The document provides descriptions of several famous churches around the world, including: 1) Santo Domingo Church and Ex-Convent in San Cristóbal de las Casas, Mexico, known for its pink facade, golden carvings, and housing a museum of Mayan culture. 2) Palenque archaeological site in Mexico, containing temples and where the author visited as a teen. 3) Attica First Baptist Church in New York, where the author grew up, which started meetings in 1803 in a hollowed out tree.

1. By: Kelsie R. Rennard

2. San Cristóbal de las Casas , Chiapas, México Santo Domingo Church and Ex-Convent It is an elaborate baroque structure built on the site of the original adobe church that dated from 1547. It has a pink façade and ornamentation. The golden carvings and paintings, make it San Cristóbal's most fascinating and beautiful church. The Ex-Convent of Santo Domingo now houses a museum of Mayan culture. Outside is a market where the local indigenous people sell their artwork.

3. Palenque, Mexico Palenque is a Maya archeological site in the Mexican state of Chiapas. This is one of the many temples on site. Palenque is said the be one of the most visited and written about Maya Cites. I visited here with my family when I was a teen. The site also has a number of other temples, tombs, and elite residences, and we stood on the court used for playing the Mesoamerican Ballgame.

4. The Union Church of Lima, Lima, Peru The Union Church of Lima is an International, English-speaking, Interdenominational Christian Fellowship in Lima, which is the capital city of Peru. Union Church was started by Scottish Missionaries and North Americans. It was started in 1926. My uncle Tom was interim pastor from 2000-2001.

5. Saint Mark’s Basilica, Venice, Italy Saint Mark’s Basilica is one of the city’s most famous churches. It is also one of the best known examples of Byzantine architecture, but also uses Gothic architecture. It was originally the chapel of the Venetian rulers, and not the city’s cathedral. Since 1807 it has been the seat of the Patriarch of Venice. It’s religious affiliation is Roman Catholic. It was consecrated in 1094 and finished in 1617.

6. St. Peter's Basilica, Rome, Italy St. Peter’s Basilica is located within the Vatican City in Rome. It’s architects used Renaissance and Baroque architecture to create this fascinating church. It’s religious affiliation is Roman Catholic. It was finished in 1626. An interesting Catholic tradition believes that Saint Peter's tomb is below the altar.

7. Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, Moscow, Russia The Cathedral of Christ the Saviour is the tallest Eastern Orthodox Church in the world. It was finished being built in 1883, just in time for Alexander the third to be crowned there. It was demolished by Stalin's minister Kaganovich in 1931 and rebuilt in 2000. My sister attended a service there, it is required that your head, shoulders, and knees are covered. The gold seen in the picture is actual gold.

8. St. Basil’s Cathedral, Moscow, Russia St. Basil’s Cathedral is also know as the Cathedral of Saint Basil the Blessed. It is a multi-tented church on the Red Square in Moscow. It was built in 1555 -1561 by Ivan IV, also known as Ivan the Terrible.

9. Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris, France Notre Dame de Paris is a Gothic cathedral, the towers were completed in 1245 and the cathedral was completed in 1345. It is still used as a Roman Catholic cathedral and is the seat of the Archbishop of Paris. The Notre Dame means “Our Lady” in French.

10. The Sacré-Cœur Basilica, Paris, France The Sacré-Cœur Basilica is a Roman Catholic basilica and popular landmark in Paris, France. It was dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The basilica is located at the highest point in the city. It was completed in 1914 with Travertine stone.

11. Attica First Baptist Church, Attica, New York, United States Attica First Baptist Church started in 1803 in Attica, NY. It’s first meetings were held in a hallowed out button wood tree. It was the First Baptist church in the Holland Land Purchase, which is everything west of the Genesee river. During the Great Depression in the 1930’s to save money on the heating bill they would have there meetings in the Presbyterian church across the street. This is the church that I grew up in.