Churches Across Four States Echo European Architecture

Historic churches across the Midwest and South offer striking European-inspired architecture and art without an overseas trip. In Fort Wright, Kentucky, St. Agnes Roman Catholic Church features Italian marble altars, six solid-marble columns and a mosaic of St. Agnes created by artists in Florence. Knoxville’s Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus is a grand domed sanctuary whose design draws on Italian influences, while Toledo’s Our Lady, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary Cathedral showcases Spanish Plateresque architecture and richly decorated interiors. Other examples include Tulsa’s Gothic-style cathedral, with its marble altar and stained glass, and a collection of Ohio churches shaped by immigrant communities and European traditions. These often-overlooked places combine local religious history with architecture and craftsmanship that can feel distinctly European.