I confess. I’m obsessed with cathedrals—and churches and mosques and temples and just about any houses of worship. Ironically, I am not religious. I don’t look at churches from a religious viewpoint. To me, they are works of art. Art that I can walk into and touch and photograph. Art that tells about the culture and beliefs of the community in which it stands.

     I admire the talent that went into building these grand edifices, from the stonework of the structure’s towers, domes and buttresses to the brilliant stained-glass windows and the sculptures and murals that decorate the interior walls.
 
     No matter what country I visit, I always end up seeking out local historic places of worship. From Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris to the Metropolitan Cathedral in Mexico City, from the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul to Ibn Tulun Mosque in Cairo, from St. John the Divine Cathedral in New York City to Wat Arun Temple in Bangkok, they’re all marvelous and beautiful in their unique ways. 

     Recently, I visited Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania. Vilnius is also Lithuania’s biggest city, covering about 155 square miles in a country about the size of West Virginia. And with almost two-dozen historic churches in and around its Old Town center (and more than 70 throughout the city), Vilnius is often referred to as the 'City of Churches.' From the gothic St. Nicholas’ Church, the oldest church in Lithuania dating back to 1320, to the French-classical architecture of the Cathedral, one of the country’s national treasures, Vilnius is a church-lover’s paradise. And for five days, I wandered among the city’s treasures.
    
     Just across the Town Hall Square from where I was staying was the Baroque St. Casimir’s Church, (above) founded in 1604 by the Jesuits. Its recently renovated exterior of bright pinks and peaches belies its tumultuous history. In 1812, it was used as a grain store by Napolean’s troops. From 1915–1917, it served as a Protestant temple for the occupying German Army. And during Lithuania’s Soviet occupation, St. Casimir’s was turned into a museum of atheism.

    
     Just outside the borders of the Old Town is the Baroque masterpiece, Sts. Peter and Paul’s Church (above left). The rather plain façade hides a breathtaking interior. Mythical scenes, creatures, flowers, animals and more than 2,000 human figures, all made of white stucco, decorate the walls and ceiling. I found myself drawn to a figure of Death (above right), surrounded by skulls and demons, which stood just to the right of the entrance. Supposedly, criminals were not allowed to enter any further into the nave, and the horrific images were meant to remind them of their sins. And the chandelier, an enormous glass bead and brass creation in the shape of a ship (below), is one of the more unique features I’ve ever seen in a church.

     My favorite church in Vilnius, hands down, however, was the Orthodox Church of the Holy Spirit. This Russian Orthodox church stands in a quiet courtyard near the city’s famous Gates of Dawn. Every inch of the interior is covered in rich colors, from the many shades of green, blue, pink and orange on the walls and ceiling to the brilliant, eye-popping green of the massive Baroque iconostatis. There are no pews here. Instead, a glass-topped casket with the well-preserved bodies of three 14th-century saints, Anthony, Ivan and Eustace, occupies the center of the nave. Their presence also makes this church a popular place of pilgrimage for Orthodox Christians.

     These are only a few of the many amazing churches than can be visited in Vilnius. There are so many, in fact, that even though I was there for a week, I didn’t get a chance to see all of them. I guess that means I’ll have to go back someday.

     Readers, I’d love to hear about the houses of worship, from churches to mosques to temples, that you’ve visited while on vacation.