If we stick to the official definition—a church that is the seat of a bishop—the crown goes to St. John the Divine in New York City. Yes, a cathedral in Manhattan!
This massive Gothic Revival structure covers 121,000 square feet. For comparison, that’s about two and a half football fields of sacred space. It’s so big that they’re still building it, and have been since 1892.
It’s a work-in-progress, which is kind of awesome. It reminds you that building something truly huge doesn’t happen overnight—or even in a century.
Liverpool’s Modern Monster
Don’t sleep on Liverpool Cathedral in England, though. It’s the longest cathedral in the world, stretching over 619 feet from end to end.
Largest Church In The World
That’s longer than four blue whales lined up nose-to-tail. Built mostly in the 20th century, it’s a bold, modern take on the old style. It feels like a stone spaceship landed in the middle of Liverpool.
Fun fact: its bells are the heaviest in the world, weighing over 30 tons. When they ring, you feel it in your bones.
