The World's Greatest Churches

Considering what defines a church; encompassing its religious uses and its functions as a place of assembly; how the first churches come into being; studying some of the best surviving basilica-type churches in Italy; their structural features.

Tracing the history of this church in the Holy Land; the medieval reconstruction seen today; the church's unusual structure, which incorporates the "aedicule"; individual chapels reflecting events of the passion of Christ.

Learning about the past of this jewel of Constantinople; discovering an extraordinary architectural space; highlighting its dome and interiors; lingering over its mosaics, carved columns and decoration in colored marbles.

Pondering the unusual churches of Turkish Cappadocia, elaborately carved into the sides of mountains; the lives of the monks and hermits who live there; studying the churches' frescoes that illustrate biblical scenes and the life of Jesus.

The beauties of the churches of the Russian Orthodox tradition; the religious culture that inspires these structures; their characteristic gilded domes; their decoration of sculpture, frescoes and tile work; visiting outstanding cathedrals.

The churches of Romanian Moldavia are adorned with frescoes; exploring examples of the exterior paintings; the consistency of their narrative themes; studying the three-room church interiors; the frescoes' range of religious themes.