10 Beautiful Churches to Visit in Milwaukee
If you need a spiritual recharge or just want to gawk at some incredible architecture and design, you’re in luck. We’ve got the ten most beautiful churches that Milwaukee has to offer. So if you’re looking for some inspiration, get yourself over to one of these churches and let nature speak to your soul. The following are the top 10 Beautiful Churches to Visit in Milwaukee.
10. St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church – Milwaukee, WI
This church is probably the most minimalist on this list, but it is also quite beautiful. It has a classic design with incredibly ornate details that feel very European and not American. You get the sense that this building could exist anywhere in the world, which is a really impressive feat for something in a town like Milwaukee. It’s hard to believe something like this was built here in America.
9. The Old St. Mary’s Cathedral – Milwaukee, WI
This church has a unique set of architectural elements that make it feel distinctly Catholic in nature. There is a lot of gothic architecture, but the building maintains an air unlike anything else in Milwaukee, which is pretty impressive. It almost looks like a church out of Europe, which makes sense since Milwaukee has some European influences. It looks like something that would be right at home in Italy or Spain and yet unique.
8. Basilica of St. Josaphat-St. James Episcopal Church – Milwaukee, WI
This church has a really interesting design that shows off its unique and creative influences. There is this amazingly ornate Romanesque style along with some Roman columns and pillars, which really invoke an air of a majestic past. It feels like this building has existed for longer than any of the other buildings in Milwaukee, and you get the sense that it’s something much older than it is. The whole place looks like it was put together by someone old enough to appreciate history and young enough to try something different.
7. First Evangelical Lutheran Church – Milwaukee, WI
This church is an incredibly ornate and beautiful structure that reminds you of something even older than many of the historical buildings in Milwaukee. The whole building has a really interesting mix of Gothic architecture and Byzantine design elements mixed with a few things that seem to be uniquely American. It’s like a New York City-inspired cathedral sitting in the middle of the Midwest. It looks like something straight out of “Braveheart.”
6. St. John’s Lutheran Church – Milwaukee, WI
This church’s design feels beautiful because it’s such a departure from the more traditional churches you see around the city. It has an ancient, almost Middle Eastern aesthetic that makes it stand out as you walk through the city. In particular, little touches are reminiscent of some older Greek designs, which feel surprisingly fresh for an American-made building. The whole thing feels new and somehow ancient all at once, which is pretty cool to experience.
5. St. James Episcopal Church – Milwaukee, WI
When you look at this church’s design, it feels more like something you would find in an old English village rather than an American church. The intricate stonework and ornamentation give it a lot of personalities and make it stand out from many other buildings in Milwaukee. It looks like it belongs on a college campus among some ivy-covered walls and really thick tree coverage. The building is almost like a small New England town in miniature form.
4. Cathedral Basilica of St. Josaphat – Milwaukee, WI
This church is an absolutely gigantic edifice that is ridiculously ornate and extravagant. It was recently restored to its original condition after being damaged during a fire in 1987, so now it looks brand new again. Aside from the impressively tall twin steeples, there is also a lot of marble work that makes the whole place look like it’s straight out of “Indiana Jones.” If you’re into looking at opulent churches, you can’t do much better.
3. Cathedral Basilica of St. Josaphat – Milwaukee, WI
This church is an gigantic edifice that is ridiculously ornate and extravagant. It was recently restored to its original condition after being damaged during a fire in 1987, so now it looks brand new again. Aside from the impressively tall twin steeples, there is also a lot of marble work that makes the whole place look like it’s straight out of “Indiana Jones.” If you’re into looking at opulent churches, you can’t do much better.
2. St. Peter’s Lutheran Church – Milwaukee, WI
A close runner-up to the First Unitarian Society Meeting House is St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, built in 1866 and has a slightly darker vibe than the previous entry. The intricate stonework is still incredibly impressive, but it has a more serious feel to it. It’s a little bit more somber than the other churches on this list, but there is still so much attention to detail that you can’t help but be in awe.
1. First Unitarian Society Meeting House – Milwaukee, WI
This church is a gorgeous little building that looks like it belongs on either some sort of New England college campus or in the middle of a town square somewhere in a big city. It’s not overtly flashy, but you can tell how much attention was put into the smaller touches, which really make all the difference. The whole building has this really quaint yet extremely sophisticated design that shows off a lot of thoughtfulness in terms of the overall architecture. Milwaukee has a lot of impressive churches that are worth visiting. We’ve managed to list off a good number of them, so if you’re planning a trip here in the future, check them out. You’ll definitely be seeing some things you’ve never seen before by staying in town. Are you looking for a new church? Find the perfect church for you by browsing through Milwaukee’s many wonderful and beautiful cathedrals, churches, synagogues from these 10 beautiful churches to visit in Milwaukee.
