Churches have always testified to people’s faith and faith in God. This makes churches some of the largest structures ever built in history.
Churches are also some of the most beautiful and ornate works of art and architecture in the world.
The large churches on this list were mostly Roman Catholic of the past.
However, not all churches are still under Catholic rule, and Hagia Sophia is now a museum.
For the purposes of this list, we have not included any churches that were also cathedrals.
At the time of writing, these are some of the largest churches in the world.
Designation: N/A – currently a museum but formerly an Eastern Orthodox Cathedral, then a Roman Catholic Cathedral and finally an Ottoman Mosque
Source: Wikimedia Commons via Dennis Jarvis
Hagia Sophia is the only church on this list that is no longer an active church.
Instead, Hagia Sophia has been open to the public as a museum since 1935 and is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the world.
Hagia Sophia has an area of 7,960 square meters (85,681 sq ft).
Although Hagia Sophia no longer holds religious services, it has a long history as a religious center.
Hagia Sophia was the largest church built by the Eastern Roman Empire and for several centuries the largest functioning cathedral in the world.
Columns from the ruined Temple of Artemis in Ephesus, one of the Seven Ancient Wonders of the World, were used to build the interior of the Hagia Sophia.
Basilica of Our Lady of Peace
Location: Yamoussoukro, Ivory Coast
Source: Wikimedia Commons via Felix Krohn
In terms of external area, which is 30,000 square meters (322,917.31 sq ft), the Basilica of Our Lady of Peace in Yamoussoukro, Ivory Coast, is the largest church in the world.
However, it is not usually considered the largest church because its interior area is less than 8,000 square meters (7,989 square meters (85,993 sq ft) to be exact).
The Basilica of Our Lady of Peace pays tribute to St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican, which is widely considered the largest church in the world.
While the Basilica of Our Lady of Peace is an imposing Catholic monument, this grandeur has always been a point of contention in Ivory Coast.
The construction of the basilica cost 300 million dollars, but this magnificent building is located in the center of an impoverished city.
The cost of the Basilica of Our Lady of Peace has reportedly doubled Ivory Coast’s debt.
The Basilica of Our Lady of Peace is built of marble imported from Italy and has 7,000 square meters (75,347.37 sq ft) of stained glass windows from France.
Location: Koekelberg, Brussels, Belgium
Source: Wikimedia Commons via Markus Koljonen (Dilaudid)
The Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Koekelberg, Belgium has an area of 8,000 square meters (86,111.28 sq ft).
Unlike other large Catholic churches, which were typically built in the Gothic style, the Basilica of the Sacred Heart is an Art Deco monument.
The architect of the basilica was Albert Van huffel, who died before the completion of the Basilica of the Sacred Heart.
Like all great churches, the Basilica of the Sacred Heart houses some great works of art, including sculptures by two famous artists, George Minne and Harry Elstrøm.
Inside the Basilica of the Sacred Heart are two museums, the Black Sisters Museum and the Modern Religious Art Museum, which has a collection of paintings and sculptures from the Diocese of Bruges.
Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe
Location: Villa de Guadalupe, Mexico City, Mexico
Source: Wikimedia Commons via Janothird
The Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe is the largest church in Mexico with an area of 8,167 square meters (87,909 sq ft).
The place on which the basilica stands is sacred, and according to tradition, the Virgin Mary of Guadalupe appeared before St. Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin, an Aztec convert to the Roman Catholic Church, and told him to build a church on the site.
The original Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe was built not long after in the 16th century and served for several centuries before it became too dangerous to use as the foundations began to sink.
The new Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe was built in the 1970s and now serves as the main church.
The Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe is considered one of the most important Catholic shrines in the world because it houses the original miraculous apron containing the image of the Virgin Mary.
Location: Ulm, Germany
Source: Wikimedia Commons via Martin Kraft under the CC BY-SA 3.0 Free License
Ulm Minster may not be the largest church in terms of floor area, which is about 8,260 square meters (88,910 sq ft), but it is the tallest church in the world.
The Ulm Minster is 161.5 meters (530 ft) tall and towers over the city of Ulm in Germany.
At one point in history, Ulm Minster was the tallest building in the world.
Today, Ulm Minster is a Lutheran church, but it used to be a Roman Catholic cathedral first built in 1376.
The construction of the Ulm Minster was not completed until 1890.
The Ulm Minster was converted into a Lutheran church during the Reformation, with the rise of Protestantism in 1530.
The organ inside the Ulm Minster used to be the largest organ in the world and was played by Amadeus Mozart.
St. Paul’s Basilica outside the walls
Location: Rome, Italy
Built: 4th century CE – 1823
Source: Wikimedia Commons via Berthold Werner
The Basilica of St. Paul outside the Walls is one of the oldest Roman basilicas.
The grounds of the basilica were first consecrated in the 4th century AD and the first basilica on the site was built by Emperor Constantine.
The current Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls is 8,515 square meters (91,654.7 sq ft).
St. Paul’s Basilica is said to harbor papal portraits behind the walls, which are said to foretell the end of the world or the second coming.
Location: Fátima, Portugal
Source: Wikimedia Commons via Manuelvbotelho
The Basilica of the Holy Trinity is a fairly new megachurch in the Shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary of Fatima, Portugal.
Holy Trinity is the largest church in Portugal and covers an area of 8,700 square meters (93,646 sq ft).
The Basilica of the Holy Trinity is large enough to seat 9,000 and the complex also has four smaller churches.
Since millions of people visit the Fatima shrine every year, it was necessary to build a new church on the site, as the previous church only held a few hundred people.
The Basilica of the Holy Trinity was built between 2004 and 2007 and has a modern architectural form.
The Shrine of Fatima has been an important Catholic pilgrimage center since 1917, when Saint Mary appeared several times to three children.
Basilica of Our Lady of Lichen
Location: Lichen Stary, Poland
Source: Wikimedia Commons via Czechu81
The Basilica of Our Lady of Lichen is the largest church in Poland with an area of 10,090 square meters (108,608 sq ft).
The basilica is located in the shrine of Our Lady of Sorrows in Licheń Stary.
The church is dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows, Queen of Poland, a blessed image that has been in Licheń Stary since 1857.
With the image of Our Lady of Sorrows on display, the Basilica of Our Lady of Lichen is considered the most important pilgrimage site in Poland.
The basilica began to be built in 1994 to replace an older church where the miraculous image was displayed.
After ten years, the Basilica of Our Lady of Lichen was consecrated on June 12, 2004.
The bell tower of the Basilica of Our Lady of Lichen is 63 meters (206.7 ft) high and houses the largest bell in Poland.
Basilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida
Location: Aparecida, Brazil
Source: Wikimedia Commons via Robison Camargo
The Basilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida is the largest church in Brazil with an area of 12,000 square meters (129,167 sq ft).
Our Lady of Aparecida is an important shrine for the people of Brazil and is dedicated to the Virgin Mary, who has been the country’s patron since 1930.
As the second largest church in the world, the Basilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida can reportedly hold up to 45,000 people.
Because the basilica is such an important place, millions of pilgrims visit it every year to venerate the Virgin Mary.
Various Popes have also visited the Basilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida, including Pope John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis.
In the vicinity of the Basilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida, there is a shopping center, a medical clinic and a restaurant.
Location: Vatican City, Italy
Denomination: Roman Catholic
Denomination: Roman Catholic
Denomination: Roman Catholic
Denomination: Roman Catholic
Denomination: Roman Catholic
Denomination: Roman Catholic
Denomination: Roman Catholic
Denomination: Roman Catholic
Source: Wikimedia Commons via Alvesgaspar
Saint Peter’s Basilica is the largest and perhaps the most famous church in the world.
The massive St. Peter’s Basilica sits in the heart of the Vatican and has an interior area of 15,160 square meters (163,181 sq ft) and an exterior area of 21,095 square meters (227,065 sq ft).
St. Peter’s Basilica is large enough to hold 20,000 people for prayer.
Although St. Peter’s Basilica is the most impressive Catholic church, it is not actually the mother church of the Catholic Church or the cathedral (seat) of the Diocese of Rome.
However, it is considered one of the most sacred places of the Catholic religion.
St. Peter’s Basilica is also a place of pilgrimage for many Catholics, and the Pope often presides over a series of liturgies each year that attract tens of thousands of people.
None of the paintings and frescoes decorating the interior of St. Peter’s Basilica are actually paintings.