Concrete churches from different countries show the architectural evolution of the 20th century. These structures combine geometric forms with modernist designs and use light as a design element. The buildings demonstrate the technical capabilities of concrete as a construction material for religious spaces.
Pampulha, Brazil
Architect Oscar Niemeyer designed this modern concrete church with curved walls and an asymmetrical roof structure in 1943.
Rome, Italy
This concrete church by Richard Meier features three large concrete shells and a bell tower with photocatalytic material against air pollution.
Collegeville, United States
The 1961 concrete structure contains geometric stained glass windows covering 480 square meters and a freestanding bell tower.
Ibaraki, Japan
A concrete building with two intersecting slits in the east wall, allowing morning light to enter the interior space.
Ibaraki, Japan
Architect Tadao Ando designed this concrete church with a cross-shaped light opening through the building's eastern wall.
Neviges, Germany
Gottfried Böhm’s sculptural creation built atop a hill, integrating light and shadow in its textured walls.
Mechernich, Germany
Peter Zumthor’s evocative space created through controlled lighting and a charred interior.
Reykjavik, Iceland
State church in Iceland, known for its towering facade inspired by basalt formations native to Icelandic geology.
Copenhagen, Denmark
Expressionist style church with a striking facade reminiscent of Gothic architecture, built with yellow brick.
Brasília, Brazil
An emblematic structure of Brazil's capital, featuring hyperbolic columns and a transparent ceiling.
Rivas-Vaciamadrid, Spain
A modern church whose undulating walls and sparse furnishing highlight the qualities of poured-in-place concrete.
Nevers, France
Unconventional ecclesiastical architecture featuring angular, tent-like concrete forms.
Jyväskylä, Finland
Alvar Aalto's modernist church in Finland that is both functional and aesthetic, honoring organic architectural design.
Guadalajara, Mexico
An impressive Mexican church with an iconic egg-shaped concrete dome and vibrant interior paintings.
Berlin, Germany
A round concrete-and-timber chapel built on the site of a church divided by the Berlin Wall, symbolizing unity and peace.
Ronchamp, France
An additional chapel on the site of Le Corbusier's masterpiece, blending with the landscape through its sloped concrete form.
Idar-Oberstein, Germany
An unusual Protestant church carved directly into a sandstone cliff, using exposed rock and concrete in harmony.
Firminy, France
Completed posthumously after Le Corbusier's design, this robust concrete church with a complex fenestration creates a play of light inside.
Alta, Norway
With a spiraling helix shape, this cathedral features an astonishing interaction between light, a titanium-clad facade, and concrete.
