List of largest church buildings

St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City, the largest church in the world.

Churches can be measured and compared in several different ways. These include area, volume, length, width, height, or capacity. Several churches individually claim to be "the largest church", which may be due to any one of these criteria.

Criteria for inclusion

  • The reason the edifice was built was for Christian religious services (see Church (building) for more detail)
    • Entries are included even if they currently do not function as a church. For example, the Hagia Sophia is included; it was originally built as a church but currently operates as a mosque.
    • Buildings that have become churches, but which were not built for that purpose, are not included; for example, the Lakewood Church building, which was originally built to be the Compaq Center.
  • The building must still be standing.
  • The building have a known floor area of more than 2,000 square metres (22,000 sq ft).
    • Internal floor area is measured to the internal face of the external walls.
    • External floor area is measured to the external face of the external walls.
    • A reliable source is present that states the building's area.
  • Not a Shrine, Tabernacle, Temple, or any other structures that function separately from a church.

List

Name Area (m2) Gross volume (m³) Capacity Built City Country Denomination Notes
Interior Exterior
St. Peter's Basilica 15,160 21,095 1,600,000 60,000 standing, or 20,000 seated 1506–1626 Vatican City   Vatican City Catholic (Latin) Largest church in the world.
Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady Aparecida 12,000 18,331 1,200,000 45,000 standing, or 30,000 seated 1955–1980 Aparecida  Brazil Catholic (Latin) Largest cathedral in the world.
Milan Cathedral 11,700 440,000 40,000 1386–1965 Milan  Italy Catholic (Latin)
Seville Cathedral 11,500 23,500 500,000+ 1401–1528 Seville  Spain Catholic (Latin) It was a mosque before being rebuilt as a Catholic cathedral.
Mosque–Cathedral of Córdoba 23,400 20,000 785–1607 Córdoba  Spain Catholic (Latin) Originally begun as a mosque in 785. Converted to a cathedral in 1236.
Cathedral of St. John the Divine 11,241 480,000 8,600 1892–present New York City  United States Anglican (Episcopal Church in the U.S.) Unfinished.
Basilica of Our Lady of Licheń 10,090[citation needed] 300,000 1994–2004 Licheń Stary  Poland Catholic (Latin) 9,240 m2 or 10,090 m2
Liverpool Cathedral 9,687 450,000 + 3,500 1904–1978 Liverpool  United Kingdom Anglican (Church of England)
Basilica of the Holy Trinity 8,700 130,000 9,000 2004–2007 Fátima  Portugal Catholic (Latin) Area given as 12,000m²
Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls 8,515[citation needed] 4th–5th century; rebuilt 1825–1929 Rome  Italy Catholic (Latin)
Basilica-Cathedral of Our Lady of the Pillar 8,318 1681–1872 Zaragoza  Spain Catholic (Latin)
Florence Cathedral 8,300[citation needed] 1296–1436 Florence  Italy Catholic (Latin)
Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe 8,167[citation needed] 10,000 1974–1976 Mexico City  Mexico Catholic (Latin) Circular base of 102 m in diameter
Cathedral of Our Lady 8,000 1352–1521 Antwerp  Belgium Catholic (Latin)
Rio de Janeiro Cathedral 8,000 20,000 1964–1976 Rio de Janeiro  Brazil Catholic (Latin)
Basilica of the Sacred Heart 8,000[citation needed] 1905–1970 Koekelberg (Brussels)  Belgium Catholic (Latin)
Basilica of Our Lady of Peace 7,989 30,000 18,000 1985–1989 Yamoussoukro  Ivory Coast Catholic (Latin) The basilica proper is 7,989 m2. Exterior area includes rectory and villa.
Hagia Sophia 7,960[citation needed] 255,800 532–537 Istanbul  Turkey Eastern Orthodox (Greek) Byzantine church constructed in 537; converted to a mosque.
San Petronio Basilica 7,920[citation needed] 258,000 28,000 1390–1479 Bologna  Italy Catholic (Latin)
Cologne Cathedral 7,914[citation needed] 407,000 1248–1880 Cologne  Germany Catholic (Latin)
St Paul's Cathedral 7,875 1677–1708 London  United Kingdom Anglican (Church of England)
Washington National Cathedral 7,712 1907–1990 Washington, DC  United States Anglican (Episcopal Church in the U.S.)
Amiens Cathedral 7,700 200,000 (interior only) 1220–1270 Amiens  France Catholic (Latin) Gross volume slightly below 400,000[citation needed]
Abbey of Santa Giustina 7,700[citation needed] 1501–1606 Padua  Italy Catholic (Latin)
Cathedral of the Nativity 7,500 135,000 8,200 2017–2019 Cairo  Egypt Oriental Orthodox (Coptic) Largest Oriental Orthodox church in the world
Yoido Full Gospel 7,450 (estimated) 44,000+ 12,000 1973 Seoul  South Korea Protestant (Pentecostal) Largest Pentecostal church
St. Vitus Cathedral 7,440[citation needed] 1344–1929 Prague  Czech Republic Catholic (Latin)
Basilica Natn. Shrine of the Immaculate Conception 7,097 10,234 10,000 1920–2017 Washington, DC  United States Catholic (Latin) Interior area only for the upper church / upper floor.
Cathedral of La Plata 6,968[citation needed] 1884–1932 La Plata  Argentina Catholic (Latin) Largest church in Argentina[citation needed]
Saint Joseph's Oratory 6,825[citation needed] 1904–1967 Montreal  Canada Catholic (Latin) The largest church in Canada
Shrine of St. Paulina 6,740 9,000 6,000 2003–2006 Nova Trento  Brazil Catholic (Latin)
Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral 6,732[citation needed] 1573–1813 Mexico City  Mexico Catholic (Latin)
Chartres Cathedral 6,700[citation needed] 10,875[citation needed] 1145–1220 Chartres  France Catholic (Latin)
Berlin Cathedral or Berliner Dom 6,270 2,000+ 1451–1905 Berlin  Germany Protestant (Lutheran) 116 meters high & 73 meters wide; city landmark.
Cathedral of Saint Paul (Minnesota) 6,200 (estimated) 1906–1915 St Paul, Minnesota  United States Catholic (Latin)
Immaculata Church 6,169 1,580 2020-2023 St. Marys, Kansas  United States Catholic (Latin) The largest SSPX Catholic church in the world
Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels 6,038[citation needed] 1998–2002 Los Angeles  United States Catholic (Latin)
De Hoeksteen 6,020 43,300 2,531 2007–2008 Barneveld  Netherlands Protestant (Calvinist)
People's Salvation Cathedral 6,000 323,000 7,000 2010–present Bucharest  Romania Eastern Orthodox (Romanian) Tallest and largest (by volume) Orthodox church building in the world.
Padre Pio Pilgrimage Church 6,000[citation needed] 6,500 1991–2004 San Giovanni Rotondo  Italy Catholic (Latin) Vaulted church holding 6,500 seats[citation needed]
Ulm Minster 5,950[citation needed] 190,000 2,000 1377–1890 Ulm  Germany Protestant (Lutheran) Tallest church in the world
York Minster 5,927 1230–1472 York  United Kingdom Anglican (Church of England) Largest Gothic cathedral in Northern Europe.
Bourges Cathedral 5,900[citation needed] 1195–1230 Bourges  France Catholic (Latin)
Reims Cathedral 5,800[citation needed] 6,650 1211–1275 Reims  France Catholic (Latin) The longest church in France at 149.17m[citation needed]
São Paulo Cathedral 5,700 8,000 1913–1954 São Paulo  Brazil Catholic (Latin)
Esztergom Basilica 5,660[citation needed] 1822–1869 Esztergom  Hungary Catholic (Latin)
Diocesan Sanctuary of Our Lady of Guadalupe 5,414.58[citation needed] 1898–2008 Zamora, Michoacán  Mexico Catholic (Latin) Co-cathedral church of the diocese of Zamora.
Sagrada Familia 5,400[citation needed] 9,000 1882–present Barcelona  Spain Catholic (Latin) Unfinished; expected complete sometime after 2026.
Strasbourg Cathedral 5,300[citation needed] 6,044 1015–1439 Strasbourg  France Catholic (Latin) World's tallest building from 1647 to 1874[citation needed]
Primate Cathedral of Bogotá 5,300[citation needed] 1807–1823 Bogotá  Colombia Catholic (Latin)
Palma Cathedral 5,200[citation needed] 160,000 (interior) 1220–1346 Palma, Majorca  Spain Catholic (Latin)
New Cathedral, Linz 5,170[citation needed] 20,000 1862–1924 Linz  Austria Catholic (Latin)
Speyer Cathedral 5,038 1030–1103 Speyer  Germany Catholic (Latin) Added to the UNESCO World Heritage List
Provo ward conference center 5,038 2012 Provo, Utah  United States The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Westminster Cathedral 5,017[citation needed] 3,000 1895–1910 London  United Kingdom Catholic (Latin) Largest Roman Catholic Church in the UK.
Medak Cathedral 5,000 1914–1926 Medak  India Anglican (Church of South India)
Lincoln Cathedral 5,000 (estimated) 1185–1311 Lincoln, England  United Kingdom Anglican (Church of England)
St. Mary's Church 5,000[citation needed] 155,000 1343–1502 Gdańsk  Poland Catholic (Latin) Largest brick church in the world
Holy Trinity Cathedral 5,000[citation needed] 137,000[citation needed] 1995–2004 Tbilisi  Georgia Eastern Orthodox (Georgian)
Winchester Cathedral 4,968 1079–1525 Winchester  United Kingdom Anglican (Church of England) The longest Gothic cathedral in Europe
Notre Dame de Paris 4,800[citation needed] 5,500 9,000 1163–1345; 2019–present (reconstruction) Paris  France Catholic (Latin) Roof and main spire destroyed by fire on 15 April 2019
Almudena Cathedral 4,800[citation needed] 1883–1993 Madrid  Spain Catholic (Latin) It has a north–south orientation instead of east–west.
Dresden Cathedral 4,800[citation needed] 1739–1755 Dresden  Germany Catholic (Latin) Largest church in all of Saxony[citation needed]
Basilica of St. Thérèse, Lisieux 4,500[citation needed] 1929–1954 Lisieux  France Catholic (Latin)
Basilica de San Martin de Tours (Taal) 4,320 1856–1878 Taal, Batangas  Philippines Catholic (Latin) Largest Catholic church in Asia
Ely Cathedral, Cambridgeshire 4,273 1083–1375 Ely  United Kingdom Anglican (Church of England)
Frauenkirche 4,188[citation needed] 185,000–190,000 1468–1525 Munich  Germany Catholic (Latin)
Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart 4,181 2,000 1898–1954 Newark, New Jersey  United States Catholic (Latin)
Se Cathedral 4,180 1619–1640 Goa, India  India Catholic (Latin)
St. Stephen's Basilica 4,147 1851–1906 Budapest  Hungary Catholic (Latin)
Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis (St. Louis) 4,130[citation needed] 1907–1914 St. Louis  United States Catholic (Latin) Mosaics 7,700 square meters[citation needed]
Saint Isaac's Cathedral 4,000 + 7,000 260,000 1818–1858 Saint Petersburg  Russia Eastern Orthodox (Russian) Built as a cathedral, now a museum
Cathedral of Christ the Saviour 3,980 6,829.3 101,992 9,500 1839–1883 Moscow  Russia Eastern Orthodox (Russian) Rebuilt from 1995 to 2000
Saint Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral, Yerevan 3,822[citation needed] 1997–2001 Yerevan  Armenia Oriental Orthodox (Armenian)
Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral 3,820[citation needed] 2015–2018 Raleigh  United States Catholic (Latin)
Catedral Evangelica de Chile or Jotabeche Cathedral 3,714.91 7,000 1967–1974 Santiago de Chile  Chile Protestant (Pentecostal) Largest capacity in Chile; national historic monument since 2013.
Church of Saint Sava 3,650 4,830 170,000 1935–1989 Belgrade  Serbia Eastern Orthodox (Serbian) Largest church in the Balkans[citation needed]
Blessed Stanley Rother Shrine 3,512 1,859 2021–2022 Oklahoma City  United States Catholic (Latin)
Uppsala Cathedral 3,439 4,077 50,000 excluding towers 2,200 1273-1435 Uppsala  Sweden Church of Sweden Largest Cathedral in northern Europe. Height 118,7m, Length 118,95 m.
Yeonmudae Catholic Church 3,360[citation needed] 2008–2009 Korea Army Training Center  South Korea Catholic (Latin) The largest church in East Asia[citation needed]
Grace Cathedral 3,357 1910–1964 San Francisco  United States Anglican (Episcopal Church in the U.S.)
Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul (Lewiston, Maine) 3,264 2,200 1906–1936 Lewiston, Maine  United States Catholic (Latin) Largest church in the State of Maine, still serves mass in French.
Alexander Nevsky Cathedral 3,170 86,000 1882–1912 Sofia  Bulgaria Eastern Orthodox (Bulgaria)
St. Charles Borromeo (Visalia) 3,159 3,148 seated 2011–2023 Visalia, California  United States Catholic (Latin) Largest Catholic parish church in North America.
Christ Cathedral 3,030 1977–1980 Garden Grove, California  United States Catholic (Latin) Formerly known as the Crystal Cathedral. Consecrated as the Christ Cathedral
Westminster Abbey 2,972 2,200 960–c. 18 cent. London  United Kingdom Anglican (Church of England)
Sümi Baptist Church, Zünheboto 2,885 8,500 2007–2017 Zunheboto, Nagaland  India Protestant (Baptist)
St Andrew's Cathedral, Patras 2,600 1908–1974 Patras  Greece Eastern Orthodox (Greek) 1,900 m2 on the ground floor and additionally 700 m2 on the first level (used as a gynaeconitis)
St. Patrick's Cathedral (Manhattan) 2,500 2,400 1858–1878 New York City, New York  United States Catholic (Latin)
Beomeo Cathedral 2,463[citation needed] 2013–2016 Daegu  South Korea Catholic (Latin)
Helsinki Cathedral 2,400 1,300 1869–1887 Helsinki  Finland Protestant (Lutheran)
Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi (Santa Fe) 2,322[citation needed] 1869–1887 Santa Fe, New Mexico  United States Catholic (Latin)
Our Lady of Dolours Syro-Malabar Catholic Basilica 2,300[citation needed] 1929–2005 Thrissur  India Catholic (Syro-Malabar) It has the third tallest tower in Asia[citation needed]
St. John's Church, Seongnam 2,260[citation needed] 1994–2002 Seongnam  South Korea Catholic (Latin) Until 2009, largest church in East Asia[citation needed]
Basilica of St. John the Baptist 2,135[citation needed] 64,040 1839–1855 St. John's  Canada Catholic (Latin)
St. Joseph Cathedral 2,125 1941 San Diego  United States Catholic (Latin)

[better source needed]

See also


This page was last updated at 2023-11-05 23:00 UTC. Update now. View original page.

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