Great churches

There are plenty of old stone churches on Mauritius and the one in Poudre d'Or isn't anything special in that context - but it still makes a nice stop while exploring the area. The church was built in 1847 and there is a large cemetery in front of it.

Built by German Capuchin missionaries in 1909. It was dismantled during WWII and used for construction materials and fortifications. The congregational church was used for a barracks and warehouse. Most of its concrete floor was removed to built a air-raid shelter elsewhere. Today, only the tower and the back chamber are left.

Ohrid is beautiful old city right on the shore of Lake Ohrid. It's so rich in history that it's a UNESCO World Heritage site. The old part of town is deadly charming with old houses, winding streets and exquisite churches, where St. John at Kaneo is probably the most famous one. The church was built in the 3rd century and have a magnificent location high on a cape overlooking the lake. In summer time the city transforms itself into holiday zone for mostly local tourists and partygoers. North Macedonia isn't packed with mind-blowing sights, so Ohrid will for sure be the highlight of any trip to North Macedonia.

Even if churches aren’t your thing, this one is well worth a visit. For one thing, it’s got four wooden dragon heads on the roof. That’s right – it’s a church with dragons on it! It’s also very beautiful, more reminiscent of a Chinese temple than a church. The inside has a mixture of Norse and Christian carvings and decorations, and there are even a few rune carvings. From the late 12th century, Borgund is the best preserved (although neither the oldest nor the largest) of Norway’s 28 stave churches – so named because of the load-bearing posts or ‘staves’. Visiting at least one stave church should definitely be on any to-see list!

Of Norway's 28 remaining medieval stave churches, Haddel is the largest. It was built in the 13th century, and is the only one with three towers. During summer, it's still used as the main church for the parish.

The beautiful wooden church in Lom is one of Norway's 28 remaining medieval stave churches. It was originally built around 1160 and is among the oldest. In the 17th-century extensions to the main building were added. It's one of the few stave churches, where the original medieval crest with a dragon head has survived. The church is still in use and is closed for visitors during service.

Of Norway's 28 remaining medieval stave churches, only Urnes is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was built around 1130, making it the oldest stave church, but it's also the most richly decorated. You can only visit the interior on a guided tour.

Uvdal Stave Church is one the smaller ones of Norway's 28 remaining medieval stave churches. It was probably built around 1168. It's located on a steep grassy hill among other historical wooden buildings. When you arrive along road 40 from the west, you will first come across the impressive Uvdal Church, and although it's wooden and looks like a medieval stave church with dragon heads on the crest, it was built in 1893. Follow the signs for the proper medieval one, which is about 5 km up road 122.

Saint Anne's Church (Catholic) has proclaimed the title as Réunion's finest church. It was erected in 1857, but was rebuilt in the first half of the 20-century. The pastor let his "children" help him with the decoration of the church. The result is a colourful facade covered in stucco depictions of flowers and angels.

The painted monasteries in northeastern Romania are a collection of churches that have their exterior painted in colourful cartoon-style frescoes. The walls feature biblical stories as well as portraits of saints, which were probably meant as education for the illiterate peasants and soldiers.

Humor monastery and its frescoes date back to the 16th century and is on now UNESCO's World Heritage List. The exterior frescoes depict the Last Judgement, Holy Virgin, St. George and the besiege of Constantinople. The interior is equally colourful. Even though it lies a long walk from Gura Humorului town, it is one of the most accessible of the painted monasteries.