St Mark's Basilica, Venice, Italy

St Mark's Basilica is the seat of the Patriarch of Venice, archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Venice since 1807. It is located on St Mark's Square in Venice, Italy.

History of St Mark's Basilica dates back to 829 when Venetian merchants brought relics of Saint Mark the Evangelist from Alexandria. The original church which was consecrated in 832 was burned in a rebellion against the doge Pietro Candiano IV in 976. Two years later the church was rebuilt but the present basilica was not completed until 1071 under Doge Domenico Contarini and consecrated in 1094.

The original St Mark's Basilica was a combination of Byzantine and Romanesque styles but numerous additions in Gothic, Renaissance, and Moorish styles were added later. Although construction works were completed in 11th century the decoration was not finished until the beginning of 19th century.

St Mark's Basilica if famous both for its magnificent facade and its richly decorated interior which was designed to form a Greek cross. Interior of the St Mark's Basilica is not only rich with works of the greatest Italian and European artists but it also houses columns, capitals, friezes and numerous marbles and carvings from some ancient buildings in the Orient as well as the Horses of Saint Mark and the Four Tetrarchs which were taken from Constantinople during the Fourth Crusade in 1204.

Because of the large number visitors only a part of St Peter's Basilica can be visited.

Saint Joseph's Oratory of Mount Royal, Canada

Saint Joseph's Oratory is a Roman Catholic Basilica located on the northern slope of Mount Royal in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The construction of the Saint Joseph's Oratory began in 1924 near the spot where Blessed André Bessette (beatified in 1982 by Pope John Paul II) built a small wooden chapel in 1904. The construction works were finished 1967.

Saint Joseph's Oratory is built in honor of Saint Joseph who is the patron saint of Canada. The Italian Renaissance design for the basilica was made by architects Dalbé Viau and Alphonse Venne. Oratory's copper dome is the second largest of the world after the St Peter's Basilica in Vatican, while the Oratory itself is the largest church in Canada. Inside Saint Joseph's Oratory is also a museum dedicated to Brother André Bessette which contains his embalmed heart.

Basilica of the Sacred Heart, Brussels, Belgium

Basilica of the Sacred Heart or Koekelberg Basilica is a Roman Catholic Minor Basilica located in the suburb of Koekelberg in Brussels, Belgium. The foundation stone was laid in 1905 by King of Belgium Leopold II to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Belgian independence but the construction was not completed until 1971.

The construction of the Basilica of the Sacred Heart was interrupted by the outbreak of the World War I. The construction works continued in 1919 but shortly afterwards the design of Pierre Langerockwere was changed. The new architect Albert van Huffel was asked to design a modern prayer house instead of neo-gothic church which was planned by Langerock.

The construction of the Basilica of the Sacred Heart was hindered by the outbreak of the World War II. The dome of the basilica was finally completed in the late 1960's and the last works were finished in 1971. The Basilica of the Sacred Heart is widely regarded the national Basilica of Belgium and is dedicated to the war victories of 1918 and 1944.

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