Oldest churches in the world - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

This article lists the oldest church building

Church Building

The Church Building is located at the corner of Main and Market Streets in downtown Poughkeepsie, New York, United States, just across Market Street from the Dutchess County Court House, and north of the Bardavon Theater...

s.
The oldest extant buildings identified as early sites of Christian worship date to the 3rd century.
In most instances, buildings listed here were reconstructed numerous times and only fragments or the foundations date to the foundational period.

Note that "church" may also be used in the sense of "Christian denomination

Christian denomination

A Christian denomination is an identifiable religious body under a common name, structure, and doctrine within Christianity. In the Orthodox tradition, Churches are divided often along ethnic and linguistic lines, into separate churches and traditions. Technically, divisions between one group and...

", or in the singular as the Christian Church

Christian Church

The Christian Church is the assembly or association of followers of Jesus Christ. The Greek term ἐκκλησία that in its appearances in the New Testament is usually translated as "church" basically means "assembly"...

as a whole. The "church" (ecclesia) in this sense is traced to Pentecost

Pentecost

Pentecost is a prominent feast in the calendar of Ancient Israel celebrating the giving of the Law on Sinai, and also later in the Christian liturgical year commemorating the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples of Christ after the Resurrection of Jesus...

and the beginning of the Christian mission in the 1st century. Individual congregations may also give later foundation dates, dated to the Christianization of the respective area.

Early Christianity

Church buildings of the 2nd to 4th centuries, either excavated archaeologically, or substantially preserved.

Building	Image	Location	Country	Oldest Part	Denomination	Notes
Dura-Europos house church		Dura-Europos, Syria	Syria Syria Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....	235	House church	Several walls still standing, oldest images of Jesus discovered within the surviving frescoes of the large baptistry room.
Megiddo church Megiddo church Megiddo church near Tel Megiddo, Israel is one of the oldest church buildings ever discovered by archaeologists, dating to the 3rd century AD....		Megiddo (Armageddon)	Israel Israel The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...	300+ (3rd century)	Church building	Ruins discovered on prison grounds in 2005, possibly oldest building constructed as a church ever discovered.
Church of St Peter Church of St Peter The Church of Saint Peter near Antakya , Turkey, is composed of a cave carved into the mountainside on Mount Starius with a depth of 13 m, a width of 9.5 m and a height of 7 m...		Antakya Antakya Antakya is the seat of the Hatay Province in southern Turkey, near the border with Syria. The mayor is Lütfü Savaş.Known as Antioch in ancient times, the city has historical significance for Christianity, as it was the place where the followers of Jesus Christ were called Christians for the first... (Antioch Antioch Antioch on the Orontes was an ancient city on the eastern side of the Orontes River. It is near the modern city of Antakya, Turkey.Founded near the end of the 4th century BC by Seleucus I Nicator, one of Alexander the Great's generals, Antioch eventually rivaled Alexandria as the chief city of the... )	Turkey Turkey Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...	3rd or 4th century (later additions, possibly earlier usage)	Cave church	Cave church used by very first Christians of Antioch, where St. Peter presided as bishop. Known by its original Aramaic name of Knisset Mar Semaan Kefa. Extensively reconstructed, with oldest surviving elements from 3rd-4th century.
Panagia Ekatontapiliani Panagia Ekatontapiliani Panagia Ekatontapyliani is a historic Byzantine church complex in Parikia town, on the island of Paros in Greece. The church complex contains a main chapel surrounded by two more chapels and a baptistery with a cruciform font.The origin of the church's name is obscure, as it does not have one...		Parikia Parikia Parikia is the capital and the main port of Paros island. It is one of the most typical Cycladic settlements as it is distinguished by its narrow cobbled paths, the old churches, the small shops and the houses in blue and white. Parikia is today one of the most popular and busiest spot of the...	Greece Greece Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....	The church dates to 326 AD. Its oldest features likely predate the adoption of Christianity as the state religion of the Roman Empire in 391 AD.	Eastern Orthodox	Panagia Ekatontapyliani (also known as the Church of 100 Doors) is a historic Byzantine church complex
St. Peter's Basilica St. Peter's Basilica The Papal Basilica of Saint Peter , officially known in Italian as ' and commonly known as Saint Peter's Basilica, is a Late Renaissance church located within the Vatican City. Saint Peter's Basilica has the largest interior of any Christian church in the world...		Rome Rome Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...	Vatican Vatican City Vatican City , or Vatican City State, in Italian officially Stato della Città del Vaticano , which translates literally as State of the City of the Vatican, is a landlocked sovereign city-state whose territory consists of a walled enclave within the city of Rome, Italy. It has an area of...	333. (Old St. Peter's, some elements remain) new St. Peter's Basilica 1635	Roman Catholic	Largest church in the world
Cathedral of Trier Cathedral of Trier The Cathedral of Saint Peter is a church in Trier, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is the oldest cathedral in the country. The edifice is notable for its extremely long life span under multiple different eras each contributing some elements to its design, including the center of the main chapel...		Trier Trier Trier, historically called in English Treves is a city in Germany on the banks of the Moselle. It is the oldest city in Germany, founded in or before 16 BC....	Germany Germany Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...	340 AD overseen by Bishop Maximin of Trier, the construction of the grandest ensemble of ecclesiastical structures in the West outside Rome. Some 4th c. elements remain in a mainly Romanesque Romanesque architecture Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,... building	Roman Catholic	Oldest cathedral in Germany, still in use today.
Santa Maria in Trastevere Santa Maria in Trastevere The Basilica of Our Lady in Trastevere is a titular minor basilica, one of the oldest churches in Rome, and perhaps the first in which mass was openly celebrated...		Rome Rome Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...	Italy Italy Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...	A Christian house-church was founded here c.220 by Pope Saint Callixtushttp://www.halldis.com/content/documentLoad.action?stringId=Rome_attractions In 340 Pope Julius I Pope Julius I Pope Saint Julius I, was pope from February 6, 337 to April 12, 352.He was a native of Rome and was chosen as successor of Mark after the Roman seat had been vacant for four months. He is chiefly known by the part he took in the Arian controversy... rebuilt the Titulus Callixti on a larger scale, which survives today.	Roman Catholic	one of the oldest churches in Italy
Monastery of Saint Anthony Monastery of Saint Anthony The Monastery of Saint Anthony is a Coptic Orthodox monastery standing in an oasis in the Eastern Desert of Egypt, in the southern part of the Suez Governorate. Hidden deep in the Red Sea mountains, it is located southeast of Cairo. It is one of the oldest monasteries in the world, together with...		Eastern Desert Eastern Desert The Eastern Desert is the section of Sahara Desert east of the Nile River, between the river and the Red Sea. It extends from Egypt in the north to Eritrea in the south, and also comprises parts of Sudan and Ethiopia.-Features:...	Egypt Egypt Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...	356 ca. (later additions)	Coptic Orthodox	Partially destroyed in 11th century and rebuilt.
Saint-Pierre-aux-Nonnains basilica Saint-Pierre-aux-Nonnains basilica The basilica of Saint-Pierre-aux-Nonnains is a historic pre-medieval church building in Metz, France. It began life as a Roman gymnasium in 380 AD, making it one of the oldest churches in Europe.-History:...		Metz Metz Metz is a city in the northeast of France located at the confluence of the Moselle and the Seille rivers.Metz is the capital of the Lorraine region and prefecture of the Moselle department. Located near the tripoint along the junction of France, Germany, and Luxembourg, Metz forms a central place...	France France The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...	380	Roman catholic	Originally built to be part of a Roman spa complex, but the structure was converted into use as a church in the 7th century becoming the chapel of Benedictine monastery
Church of St. George, Sofia		Sofia Sofia Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated...	Bulgaria Bulgaria Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...	4th century	Eastern Orthodox	Built by the Romans
Jubail Church Jubail Church Jubail Church is one of the oldest still remaining church buildings in the world. The abandoned structure is located in Jubail, Saudi Arabia. It dates to the fourth century and was discovered in 1986. The government hides it from locals and bans foreigners from visiting it, even archaeologists...	<-- -->	Al-Jubail	Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...	A church was founded here in the 4th century.	Early-Christian (Assyrian?)	one of the oldest churches known

Aqaba Church ruins, Jordan, originally built in the 2nd century, ruins uncovered in 1998, one of the oldest church buildings discovered in the world.
Dura Eurpous, Syria, built in 235, and the oldest church house in the world.
Church of St Peter
Church of St Peter
The Church of Saint Peter near Antakya , Turkey, is composed of a cave carved into the mountainside on Mount Starius with a depth of 13 m, a width of 9.5 m and a height of 7 m...

, built by 3rd or 4th century (later additions, but possibly earlier usage), Cave church used by very early Christians Aramaic name of Knisset Mar Semaan Kefa. It was extensively reconstructed.
Jubail Church
Jubail Church
Jubail Church is one of the oldest still remaining church buildings in the world. The abandoned structure is located in Jubail, Saudi Arabia. It dates to the fourth century and was discovered in 1986. The government hides it from locals and bans foreigners from visiting it, even archaeologists...

, Saudi Arabia, built in the 4th century, One of oldest churches in the world (discovered in 1986, not open to public viewing) (Assyrian)
Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion
Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion
The Church of Our Virgin Mary of Zion of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church is the most important church in Ethiopia...

, Originally built in the 4th century, rebuilt several times, most recently in 17th century, Possibly oldest church building in Sub-Saharan Africa (Ethiopian Orthodox Church)
Hagia Sophia
Hagia Sophia
Hagia Sophia is a former Orthodox patriarchal basilica, later a mosque, and now a museum in Istanbul, Turkey...

, Istanbul, built 332-437 by Emperor Justinian I. Captured and converted into Muslim mosque in 1453, now a museum in Turkey.
Church of St. George, Sofia, built in 4th century, with many later additions, One of Bulgaria's oldest church buildings, used as a mosque for a period (Orthodox)
Mor Gabriel Monastery, founded in 397 by Saint Samual & Simon belonging to the Syriac Orthodox Church
Church of Saint Apostles Peter and Paul, founded in the 4th century, with additions made in the 7th- and 9th century. Oldest church in Serbia (Serbian Orthodox Church
Serbian Orthodox Church
The Serbian Orthodox Church is one of the autocephalous Orthodox Christian churches, ranking sixth in order of seniority after Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem, and Russia...

)
Santa Maria in Trastevere
Santa Maria in Trastevere
The Basilica of Our Lady in Trastevere is a titular minor basilica, one of the oldest churches in Rome, and perhaps the first in which mass was openly celebrated...

, foundations date from 300s, but church walls reconstructed in 1143, One of the oldest churches in Italy
Saint-Pierre-aux-Nonnains basilica
Saint-Pierre-aux-Nonnains basilica
The basilica of Saint-Pierre-aux-Nonnains is a historic pre-medieval church building in Metz, France. It began life as a Roman gymnasium in 380 AD, making it one of the oldest churches in Europe.-History:...

, built in 380 as a spa, church since 600, Oldest church building in France (Roman Catholic)
Basilica of the Holy Cross
Basilica of the Holy Cross
The Basilica of the Holy Cross is an early Armenian church in the large village of Aparan in the Aragatsotn Province of Armenia. It is thought to be dated from the end of the 4th century. The church is undated and was partly restored in 1877.- References :...

, built ca. 390s in Armenia (Armenian Apostolic)

Late Antiquity and Early Middle Ages

Church buildings dating to between the 5th and 10th centuries that have not been substantially altered in later periods.

Building	Location	Country	Oldest Part	Denomination	Notes
Church of Saint Simeon Stylites (Deir Semaan)	Aleppo Aleppo Aleppo is the largest city in Syria and the capital of Aleppo Governorate, the most populous Syrian governorate. With an official population of 2,301,570 , expanding to over 2.5 million in the metropolitan area, it is also one of the largest cities in the Levant...	Syria Syria Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....	475	Eastern Orthodox Church	No longer a functioning church, but walls still standing.
Bolnisi Sioni Bolnisi Sioni Bolnisi Sioni or Bolnisi Sioni Cathedral is a Georgian Orthodox basilica in the Bolnisi village of Bolnisi District, Georgia. The cathedral was built in 478-493. It is the oldest extant church building in the Republic of Georgia....	Bolnisi Bolnisi Bolnisi , is a city in the country of Georgia, located in the Kvemo Kartli region and capital of the Bolnisi district. Currently has an estimated 13,800 inhabitants....	Republic of Georgia	479-493	Eastern Orthodox Church	The oldest extant church building in Georgia
Etchmiadzin Cathedral	Etchmiadzin	Armenia Armenia Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...	480, rebuilt 618	Church building	Originally built in 301-303 as the oldest state-built church in the world. It still functions as a church and is the center of the Armenian Apostolic Church.
Hagia Sophia Hagia Sophia Hagia Sophia is a former Orthodox patriarchal basilica, later a mosque, and now a museum in Istanbul, Turkey...	Istanbul Istanbul Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...	Turkey	532-537	Eastern Orthodox Church	In 1453 captured and converted into Muslim mosque Mosque A mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. The word is likely to have entered the English language through French , from Portuguese , from Spanish , and from Berber , ultimately originating in — . The Arabic word masjid literally means a place of prostration... , now a museum.
Basilica of Saint Servatius Basilica of Saint Servatius The Roman catholic Basilica of Saint Servatius, situated in Maastricht at the Vrijthof square, is a mainly Romanesque church dedicated to Saint Servatius.- History :...	Maastricht Maastricht Maastricht is situated on both sides of the Meuse river in the south-eastern part of the Netherlands, on the Belgian border and near the German border...	The Netherlands	550 ca There were A small memorial chapel on the site of the saint's Saint Servatius (310-384), who became the first bishop of Maastricht, this was later replaced by a larger stone church	Roman catholic	the oldest church in The Netherlands
Saint Catherine's Monastery, Mount Sinai Saint Catherine's Monastery, Mount Sinai Saint Catherine's Monastery lies on the Sinai Peninsula, at the mouth of a gorge at the foot of Mount Sinai in the city of Saint Catherine in Egypt's South Sinai Governorate. The monastery is Orthodox and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site...	Saint Catherine, Egypt Saint Catherine, Egypt Saint Catherine is the capital city of Saint Katherine Markaz and a natural protectorate in the South Sinai Governorate in Sinai in Egypt. It is located at the outskirts of El-Tur Mountains Province at an elevation of 1586 m , 120 km away from Nuweiba, at the foot of Mount Sinai and the...	Egypt	550 ca.	Eastern Orthodox Church	Oldest functioning monastery in the world, received The Patent of Mohammed.
Church of the Nativity Church of the Nativity The Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem is one of the oldest continuously operating churches in the world. The structure is built over the cave that tradition marks as the birthplace of Jesus of Nazareth, and thus it is considered sacred by Christians...	Bethlehem Bethlehem Bethlehem is a Palestinian city in the central West Bank of the Jordan River, near Israel and approximately south of Jerusalem, with a population of about 30,000 people. It is the capital of the Bethlehem Governorate of the Palestinian National Authority and a hub of Palestinian culture and tourism...	West Bank	565 ca.	Eastern Orthodox Church	One of the oldest church buildings in the world, still functioning as a church.
Dranda Cathedral Dranda Cathedral Dranda Cathedral is a Georgian Orthodox Cathedral located in Dranda, in the Gulripsh district of the de facto independent Republic of Abkhazia, internationally recognised to constitute a part of Georgia....	Dranda	Abkhazia Abkhazia Abkhazia is a disputed political entity on the eastern coast of the Black Sea and the south-western flank of the Caucasus.Abkhazia considers itself an independent state, called the Republic of Abkhazia or Apsny...	550-600 ca	Eastern Orthodox church	The oldest church building in Abkhazia, still functioning as a church.
Jvari (monastery) Jvari (monastery) Jvari or Jvari Monastery is a Georgian Orthodox monastery of the 6th century near Mtskheta , Mtskheta-Mtianeti region, eastern Georgia. The name is translated as the Monastery of the Cross...	Mtskheta Mtskheta Mtskheta , one of the oldest cities of the country of Georgia , is located approximately 20 kilometers north of Tbilisi at the confluence of the Aragvi and Kura rivers. The city is now the administrative centre of the Mtskheta-Mtianeti region...	Republic of Georgia	590-604	Eastern Orthodox church	A World Heritage Site World Heritage Site A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
St Martin's Church, Canterbury St Martin's Church, Canterbury The Church of St Martin in Canterbury, England, situated slightly beyond the city centre, is England's oldest parish church in continuous use. Since 1668 St Martin's has been part of the benefice of St Martin & St Paul Canterbury. Both St Martin's and nearby St Paul's churches are used for weekly...	Canterbury Canterbury Canterbury is a historic English cathedral city, which lies at the heart of the City of Canterbury, a district of Kent in South East England. It lies on the River Stour....	United Kingdom	597	Anglican church	The oldest church building in England, still functioning as a church.
Daqin Pagoda Daqin Pagoda Daqin Pagoda in Chang'an, Shaanxi Province, located about two kilometres to the west of Louguantai temple, is the remnant of the earliest surviving Christian church in China. The church and the monastery were built in 640 by early Nestorian missionaries...	Chang'an Chang'an Chang'an is an ancient capital of more than ten dynasties in Chinese history, today known as Xi'an. Chang'an literally means "Perpetual Peace" in Classical Chinese. During the short-lived Xin Dynasty, the city was renamed "Constant Peace" ; yet after its fall in AD 23, the old name was restored...	China	640	Nestorian	Built in 640 by early Nestorian missionaries. Abandoned in about 845. Thereafter a Buddhist temple was installed in the building. Finally abandoned in 1556 after being severely damaged by an earthquake.
Church of St. John the Baptist (Kerch)	Kerch Kerch Kerch is a city on the Kerch Peninsula of eastern Crimea, an important industrial, transport and tourist centre of Ukraine. Kerch, founded 2600 years ago, is considered as one of the most ancient cities in Ukraine.-Ancient times:...	Ukraine	717	Orthodox Catholic Church	Founded in 717, later rebuilt on several occasions.

Church of the Acheiropoietos
Church of the Acheiropoietos
The Church of the Acheiropoietos is a 5th-century Byzantine church in the northern Greek city of Thessaloniki. It is located in the city's centre, at Agias Sofias street opposite Makedonomachon square.-History and description:...

, built ca. 450-470, One of oldest church buildings in Greece (Orthodox)
Al-Aqiser
Al-Aqiser
Al-Aqiser is an archeological site in Ain Tamr near Karbala in Iraq with what has been described as the Oldest eastern Christian Church. Until recently it was used by Chaldean Catholics....

church, built in 500s, Oldest church building in Iraq (foundations, some walls remain)
Saint Hripsime Church, built 618 AD in Armenia (Armenian Apostolic)
Church of San Juan Bautista, Baños de Cerrato
Church of San Juan Bautista, Baños de Cerrato
San Juan de Baños de Cerrato is a monument located in the present day town of Baños de Cerrato, ancient Balneos, in the province of Palencia, central Spain....

, built in 661, Oldest church building in Spain (Roman Catholic)
The Hanging Church
The Hanging Church
Saint Virgin Mary's Coptic Orthodox Church also known as the Hanging Church is one of the oldest churches in Egypt and the history of a church on this site dates to the 3rd century AD....

, Built ca. 690 on site of earlier church, Possibly the oldest church building in Egypt (Coptic Orthodox)
Ateni Sioni Church
Ateni Sioni Church
The Ateni Sioni Church is an early 7th-century Georgian Orthodox church some south of the city of Gori, Georgia. It stands in a setting of the Tana River valley known not only for its historical monuments but also for its picturesque landscapes and wine...

, early 7th century, Republic of Georgia
Anchiskhati Basilica, built in the 600s, the oldest church building in Tbilisi
Tbilisi
Tbilisi is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Mt'k'vari River. The name is derived from an early Georgian form T'pilisi and it was officially known as Tiflis until 1936...

.
São Pedro de Balsemão
São Pedro de Balsemão
São Pedro de Balsemão Chapel, is a small Visigothic chapel believed to be the oldest in Portugal and second oldest in Europe. The earliest walls date to the 7th century. The chapel is located just outside the town of Lamego, within walking distance from the back of the cathedral.-See also:*Oldest...

, built in the 7th century, Possibly oldest church building in Portugal (Roman Catholic)
Saint Frutuoso Chapel
Saint Frutuoso Chapel
The Chapel of São Frutuoso , also known as the Chapel of São Frutuoso of Montélios or the Chapel of São Salvador of Montélios , is a pre-Romanesque chapel in the civil parish of Real, municipality of Braga. It is part of group of religious buildings that include the Royal Church, and originally...

, built in the 7th century, Possibly oldest church building in Portugal(Roman Catholic)
Densuş Church
Densus Church
The Densuş Church in the village of Densuş, Hunedoara County, Romania is one of the oldest Romanian churches still standing....

, built in 600s, Oldest church building in Romania
Church of St Peter-on-the-Wall, Bradwell-on-Sea, UK, built in ca. 660, re-using Roman brick.
Escomb Church
Escomb Church
Escomb Saxon Church is one of the oldest Anglo-Saxon churches in England, located in Escomb, approximately 2.5 km to the west of Bishop Auckland, County Durham.-History:...

, UK, built 670-675.
All Saints' Church, Brixworth
All Saints' Church, Brixworth
All Saints' Church, Brixworth, in Northamptonshire is an outstanding example of early Anglo-Saxon architecture located in central England, and has been called "perhaps the most imposing architectural memorial of the 7th century yet surviving north of the Alps"...

, UK, many parts remaining from (?)before 675
St Peter’s Church, Titchfield, Hampshire, UK, Some parts remain from ca. 680
Gallarus Oratory
Gallarus Oratory
The Gallarus Oratory is believed to be an early Christian church located on the Dingle Peninsula, County Kerry, Ireland...

, built between the 6th and 9th centuries, Possibly the oldest church building in Ireland
Church of Holy Cross, Nin, built in 9th century, Oldest church building in Croatia (Roman Catholic)
Kadamattom Church
Kadamattom Church
Kadamattom Church is one of the ancient churches in India. The church is situated near to Kolenchery town near Cochin, India.The church is believed to have established in the 9th Century AD. Kadamattom church is an integral part of the syrian Orthodox Church in India...

, India, built in the 9th century.
Church of Ayios Lazaros, Larnaca
Church of Ayios Lazaros, Larnaca
The Church of Saint Lazarus , is a late-9th century church in Larnaca, Cyprus. It belongs to the Church of Cyprus, an autocephalous Greek Orthodox Church....

, built in 9th century, One of the oldest churches in Cyrpus
Church of SS. Peter and Paul, built at Budeč fortified settlement between 895 and 905 during rule of Spytihněv I is the oldest extant church building in the Czech Republic. The site (cf. :cs:Budeč (hradiště)) is located near village of Zákolany
Zákolany
Zákolany is a village in the Czech Republic.-External links:*...

, about 17 kilometres (10.6 mi) NW of Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...

.
Tkhaba-Yerdy Church
Tkhaba-Yerdy Church
Tkhaba-Yerdy is the ruins of the largest medieval Christian church in Ingushetia, Russian Federation. It is located deep in the Assin Gorge between the auls of Khairakh and Puy, Dzheyrakhsky District, near the border with Georgia...

, Russia, built prior to 8th-9th century
Greensted Church
Greensted Church
Greensted Church, in the small village of Greensted, near Chipping Ongar in Essex, England, is the oldest wooden church in the world, and probably the oldest wooden building in Europe still standing, albeit only in part, since few sections of its original wooden structure remain...

, UK, built in mid-9th or mid-11th century, Oldest wooden church building in Europe
Worth Church, UK, dated ca. 950 to 1050 AD.http://www.worthchurch.co.uk/
St. Margaret's church, Kopčany, built in 9th or early 10th century during Great Moravia
Great Moravia
Great Moravia was a Slavic state that existed in Central Europe and lasted for nearly seventy years in the 9th century whose creators were the ancestors of the Czechs and Slovaks. It was a vassal state of the Germanic Frankish kingdom and paid an annual tribute to it. There is some controversy as...

period is the oldest extant church building in Slovakia. It is located in village of Kopčany
Kopcany
Kopčany is a village in western Slovakia, close to the borders with the Czech Republic.-History:In historical records Kopčany was first mentioned in 1392. However, the village is much older. In the 9th century, Kopčany was part of the agglomeration of Mikulčice, an important center and plausibly...

, close to Czech border.
Shoana Church
Shoana Church
Shoana Church , also known as Khumara Church , is an early 10th-century Alanian church sited on a cliff above the left bank of the Kuban River, 7 km upstream from Karachayevsk and 4 km downstream from the ruins of Skhimar, in the vicinity of Kosta Khetagurov Village...

, Russia, built ca. 10th century
Senty Church
Senty Church
Senty Church is a Byzantine-style limestone church situated in the Greater Caucasus, on the left bank of the Teberda River, near the village of Nizhnyaya Teberda, 18 km south of Karachaevsk, Karachay-Cherkessia, Russian Federation.The diminutive building, about ten meters in height, is...

, Russia, built ca. 10th century
Church of Tarnaszentmária
Tarnaszentmária
-Sightseeings:Tarnaszentmária is the village in Hungary where one of the oldest churches can be found. It was founded by the Genera Aba, who were in family relations with the Árpád house kings. Samuel Aba of Hungary was the housband of the sister of Stephen I of Hungary...

, built at the end of the 10th century, probably for Armenian Rite
Armenian Rite
The Armenian Rite is an independent liturgy. This rite is used by both the Armenian Apostolic and Armenian Catholic Churches; it is also the rite of a significant number of Eastern Catholic Christians in the Republic of Georgia....

use.

High to Late Middle Ages

A selection of notable, extant 11th to 14th century churches.

Building	Image	Location	Country	Oldest Part	Denomination	Notes
Church of Our Lady (Aarhus) Church of Our Lady (Aarhus) The Church of Our Lady is one of the largest churches of Århus, Denmark. It is situated in the centre of the city not far from Aarhus Cathedral . The church's crypt contains a stone church dating to 1060 AD.-History:...		Aarhus Aarhus Aarhus or Århus is the second-largest city in Denmark. The principal port of Denmark, Aarhus is on the east side of the peninsula of Jutland in the geographical center of Denmark...	Denmark	1060, a older wooden church was on the site in the 10th century	Lutheran	The crypt church is the oldest extant stone church in Scandinavia. still functioning as a church.

St. Margaret's Chapel
St. Margaret's Chapel
St. Margaret's Chapel, at Edinburgh Castle, is the oldest surviving building in Edinburgh, Scotland. An example of Romanesque architecture, it is a Category A listed building....

, built in the 11th century, possibly the oldest church building in Scotland
Saviour Cathedral (Chernihiv), Ukraine, built in the 1030s
Saint Sophia Cathedral (Kyiv)
Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kiev
Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kiev is an outstanding architectural monument of Kievan Rus'. Today, it is one of the city's best known landmarks and the first Ukrainian patrimony to be inscribed on the World Heritage List along with the Kiev Cave Monastery complex...

, Ukraine, built in the 1030s
Saint Cyril's Monastery (Kyiv)
St. Cyril's Monastery
St. Cyril's Monastery is a medieval monastery in Kiev, the capital of Ukraine. The monastery contains the famous St. Cyril's Church, an important specimen of Kievan Rus' architecture of the 12th century, and combining elements of the 17th and 19th centuries. However, being largely Ukrainian...

, Ukraine, founded in 1140
Arkhyz
Arkhyz
Arkhyz is a mountainous region in the vicinity of the eponymous aul sitting at an altitude of 1,450 meters in the valley of the Bolshoi Zelenchuk river, in the Republic of Karachay-Cherkessia, Greater Caucasus, Russia, about 70 km inland from the Black Sea shore. The modern village was founded in...

churches, Russia, 10th to 13th centuries
Novgorod Cathedral
Saint Sophia Cathedral in Novgorod
The Cathedral of St. Sophia in the Kremlin in Veliky Novgorod is the cathedral church of the Archbishop of Novgorod and the mother church of the Novgorodian Eparchy.-History:...

, Russia, built between 1045 and 1050
Old Aker Church
Old Aker Church
Old Aker Church is a medieval church located in Oslo. An active parish, the church is the oldest existing building in Oslo.-History:Old Aker Church was built as a three-naved Roman-style basilica and constructed from limestone. The church has a baroque pulpit and baptismal font from 1715. The...

(Norwegian: Gamle Aker kirke) is a medieval church located in Oslo. An active parish, the church is the oldest existing building in Oslo from 1080.
Church of the Holy Sepulchre
Church of the Holy Sepulchre
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, also called the Church of the Resurrection by Eastern Christians, is a church within the walled Old City of Jerusalem. It is a few steps away from the Muristan....

, rebuilt in 1089, One of the oldest church buildings in Israel (some walls from earlier structure may exist), (Roman Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Armenian Orthodox, Syrian Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox, and Ethiopian Orthodox)
Church of St. Adalbert, Kraków, built in 11th century, Possibly the oldest church building in Poland
Saint Sophia Cathedral in Polotsk
Saint Sophia Cathedral in Polotsk
The Cathedral of Holy Wisdom in Polotsk was built by Prince Vseslav Briacheslavich between 1044 and 1066...

, Belarus, 18th-century building with an 11th-century apse
Abbey of Romainmôtier: a 5th-century church was rebuilt in the 7th century, and again between between 990 and 1030. The church building remained mostly unchanged since the 11th century, and qualifies as one of the oldest romanesque buildings in Switzerland.
Lund Cathedral
Lund Cathedral
The Lund Cathedral is the Lutheran cathedral in Lund, Scania, Sweden. It is the seat of the bishop of Lund of the Church of Sweden.- History :...

, built in 1123, Possibly the oldest church in Sweden (Lutheran)
Church of Saint George, Lalibela, Built in the 12th century, one of the oldest church buildings in Ethiopia (Ethiopian Orthodox Church)
Church of St. Panteleimon (Nerezi)
Church of St. Panteleimon (Nerezi)
The Church of St. Panteleimon in Gorno Nerezi, Republic of Macedonia, is a small 12th century Byzantine church located in a monastery complex. The church and monastery are dedicated to St...

, built in the 12th century, One of the oldest church buildings in Macedonia
Kalozha Church, the oldest extant church building in Belarus, 12th century.
Church of Kish
Church of Kish
The Church of Kish , also known by different sources as Church of Saint Elishe or Holy Mother of God Church , is a 12th or 13th century church located in the village of Kiş approximately 5 km north of Shaki, Azerbaijan...

, the oldest extant church building in Azerbaijan, 12th or 13th century.
Basilica of Saint Servatius
Basilica of Saint Servatius
The Roman catholic Basilica of Saint Servatius, situated in Maastricht at the Vrijthof square, is a mainly Romanesque church dedicated to Saint Servatius.- History :...

, church congregation dating to 384 AD, current building built from 11th to 13th centuries, oldest congregation and possibly the oldest church building in the Netherlands (Roman Catholic)
Thiruvithamcode Arappally
Thiruvithamcode Arappally
Thiruvithamcode Arappally , or St. Mary's Orthodox Church, is a church located in Thiruvithamcode, Tamil Nadu, India.The church today is operated by the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church. Catholicos of the East and Malankara Metropolitan, Baselios Mar Thoma Didymos I proclaimed the church as an...

(Arappally means Royal Church) Kanyakumari District
Kanyakumari District
Kanyakumari District ) is a district of Tamil Nadu state, India and is the southernmost land area of mainland India.The district is the second most urbanised district in Tamilnadu, next only to Chennai and ahead of Coimbatore. It also has the highest literacy and education levels in the...

is the oldest Church building that still exists in India.
St. Nicholas Church, Vilnius
St. Nicholas Church, Vilnius
St. Nicholas Church is the oldest surviving church in Lithuania, built in the Old Town of the capital city Vilnius. Originally built in the 14th century, it is mentioned in wiritng for the first time in 1387. Archaeologists believe that the same Roman Catholic church survived till the present day...

is the oldest surviving church in Lithuania. Originally built in the 14th century.

Early Modern

Notable early churches built in the New World

New World

The New World is one of the names used for the Western Hemisphere, specifically America and sometimes Oceania . The term originated in the late 15th century, when America had been recently discovered by European explorers, expanding the geographical horizon of the people of the European middle...

between the 15th and 19th centuries. Listed are especially the oldest extant church buildings by country.

St. Francis Church, Kochi, India, built 1504-1516, Oldest European church building in India (Church of South India)
Catedral de Santa María la Menor
Catedral de Santa María la Menor
The Cathedral of Santa María la Menor in the Colonial Zone of Santo Domingo is dedicated to St. Mary of the Incarnation. It is the oldest cathedral in the Americas, begun in 1512 and completed in 1540...

, built 1514-1540, Oldest church building in the Dominican Republic (Roman Catholic)
St. Paul's Church, Malacca, built in 1521 as a Roman Catholic chapel and finally abandoned in 1753. It is the oldest known church building in Malaysia
Cathedral of San Juan Bautista
Cathedral of San Juan Bautista
The Cathedral of San Juan Bautista is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico.The cathedral is one of the oldest buildings in San Juan, and is the second oldest cathedral in the Americas. The Catedral de Santa María la Menor in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic is the oldest...

, Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...

, built in 1521, oldest church building in the United States (Roman Catholic)
Chapel of San Jacinto
Chapel of San Jacinto
The Chapel of San Jacinto is a Roman Catholic chapel located in the town of Salcajá, Guatemala. It is said to have been founded by the Franciscans in 1524, the same year the Maya K'iche' kingdom was conquered by the Spanish conquistadores, and is claimed to be the first church built in Central...

, Guatemala, founded in 1524, One of the oldest churches in Guatemala (Roman Catholic)
St. Dominic's Church (Macau, China), built in 1527 by three Dominican Priests (Roman Catholic)
Church of Saints Cosme and Damião, built in 1535, in the city of Igarassu
Igarassu
Igarassu is a city in the Brazilian state of Pernambuco. It is situated on the north coast of the metropolitan region of Recife, approximately 32 km north of the city of Recife...

, Pernambuco
Pernambuco
Pernambuco is a state of Brazil, located in the Northeast region of the country. To the north are the states of Paraíba and Ceará, to the west is Piauí, to the south are Alagoas and Bahia, and to the east is the Atlantic Ocean. There are about of beaches, some of the most beautiful in the...

. Brazil's oldest church (Roman Catholic).
Basilica Minore del Santo Niño, built in 1565, Oldest church building in the Philippines, (Roman Catholic)
Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral
Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral
The Metropolitan Cathedral of the Assumption of Mary of Mexico City is the largest and oldest cathedral in the Americas and seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Mexico. It is situated atop the former Aztec sacred precinct near the Templo Mayor on the northern side of the Plaza de la...

, built 1574-1813, One of the oldest churches in Mexico (Roman Catholic)
Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Beijing
Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Beijing
The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Beijing , also known as Nantang to the locals, is a historic Roman Catholic Church located in Beijing, China...

, founded in 1604, Possibly the oldest continuous church congregation in China (Roman Catholic)
San Agustin Church, Manila
San Agustin Church, Manila
San Agustin Church is a Roman Catholic church under the auspices of The Order of St. Augustine, located inside the historic walled city of Intramuros in Manila. Completed by 1607, it is the oldest church still standing in the Philippines...

, built in 1607, One of the Oldest church buildings, (Roman Catholic)
San Miguel Mission
San Miguel Mission
San Miguel Mission, also known as San Miguel Chapel, is a Spanish colonial mission church in Santa Fe, New Mexico. It is claimed to be the oldest church in the United States. Built between approximately 1610 and 1626...

, USA, built in 1610, oldest church building in the continental U.S. (Roman Catholic)
Ruins of St. Paul's, China, built in 1627 (Roman Catholic)
St. James Church, Barbados
St. James Church, Barbados
St. James Parish Church, is located in Holetown, St. James, Barbados. It stands on one of the oldest parcels of consecrated land on the island, often known in Barbados as "God's acre".-History:...

, founded 1627, oldest congregation in Barbados (Anglican)
St. Luke's Church
St. Luke's Church (Smithfield, Virginia)
St. Luke's Church, also known as Old Brick Church, or Newport Parish Church, is a historic American church located in the unincorporated community of Benns Church, near Smithfield in Isle of Wight County, Virginia. The present dedication was ascribed in 1820...

, USA, built in 1632, oldest building in one of the original Thirteen Colonies
Thirteen Colonies
The Thirteen Colonies were English and later British colonies established on the Atlantic coast of North America between 1607 and 1733. They declared their independence in the American Revolution and formed the United States of America...

(Episcopal)
Old Ship Church
Old Ship Church
The Old Ship Church was built in 1681 in Hingham, Massachusetts in the United States. It is the oldest church in continuous ecclesiastical use in the United States. It is the only remaining 17th century Puritan meetinghouse in America...

, USA, built in 1681, the oldest church building in continuous use in continental U.S., oldest wooden church (Congregationalist, later Unitarian)
Notre-Dame-des-Victoires, Quebec City, built 1687-1723, later extensively rebuilt, Possibly the oldest church building in Canada (Roman Catholic)
Cathedral of San Fernando
Cathedral of San Fernando
The Cathedral of San Fernando is a cathedral of the Roman Catholic Church located in San Antonio, Texas, in the United States. It is the mother church of the Archdiocese of San Antonio and the seat of its archbishop. The cathedral is also known as the Church of Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria y...

, USA, built between 1738 and 1750, the oldest cathedral sanctuary in the United States
St. Paul's Church (Halifax)
St. Paul's Church (Halifax)
St. Paul's Church is an evangelical Anglican church in downtown Halifax Nova Scotia within the Diocese of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island of the Anglican Church of Canada. It is located at the south end of the Grand Parade, an open square in downtown Halifax with Halifax City Hall at the...

, built 1750, Possibly the oldest Protestant church building in Canada (Anglican)
Christ Church Melaka, built in 1753 as a Dutch Reformed church, it now houses an Anglican congregation. It is the oldest Protestant
Protestantism
Protestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the...

church building in Malaysia
Church of the Holy Ascension
Church of the Holy Ascension
The Church of the Holy Ascension was built in 1826 by the Russian American Fur Company. It played a significant role in evangelizing the indigenous people in then-Russian Alaska. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1970.It was restored in 1998...

, USA, built in 1826, oldest church building in Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...

(Russian Orthodox)
Armenian Church, Singapore
Armenian Church, Singapore
The Armenian Church is the oldest Christian church in Singapore, located at Hill Street in the Museum Planning Area, within the Central Area, Singapore's central business district.-History:George Drumgoole Coleman, overseer of Convicts and Superintendent of Public Works, was the architect of many of...

, built 1835, oldest church in Singapore
Mokuaikaua Church
Mokuaikaua Church
Mokuaikaua Church is the oldest Christian church in the Hawaiian Islands.Its address is 75-5713 Alii Drive in Kailua-Kona, coordinates .-History:...

, USA, built in 1837, oldest church congregation and building in Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...

(Congregational)
Saigon Notre-Dame Basilica
Saigon Notre-Dame Basilica
Saigon Notre-Dame Basilica , officially Basilica of Our Lady of The Immaculate Conception is a cathedral located in the downtown of Saigon City, Vietnam. Established by French colonists, the cathedral was constructed between 1863 and 1880...

, Possibly oldest church building in Vietnam, built 1863-1880 (Roman Catholic)
Ōura Church
Ōura Church
is a Roman Catholic church in Nagasaki, Japan, built soon after the end of the Japanese government's Seclusion Policy in 1853. It is also known as the Church of the 26 Japanese Martyrs...

, built in 1864, Possibly the oldest church building in Japan (Roman Catholic)
Myeongdong Cathedral
Myeongdong Cathedral
The Cathedral Church of the Virgin Mary of the Immaculate Conception in Myeongdong, commonly known as Myeongdong Cathedral, is the cathedral of the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Seoul, South Korea, located in the Myeongdong neighborhood of Jung-gu, Seoul...

, built between 1892-1898, Oldest church building in South Korea (Roman Catholic)

Early Christianity

Late Antiquity and Early Middle Ages

High to Late Middle Ages

Early Modern

See also