August 2026 Photo Contest Theme: Religious Buildings (page 1 of 5)

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