religious architecture
Buildings erected to serve as gathering places for worship. Religious buildings and structures have driven creative architecture for centuries, from Stonehenge in Wiltshire, England to Notre Dame in Paris, France. Religious architecture typically includes symbolic elements and references, such as the orientation of Islamic mosques towards Mecca or cross-shaped Christian churches. Religious architecture may also be elaborately decorated as can be seen in the stained glass windows that are common to many Christian churches or the beautifully embellished domes of many Islamic mosques. (Ambrose, 2008)