August 2026 Photo Contest Theme: Religious Buildings

Since I don’t have time to come up with an original theme, I’m suggesting a broad, international topic: religious buildings around the world. Given how vast the subject is, I’d like us to focus on photos of exteriors—wide shots or details. Interiors, which are just as varied, could be the subject of another contest.

A few of my own photos, just to give you an idea:

Photo #1

Orthodox Cathedral of Podgorica. Very recent, inaugurated in 2013. 42 m tall.

I haven’t finished sorting through my photos yet, but I’m jumping in after seeing Djalma’s shot of an Orthodox church (in France for him).

Photo #1: one of the many Orthodox churches in Mystras (Peloponnese)

Photo 1: Joapira Bell Tower, El Hierro (view from the other side)

Photo 2: Royal Monastery of Santes Creus, Spain

Photo 1: Spain, Andalusia, Seville: the Giralda (detail)



The Giralda, the famous bell tower of Seville Cathedral, is a former minaret. The photo was taken from the Courtyard of the Oranges.

Since I'm on the road, I don’t have easy access to my photos.

For my first photo, one I took today in Kåseberga, Sweden:

Megalithic stones shaped like a boat. Like in other places, they align during the solstice.

Sorry, not easy with the phone. Here's the photo

Photo #2: the Duomo of Matera

Photo #2

Greek temple of Selinunte, Sicily, dedicated to Hera, goddess of family and marriage. Its construction is believed to have begun between 460–450 BCE.

Photo number 1

Chapel of Sainte-Anne, Mont Saint-Michel Bay.

Photo 2: the grand mosque of Astana

Photo 3: Seoul, Korea

I took advantage of my vacation in Cyprus to snap some photos of buildings 😉

Photo 1 - Cyprus, the church in the village of Laneia, with the original detail of the rope to ring the bell hanging in front of the bell tower. I was really itching to pull it 😛

xrctn-1 - Mont Saint-Michel Abbey, (50)

Hi

Photo 2, Shades of Blue at Cape Greco, Cyprus

xrctn-2 - The Saint Sebastian Cathedral of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Construction began in 1964 and was completed in 1976

xrctn-3 - Domes of the Bibi-Khanym Mosque, Samarkand, Uzbekistan

Photo 3 Hanoi Cathedral by night

Photo #3: in the countryside, near Bagan

Photo #3

The Basilica of Lourdes. Pope Francis will be visiting very soon.

Hi there

Photo No. 1

The Asafi Mosque, one of the main buildings in the Bara Imambara complex in Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh, India), seen from the gate at the top of the stairs leading to the Bouli (stepwell)

Photo No. 2

St. Joseph’s Cathedral in Guiyang, located at 116 Shaanxi Street in Yunyan District, Guiyang, Guizhou Province, China

PHOTO 2 France, Brittany, Finistère Saint Samson Chapel in Landunvez, inseparable from its surroundings: the sea, the moor, and a navigational marker.

Hi,

Photo 1: The crypt of Saint-Eutrope, Saintes.



Catherine

Hi there!

Photo 1: Djingereyber Mosque in Timbuktu, Mali, built in the 14th century (rear view)



hgb

Photo 2: Notre Dame de Royan



C.

And photo 3: Kalon Mosque in Bukhara



C.

Hello, Here's my entry...

The stunning Sucevita Monastery in Maramures (Romania)

... still in Romania, the Sapanta Cemetery (not sure if a cemetery counts as a religious building)!



Same with the Hill of Crosses in Lithuania...

Photo 3: Saint-Michel Chapel, Erquy, Brittany

Photo number 2

Notre Dame of Bayeux lit up.

Photo 3: France, Bourgogne Franche-Comté, Haute-Saône

The Notre Dame du Haut chapel in Ronchamp, a work by Le Corbusier (1955)

Photo1: Lausikala Chapel in Wallis

Catherine, sorry, your photo1 is off-topic😕. The theme is indeed religious buildings, but only the exteriors in wide shots or details. Crypts aren’t accepted, so. I’m sure you’ve got other photos in reserve to share with us. I’m reacting a bit late, but I’ve been super busy this month and my brain’s running on empty🤪

Hi Franck, The Sucevița Monastery is indeed a religious building, so it fits the theme. I’ll overlook the fact that it’s not in Maramureș but in Bucovina😉. However, the painted wooden tombs of Săpânța are in Maramureș but aren’t buildings. I hadn’t checked the definition of *édifice* before revisiting this theme, which was suggested years ago. Actually, *édifices* are important buildings or groups of structures... I’m not sure if chapels qualify, but I’d suggested a Breton chapel myself to illustrate the theme😕. Between your two amazing travel journals currently being published, I hope you’ll find time to look for two more photos to submit.

Photo 1: Did you see it... my basilica?



St. Mark's Basilica, Venice (rear view).

Photo 2: Haci Bayram Mosque, Ankara

Hi Catherine, I’m looking at this photo on a big screen... and it’s also the interior of a church, so off-topic like the crypt

I'm struggling with organizing this contest due to lack of time. I forgot to specify the voting dates. You can post photos to enter the contest until Thursday, August 27 at midnight. Voting will take place from August 28 to August 31 as usual: you can vote for 3 photos in order of preference, awarding 3 points to your first choice, 2 points to your second, and 1 point to your third.

Thanks Noëlle for taking the time to reply... My two travel journals are coming along, but I still have time to replace my two off-topic entries!

Avenue of the Dead in Samarkand (Shah-i-Zinda) - Uzbekistan



Great Mosque of Tirana - Albania

Good evening

Photo No. 3

Besakih Temple in Bali

Franck, since Noëlle is swamped, I’ll answer for her: for the contest, it’s 3 numbered photos. In the discussion thread, you can post as many as you want 😉

Photo 1 Bagan, Myanmar. There are over 2,000 temples, pagodas, or stupas on this stunning site. Most have been demolished or damaged by successive earthquakes.

Photo 2 Wat Tham Phong Phang, Chumphon, Thailand. It’s ideally situated near the sea and on the side of a hill. It was under construction for years and is now "in use."

Photo 3 Wat Ban Den in Chiang Mai. A complex of 12 temples in Lanna and Burmese style representing the 12 zodiac signs.

Hi Noelle, Sorry I only read the title and not what was actually in bold in the message. , my apologies. So:

Photo 1: Apollo, a detail from the pediment of the Temple of Zeus at Olympia.

C.

Photo 2: church domes in Mystras



C.

Not easy to pick 3 photos. I’ll start with one from my last trip: Photo 1: the cathédrale d'Amalfi by night

A bit of Muslim architecture too Photo 2: Uzbek Dome

A bit of Thailand too Photo 3: temple in Chiang Mai