
What happens to churches whose religious residents have left? Often, they become a bit more secular. Here are some of the most gorgeous and surprising architectural afterlives for these houses of worship.
St. Jakobus Church, by Zecc Architects, Utrecht, Netherlands, 2007-2009

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(via ZECC)
A Selexyz bookstore from a 700-year-old Dominican Church, by Merkx + Girod Architects, Maastricht, Netherlands, 2007

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(via Merkx + Girod and OpenBuildings)
Bonney Avenue Residence from an 1867 building, by Willis Greenhalgh Architects, Brisbane, Australia

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(via WGArchitects)
A Gothic church built in 1909, overlooking Mission Dolores Park, San Francisco, California

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(via Decoist)
Conversion of the late 18th century St. Nicholas Georgian Church, by Kyloe, Northumberland, England

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Church of Living, Utrecht, Netherlands, by Zecc Architecten, 2006-2007

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(via ZECC)
A former chapel with art-deco interior decoration, but with the original stained glass, Suffolk, UK

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(via LocationWorks)
The modern St. Sebastian Church, built in 1962 became a kindergarten in 2009, by Bolles-Wilson, Münster, Germany

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(via Bolles-Wilson)
The Church Brew Works, in a catholic church built in 1878, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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(via Church Brew Works Facebook and Converted Churches)
O'Neill's Muswell Hill, London, UK

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(via Evan Munro, O'Neills Muswell Hill Facebook and Excel English)
The Church Bar & Restaurant, Dublin, Ireland

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(via The Church Facebook and The Church)
Two loft-type houses from a 19th century chapel in Bazel, East Flanders, Belgium

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(via OWI)
John Knox Church, by William Boag Architects Pty Ltd, Brighton, Australia, 2009

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(via Archdaily, photos by Sonia Mangiapane)
The Abbey Church Lofts with a four-level penthouse in the bell tower, converted from the Howard Park Methodist Church, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, 2008

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(via Loftenberg)
Victoria Lofts, converted from the turn-of-the-century West Toronto Presbyterian Church, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

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(via Monica Macmillan)
The St. Saviours, now a luxurious home with gold leaf hot tub, platinum leaf ceiling and a cinema room, Knightsbridge, London, 2004

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(via Wigan Property and Lewis Granaiola)
The Victorian Westbourne Grove Church, built in 1953 London

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(via abduzeedo)
A 19th century chapel with the original pipe organ a pulpit, Bedfordshire, UK

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(via Locationworks)
DISCUSSION
As the world secularizes, atheism goes on the rise, I see the increase in re-purposing increasingly empty buildings. The church I grew up in is at 1/4 capacity after years of priest sexual scandal and a spike in lapsed Catholicism, myself included. Always thought our old church would make a great community theater.