How about the chapels of the Santa Barbara Missions?

I meant "California Missions" (of which Santa Barbara is one)

St. Patrick's, NYC

Old North Church, Boston

National Cathedral, DC

St. alban's Church, next door

St. Paul, Minnesota
Weston, Missouri

Hi JS2006,

Did you have a particular church in mind in these two cities? Or are these places that are good to visit because they have lots of nice churches?

Thanks!

St.Cecilia's church
Leominster, Mass

http://stceciliachurch.net/photo/windows1.htm

BuffaloGirl ir right. The Lady of Victory Basilica near Buffalo is absolutely breathtaking.

Be sure to walk the labyrinth at Grace in San Fran. It is a deep experience.

One of the most beautiful modern churches (and national architectural prize winner is at Seattle University - http://www.seattleu.edu/chapel/

If your travels take you to the Aleutian Island in Alaska, the Church of the Holy Ascension on Unalaska Island is beautiful and very historic - http://tinyurl.com/qyr7b

Temple Emanu-el in San Francisco is a glorious building as well.

Thanks for so many interesting and diverse suggestions.

Wanted to add one if you ever visit Madison, WI: the Meeting House of the First Unitarian Society of Madison. Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and built with a beautiful soaring auditorium, natural woods and sandstone. It is on the National Register of Historic Places and a National Historic Landmark (Nat'l Park Service).

http://www.fusmadison.org/mh/facilities.shtml

I'll agree with a previous post. The Cathedral of St. Louis is just beautiful. And I think very different than your average cathedral. It has a very large collection of mosaics on every inch of the ceiling. Also a very nice collection of stained glass. There website is www.cathedralstl.org

Just a personal opinion about this.

I was very interested to read this post because I hope, on my next visit to the US, to see as many of the Missions as I can, some for the second time.

I live in the UK and have most of the notable Churches and Cathedrals in the UK and Europe under my belt, and many of the not so notable, but simple and local.

Depends on what you're looking and whilst I love the medieval monastic churches over here, and can admire the vision and architecture of some our most grande, yet there's something about some of your churches in the US that appeals to my sense of simplicity and having the guts to shrug off all that pretention and grandeur.

The Missions Churches, not only in CA but other parts of the SW, fill me with amazement and peace, and they are, in my view, more beautiful for having retained that simplicity.

Best wishes

MJ

Kings Chapel in Boston. Each time we would walk the Freedom Trail, when children were young, they announced that was where they would marry. It is very simple,very unlike the great Cathedrals.
In Yarmouthport, here on Cape Cod, there is the Seaman's Chapel,which is now part of the historical society.Again, very simple,as in the early 19th century it had been a place of worship and contemplation for those whose lives revolved around the sea. Wonderful for weddings!!
The Tuoro synagogue in Newport, R.I. is also worth a visit.

SusanEva,

The Cathedral of St. Paul (Minnesota) is very much worth visiting. We visited a couple of years ago when major renovations were occurring outside. The cathedral aucoustics is similar to the Mormon Tabernacle and it has beautiful stained glass windows, 6 chapels, paintings,etc. I wish we had been there during a mass. Their website doesn't do it justice. www.cathedralsaintpaul.org

As for Weston, MO, it's the Holy Trinity Catholic Church which originated from a Jesuit Kickapoo Indian Mission. It sits high up on a hill overlooking historic Weston. It's just one room, beautiful stained glass windows, very simple. Weston is just across the Missouri River from Leavenworth, Kansas. The fort is very interesting to visit also. It has a chapel, military cemetary and historic homes. Very historic in that area.