Seattle's range of religious landmarks reflect the variety and uniqueness of its citizens. There's certainly plenty to amuse throughout the town, but don't miss out on the beautiful and historical locations that are the religious sites in Seattle.
Betsiun Buddhist Temple Seattle
This temple was dedicated in 1941 and is a part of the Chinatown Historic District. The temple hosts a Buddhist holiday called Bon Odori every July. The building itself features sophisticated Asian architectural features like ornate doors and curled roof edges.
The Chapel of St. Ignatius
As among the spiritual landmarks in Seattle, this tiny Catholic chapel has won several awards for it's striking modern design. The easy light coloured steel exterior is meant to echo the outward appearance of historic Roman structures. The interior has windows and interesting architectural angles that play with the contrast of light and shadows, or what St. Ignatius called "consolations and desolations". The building's designer was Steven Holl who designed different parts of the chapel to glow in coloured light at different times of the day.
Temple De Hirsch Sinai
The temple has some of the most strange history of Seattle religious landmarks. In 1971 the Temple De Hirsch and the Church Sinai were merged. A weird fact about the temple is that its basement was the site of Jimi Hendrix's first pro gig. The building itself has a 1960's advanced look to its architecture. The building today holds a huge store of Jewish books, films and other media.
St. Spiridon Orthodox Cathedral
The congregation that attended the 1st service at this cathedral in 1895 was a mix of Greek, Russian and Serbian immigrants. The religious site later helped Russian refugees fleeing the Bolshevik revolution in Russia. The building itself has striking bright blue domes in the classic onion-shape that stand bold against Seattle's wet, gray skies. The regular services are held in English but with liturgy done constantly in Slavonic languages too. Today the cathedral is home to a Russian Orthodox church.
The Sakya Monastery of Tibetan Buddhism
This is likely one of the brightest religious landmarks in Seattle. The outside of the Monastery is painted in reds and yellows and within are one or two meditation rooms and statues. The monastery is open to the general public for meditation on occasion. The Sakrya Monastery also offer free classes and lectures,e.g. easy Tibetan language courses.
Betsiun Buddhist Temple Seattle
This temple was dedicated in 1941 and is a part of the Chinatown Historic District. The temple hosts a Buddhist holiday called Bon Odori every July. The building itself features sophisticated Asian architectural features like ornate doors and curled roof edges.
The Chapel of St. Ignatius
As among the spiritual landmarks in Seattle, this tiny Catholic chapel has won several awards for it's striking modern design. The easy light coloured steel exterior is meant to echo the outward appearance of historic Roman structures. The interior has windows and interesting architectural angles that play with the contrast of light and shadows, or what St. Ignatius called "consolations and desolations". The building's designer was Steven Holl who designed different parts of the chapel to glow in coloured light at different times of the day.
Temple De Hirsch Sinai
The temple has some of the most strange history of Seattle religious landmarks. In 1971 the Temple De Hirsch and the Church Sinai were merged. A weird fact about the temple is that its basement was the site of Jimi Hendrix's first pro gig. The building itself has a 1960's advanced look to its architecture. The building today holds a huge store of Jewish books, films and other media.
St. Spiridon Orthodox Cathedral
The congregation that attended the 1st service at this cathedral in 1895 was a mix of Greek, Russian and Serbian immigrants. The religious site later helped Russian refugees fleeing the Bolshevik revolution in Russia. The building itself has striking bright blue domes in the classic onion-shape that stand bold against Seattle's wet, gray skies. The regular services are held in English but with liturgy done constantly in Slavonic languages too. Today the cathedral is home to a Russian Orthodox church.
The Sakya Monastery of Tibetan Buddhism
This is likely one of the brightest religious landmarks in Seattle. The outside of the Monastery is painted in reds and yellows and within are one or two meditation rooms and statues. The monastery is open to the general public for meditation on occasion. The Sakrya Monastery also offer free classes and lectures,e.g. easy Tibetan language courses.
About the Author:
Marie Clemmons has been fascinated by Seattle religious landmarks for a few years. She has written op-eds and editorial pieces for many online publications. For more information about religious sites in Seattle, come visit her site.
