Places of Worship

Churches, Mosques, Temples, Synagogues, Cathedrals, and similar structures used primarily for worship (this category is about the buildings, not the religions)

5th century church discovered in Syria

Submitted by Milica on Thu, 2008-11-27 10:19
Archaeologists have uncovered what they believe to be the largest ancient church ever discovered in Syria. The remains of the 5th century structure were found recently near Palmyra in central Syria.

Archaeologists continue to search for Hull's ancient friary

Submitted by Milica on Mon, 2008-11-17 16:32
Archaeologists working on an excavation in the town of Hull, Yorkshire, are delighted to have discovered the medieval Humber Gate, but are still looking for the elusive Carmelite friary, built in the town in the late 1290's.

Looking for St. Edmunds

Submitted by Milica on Sat, 2008-11-15 19:42
A high-tech survey is underway with hopes of learning more about Suffolk, England's ancient shrine to St. Edmund. The geophysical survey will look for traces of the "outline of vanished workshops, storerooms and refectories - the evidence of an extinct way of life" in the abbey ruins in Bury St Edmunds.

Former Ice Dragon event site moving to Georgia

Submitted by Milica on Tue, 2008-11-11 15:07
Dagonell reports that St. Gerard's Church in Buffalo, New York, former site of AEthelmearc's popular Return of the Ice Dragon event, will be moved to Norcross, Georgia (USA).

Alcohol factor in wave of vandalism of British historic sites

Submitted by Milica on Sat, 2008-11-01 18:46
Drunken youths are being blamed for the wave of vandalism targeting Britain's historic buildings. More than 170 incidents involving castles, monasteries and stately homes, have been recorded during the past year.

Abbey found at Abbeytown

Submitted by Milica on Wed, 2008-10-01 11:51
It shouldn't have come as a surprise that archaeologists were able to uncover the remains of a 12th century abbey at Abbeytown in West Cumbria, England, but the discovery was made during rebuilding of the more recent Holme Cultram Abbey which burned in 2006.

Eighth-century minaret discovered in Iran

Submitted by Milica on Sun, 2008-09-28 08:49
A team of Iranian archaeologists has discovered an eighth-century minaret in the country's northeastern city of Damqan. The architectural remains are the oldest yet discovered from the Tarikkhaneh Mosque.

Medieval synagogue speaks of Jewish history in Vienna

Submitted by Milica on Sun, 2008-09-07 09:07
The 15th century forced conversion of Vienna's Jews led to the community's expulsion from the city, but now archaeologists have discovered the remains of the walls and foundations of the Viennese Synagogue destroyed in 1421.

Monastery discovery sheds new light on the Picts

Submitted by Milica on Thu, 2008-09-04 19:07
Long dismissed as savages who hindered the advancement of civilization in Scotland and the North of England, the Picts are now being seen as a sophisticated culture "capable of great art, learning and the use of complex architectural principles."

12th century abbey unearthed at Scone

Submitted by Milica on Sat, 2008-08-30 16:36
Archaeologists are excited about the discovery of the remains of the 12th century Augustinian Abbey at Scone Palace in Scotland. While the palace stands, nothing of earlier history has survived above ground at the site. (Video)

Winchester Pilgrimage photos

Submitted by Milica on Fri, 2008-08-22 17:46
Asbiorn has posted a wonderful album of photos from the Winchester Pilgrimage event which took place in July 2008 in the Kingdom of Drachenwald on his Facebook website.

St. Ivan Rilski's church discovered in Bulgaria

Submitted by Milica on Thu, 2008-07-31 08:18
A team of archaeologists led by Nikolay Ovcharov have unearthed a 13th century church in Veliko Tarnovo. The site is believed to have once housed the relics of St. Ivan Rilski.

Duke Student creates 3-D virtual medieval cathedral

Submitted by margaretc on Thu, 2008-07-24 19:38
The Duke University daily online newsletter has a short movie about the student who created a 3-D virtual cathedral, with a great deal of footage of the cathedral itself and links to other related items.

St Margaret's church in Leicester, England ransacked by vandals

Submitted by Milica on Sun, 2008-07-13 15:35
Police in Leicester, England report that vandals broke into and desecrated a 13th century church in the city's center, overturning lecterns, breaking windows and defecating through a floor panel into the church's medieval foundation.

Westminster Abbey's "carpet of stone" revealed

Submitted by Milica on Fri, 2008-05-30 09:02
A two-year restoration project has revealed the breathtaking details of a medieval mosaic pavement, depicting the end of the world, in the floor of London's Westminster Abbey. The floor was originally constructed in the 1260s by Henry III>

Lead church roofs target of English thieves

Submitted by Milica on Sun, 2008-05-04 08:09
England's historic churches are facing a new enemy: lead thieves, who are now stealing strips of lead from church roofs. The thefts are being blamed on the record high price that lead brings.

10th century Temple of Lord Vishnu discovered

Submitted by Milica on Wed, 2008-04-30 10:36
Archaeologists have discovered a 10th century temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu in the village of Hathigan near Purva Khas in Karchana, India. "With the invaders having destroyed temples during the time, it is indeed rare that a beautifully carved plinth (from the temple) is still existing," said Dr DP Dubey of Allahabad University's Department of Ancient History, Culture and Archaeology.

New dig may explain Stonehenge

Submitted by Ursula on Wed, 2008-04-23 23:44
Just a few weeks after beginning, the excavators now working at Stonehenge have had what they describe as a "breakthrough." Clues towards the original placement of the bluestones, the site's oldest elements, may reveal why Stonehenge was built.

Da Vinci Code fame brings financial boon to Rosslyn Chapel

Submitted by Sabine Berard on Sat, 2008-03-08 17:51
Rosslyn Chapel, the 15th century C.E. Scottish church featured in The Da Vinci Code, reports a UK£1.35m budget surplus due to the stream of visitors who came to see the building depicted in the book and film.

12th century Cypriot monastery excavated

Submitted by Milica on Sun, 2008-03-02 23:22
The excavation of a 12th century Georgian monastery in Paphos, Cyprus is bringing residents of the Mediterranean island and the country of Georgia together, according to reports from the Cyprus Mail. Hope is that the Monastery of Panagia Chrysogialiotissa will become an important archaeological site and tourist attraction.

Time Team finds ancient gate

Submitted by Milica on Fri, 2008-02-29 19:04
The BBC's Time Team believe they have discovered the 'Great Gate' of Langthorne Abbey in West Ham, England. The Abbey itself may lie beneath rail lines.

Pictish stone carvings cleaned up

Submitted by margaretc on Sun, 2008-02-24 17:54
High-tech laser technology has been used to record and conserve one of the finest collections of Pictish carved stones in Scotland.

9th century Buddhist temple discovered in India

Submitted by Milica on Sun, 2008-02-03 14:07
Workers on a construction site in Bhubaneswar, India have discovered the remains of a 9th century Buddhist monastery. Villagers have requested the preservation of the site.

Spirited Away: Art Thieves Target Europe's Churches

Submitted by Sabine Berard on Wed, 2008-01-16 09:16
An article from Time and CNN reports on the large number of works of art stolen from houses of worship each year, a tragic loss of irreplaceable items that represents a lucrative business for thieves.

Byzantine-era synagogue sheds light on Jewish life

Submitted by Milica on Thu, 2007-12-20 13:19
Jewish scholars are having to rethink opinions about life and culture in early Byzantine times after the discovery of a 5th century synagogue, complete with elaborate mosaic floors.

Touring Great Britain's cathedral towns

Submitted by Milica on Sat, 2007-12-08 19:22
Planning to visit the UK over the holidays to drink in the historic atmosphere and sing a few carols? Harriet O'Brien offers The Complete Guide to Cathedral Cities in the UK.

Archaeologists investigate medieval disaster

Submitted by Milica on Sun, 2007-11-25 08:32
British archaeologists are digging through centuries of rubble to search for clues to a medieval disaster: the burning of Mansfield Woodhouse and its church in 1304.

German church moved to access coal mine

Submitted by Milica on Sat, 2007-11-03 12:37
A 750-year-old church in Heuersdorf, Germany was recently moved to make way for a coal mine. The move happened when the village's 59 residents lost their battle to keep their church.

St Teilo's Church opens after relocation

Submitted by Milica on Sat, 2007-10-20 12:25
The Archbishop of Canterbury has opened a 13th century church which was relocated from its original site in Pontarddulais near Swansea, Wales to the National History Museum in St Fagansa.

Tourists flock to churches built by angels

Submitted by Milica on Sat, 2007-10-13 12:28
Legend says that the churches carved into the red rock of Lalibela, Ethiopia were built with the help of the angels. Now tourists have discovered one of the country's holiest sites.