Cleveland Sacred Landmarks

Introduction

Although Cleveland's sacred landmarks exhibit a wide range of architectural styles, they are all variations on two standard forms, the line and the circle - one emphasizing the procession and hierarchy, and the other suggesting unity. A house of worship based on the procession is often laid out in the form of a Latin cross (with one axis longer than the other) or a simple rectangle preceded by a steeple. A church or a temple that emphasizes unity often has a central focus and is laid out in the form of a Creek cross, a circle, or an octagon. Both forms were used early, became standard, and have served liturgical and symbolic purposes throughout the history of religious architecture.