This is an amazing space. It was built to inspire and continues to do so. But it’s also tricky to capture in photographs, with its vast elevations and dimensions. Even on a sunny day, the light can be hard to capture, although it can create some wonderfully subtle shade and shadowing. It’s stunning.
This building is one of the grand focal points of Hungary’s capital, Budapest.
St Stephen’s Basilica is a lofty, awe-inspiring piece of architecture – truly fitting for an important European city.
Its vast dome is a pleasure to photograph, but not without its hazards – I looked so far up there was a compulsion to topple over. There are no restrictions on taking pictures unlike London’s equally significant edifices – a small donation will suffice.
Visitors can also take more than 300 steps to a platform for impressive views across Budapest. For fans of religious buildings and sweeping vistas, this is a must-see.
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A gurdwara is a Sikh place of worship, and the largest temple in Europe is in the west London suburb of Southall.
I visited as part of my faith buildings project, which has taken me from mosque to synagogue via Catholic cathedrals and Anglican village churches.
This was another experience, not just an exercise in taking photographs. I had to remove my shoes before entering, and cover my hair with an orange bandana – both men and women must wear head coverings.
The main prayer hall in this temple, which opened in 2003, is expansive. The ‘altar’ houses the Sikh holy book and is attended at all times as the faithful come and pay their respects and leave contributions.
I was left to take pictures without any objection, and then invited to eat at the canteen downstairs, where vegetarian food is served free of charge.
Here, I felt happy about including worshippers in photographs. They felt like the life and soul of this temple, a lavish example of architecture seemingly built for them.
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They come all in manner of shapes and sizes, for an array of worshipful purposes.
Even if you don’t hold a particular faith (I fall into that category), it’s hard not to find these buildings impressive and moving on some level.
They are invariably engaging to capture in photographs, occasionally challenging in the dim of candlelight. In some cases, you are not permitted to use your camera.
This tiny fraction of faith buildings I’ve had the pleasure of visiting encompasses six religions. Each place is arresting in its own way, while they all have a shared mystique.
London’s New West End synagogue is something of a hidden gem. It’s a short walk from the Notting Hill area, but is set back from the main road into the heart of the city.
From the outside, the Victorian red brick building is imposing but largely nondescript, hiding its treasures. You have to venture inside to be truly blown away.
I arranged my visit to the synagogue in advance, and was warmly welcomed by the building’s administrator, who switched on all the lights and showed me inside. I had the entire space to myself, and was left to wander around at will with my camera. This included the upper gallery, usually reserved for female worshippers.
Quite simply, it’s magnificent. Lofty in dimensions and opulently decorated with gold leaf and beautiful stained glass windows. This is a majestic example of architecture when standing empty and no doubt an inspiring space when used for religious ceremony. It’s probably best to let the images do the work.
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