiburg
  • Konstanz
  • Lindau
  • Munich
  • Speyer

  • Cologne
  • Cathedral
  • Gross St Martin
  • St Andreas
  • St Aposteln
  • St Cecilia*
  • St Georg
  • St Maria im Kapitol
  • St Maria Lyskirchen

  • Konstanz
  • Münster
  • Loretokapelle
  • Mainau Palace Church
  • St Georg
  • St Martin Chapel
  • St Stephen

  • Landsberg am Lech
  • Holy Cross
  • Holy Trinity (Ursuline)
  • St John

  • Lindau
  • Münster
  • St Stephan

  • Munich
  • Bürgersaal (lower church)
  • Frauenkirche (cathedral)
  • Heilig Geist
  • St Bonifaz
  • St Caetan (Teatine)
  • St Peter

  • Reichenau Island
  • Abbey Münster
  • St George
  • SS Peter and Paul

  • Speyer
  • Cathedral
  • Holy Trinity

  • Schwäbisch Gmünd
  • Johanniskirche*
  • Heilig-Kreuz-Münster
  • St Franziskus
  • Sr Salvator

  • Überlingen
  • Franziskanerkirche
  • Münster St Nikolaus

  • Churches
  • Bad Schussenried - St Magnus
  • Bergatreute Pilgrimage Church
  • Bermatingen - St Georg
  • Birnau Pilgrimage Church
  • Egolfs - St Martin
  • Esslingen - Frauenkirche
  • Esslingen - St Dionys
  • Gutenzell - St Cosmas & Damian
  • Kißlegg - St Gallus & Ulrich
  • Langenargen - St Martin
  • Lorch Abbey
  • Meersburg - New Palace Chapel
  • Ottobeuren Abbey
  • Rot a.d. Rot - St Verena
  • Seefelden - St Martin
  • Steinhausen Pilgrimage Church
  • Wasserburg am Bodensee - St George
  • Weingarten Basilica
  • Weißenau - St Peter & Paul
  • Wolfegg - Loretokapelle
  • Wolfegg - St Katharina
  • Zwiefalten Münster

  • Upper Swabian Baroque Route
  • Bad Sussenried
  • Bergatreute
  • Birnau
  • Egolfs
  • Gutenzell
  • Kißlegg
  • Kreuzlingen (CH)
  • Langenargen
  • Lindau
  • Ottobeuren
  • Rot an der Rot
  • St Gallen (CH)
  • Steinhausen
  • Überlingen
  • Weingarten
  • Weißenau
  • Wolfegg
  • Zwiefalten

Canada
    Montreal
  • Christ Church Cathedral
  • Marie Reine du Monde
  • Notre Dame Basilica
  • Notre Dame de Bonsecours*
  • St James United Church*

Japan
    Kamakura
  • Engaku-ji
  • Enno-ji
  • Hachiman-gu
  • Hase-dera
  • Kencho-ji
  • Kotoku-in

  • Koya-san
  • Daimon
  • Danjo Garan
  • Kongobu-ji
  • Oku-no-in Cemetery
  • Saizen-in
  • Tokugawa Mausolea
  • Women's Pilgrim Path

  • Kyoto
  • Choraki-ji
  • Daigo-ji
  • Daitoku-ji
  • Enryaku-ji
  • Fushimi Inari-taisha
  • Ginkaku-ji
  • Honju-ji
  • Hotoku-ji
  • Imamiya-jinja
  • Kamigano-jinja
  • Kinkaku-ji
  • Kiyomizu-dera
  • Kodai-ji
  • Kozan-ji
  • Mount Hiei
  • Myoken-do
  • Ninna-ji
  • Nishi Hongan-ji
  • Nishiotani Temple
  • Nonomiya-jinja
  • Ryoan-ji
  • Sanjusangen-do
  • Sekizan Zen-in
  • Shinfuku-ji
  • Tenryu-ji
  • To-ji
  • Yasaka Koshin-do
  • Yasaka-jinja
  • Yasaka-no-to Pagoda
  • Zuishin-in

  • Miyajima
  • Daigan-ji
  • Daisho-in
  • Itsukushima Shrine
  • Kiyomori Shrine

  • Nara
  • Gango-ji
  • Horyu-ji
  • Kasuga Taisha
  • Kofuku-ji
  • Todai-ji
  • Toshodai-ji
  • Yakushi-ji

  • Nikko
  • Futarasan-jinja
  • Rinno-ji
  • Taiyu-in
  • Tosho-gu

  • Tokyo
  • Benten-do
  • Kanda Myojin
  • Komagata-do
  • Meiji Jingu
  • Sengaku-ji
  • Yasukuni Shrine
  • Yushima Seido

  • Uji
  • Byodo-in
  • Ujigami-jinja

  • Other Cities
  • Fujiyoshida - Hongu Fuji Sengen-jinja
  • Fujiyoshida - Sainen-in
  • Kawaguchiko - Fuji Omuro Sengen-jinja
  • Takachiho - Shrine