The most beautiful religious buildings Réunion

It is one of the largest in the Indian Ocean and can accommodate up to 1,800 worshippers. Inaugurated in 1975, a Sunni Islam of Hanafite rite is practiced there. You will admire in particular the wouzou khana, the place of purification: hands, face, arms and feet are washed up to the ankles. White coats await on the first floor for those who have not hidden their knees and shoulders. Green dominates the floor, the colour of paradise, while the rich woods of the walls give this beautiful building an atmosphere of solemn meditation.

During the terrible volcanic eruption of 1977, when dozens of houses in the village of Sainte-Rose were destroyed by lava, this church was miraculously spared. The lava flow surrounded the church, but never penetrated inside. Built in 1927, L'Enfant-Jésus-de-Prague church was renamed Notre-Dame-des-Laves. In front of it, a statue, La Métisse, created by local artists, symbolizes the suffering endured by the inhabitants at the time.

So named because of its location at the foot of the Piton des Neiges, the church is built in the Art Deco style of the 1930s. Its half-moon façade makes it original. The nave and choir were made by cabinetmakers from the Rivière-Saint-Louis region. Before entering, on the left, the tomb of Father Boiteau, a builder much appreciated by the villagers. When his death was announced, the faithful built the tomb in a single night. For some, it has miraculous virtues. Since the year 2000, the church has been listed in the inventory of historical monuments.

Built in 1857, the church of Sainte-Anne, with its original colours, is unique. Baroque in style, it is decorated with mouldings (some carved with a knife) and cement gargoyles. Inside, the Sainte-Thérèse chapel and its angelic sky blue vault is worth a stop. It has been classified as a historical monument since 1982. The scene of the wedding with Catherine Deneuve and Jean-Paul Belmondo in La Sirène du Mississipi, a film by François Truffaut, was even filmed in this church. The tourist office next door offers guided tours.

Every May ^1st, crowds from all over the island gather in front of a small miraculous cave where, according to legend, Mario, a runaway slave, hid during the time of the Marooning. A bougainvillea bush is said to have grown at the entrance of the cave, blocking its access and sparing the fugitive from the rapacity of the chestnut hunters. If you ask passers-by about this legend, each one tells his own story. Protector of the oppressed, the Black Virgin, whose statue watches over this unusual cave, is highly respected on the island.

The parish church of Saint-Pierre, built at the time of the Compagnie des Indes, is one of the oldest buildings on the island, and was completed in 1765 with the addition of two side naves, two turrets and a peristyle. It was completed in 1765 and two side naves, two turrets and a peristyle were added. The façade has four Doric-inspired columns that support a pediment in the centre of which are the keys of St. Peter. This decoration is completed by two statues: the apostles Saint Peter and Saint Paul. It has been registered in the inventory of historical monuments since 1998.

Built in the neoclassical style, the church was delivered in 1832 and became a cathedral in 1850. The second phase of work, which took place between 1856 and 1863, allowed the apse to be enlarged and a porch to be added. The coffered ceiling with gilded ribs and Renaissance-style pendentives was added in 1869. From 2018 to 2019, the three marouflaged canvases of the choir, painted by Father Moirod at the end of the 19th century, were completely restored. The cathedral has been classified as a historic monument since 1975.

A magnificent symbol of the Muslim faith, with its elegant minaret that rises 33 m above the city centre, this mosque, with its Eastern charms through its Indo-Pakistani architecture, was built in 1975 and inaugurated in October 2002. At the beginning of the 20th century, the Muslims of Saint-Louis working all over the island could only meet on Fridays for congregational prayer, which they practiced in a room located at the current address of Photo Lux, opposite the mosque. Its name "Mubarak" means "who is blessed"

Built in the middle of the 19th century, this beautiful church, located opposite the town hall, was a symbol of the prosperity of the early years of the Second Empire. Today it is the largest and most vast religious building in Reunion Island. It is even one of the three largest churches (and not cathedrals) in the world with its 25 m high and its 1,000 m² surface area. For the record, the other two largest churches are in Saint-Louis of Senegal and Saint Louis of Missouri in the United States. In 1982, it was listed as a historical monument.

This sanctuary, which majestically overlooks the bay of Saint-Leu and the small flower sellers who gather daily at the foot of its Way of the Cross, is the scene of an annual pilgrimage held in mid-September, which is very popular with the faithful from all over the island. Built by the inhabitants of the town when cholera struck Reunion in 1859, claiming more than 2,200 victims, the chapel has enjoyed a reputation as a miraculous place since its inauguration. Remember to arrive early if you wish to attend the procession.

This temple is probably one of the most beautiful on the island. It was elected third "favorite monument of the French" in 2020. Built in the 19th century by indentured servicemen who had been shipwrecked on the shores of Saint-Pierre, it was built in the Indian tradition. The fire marches, always impressive, take place in December and January, but you should check the Tamil lunar calendar for more information. One can attend, but in all discretion.

The walls of the temple are decorated with mythological characters. On the right, Mourouga, represented by a fawn, embodies beauty, youth and strength. On the left, his brother Ganesh, god of intelligence and knowledge, with the head of an elephant. The temple is dedicated to Pandiale, goddess of fire. Behind, another temple, dedicated to Kali, who represents strength, evil and good. Remember to take off your shoes at the threshold of the temples, as well as all your leather objects, as they are considered impure.

On the waterfront is a pagoda dedicated to Guan Yin, Goddess of Mercy (or the Lady of Childbirth) and founded by a certain Mr. Chan Fung Ting. He had a dream that his pagoda would be built on land irrigated by a spring of water flowing towards the sea: in Chinese tradition, orientation towards the mountains brings fertility, and towards the sea, prosperity. Built in 1955, the pagoda houses a community of nuns and is not open to the public.

Built in 1732, it is the oldest known Christian building on the island. Rivière-Saint-Louis has long been the cradle of wood craftsmanship, thanks in particular to Father Delaporte, who trained in cabinet-making and basalt carving, as evidenced by the chapel's neo-Gothic-inspired liturgical furnishings. Particularly noteworthy are the choir, pulpit, nave and gallery. Listed as a historic monument since 1988, the chapel is perfectly preserved.

This Tamil temple dedicated to the goddess Mariammen cannot be visited (except for exceptional events), but it can be admired from the outside. It is the first to be built in Sainte-Marie. A few planks in the courtyard of the factory then allow Tamils to meditate. Although it has been moved several times, it is still standing and still active. Located in La Mare, it is one of the most beautiful of the island. It also honours Ganesh, the god with the elephant head, and Alvan, the fire keeper. The fire march takes place on January 3rd of each year.

The Noor-e-Islam mosque is the main mosque of the capital of Reunion Island, to be discovered during a stroll along the pedestrian and shopping street Maréchal Leclerc. This large mosque, inaugurated in 1905, is the first in France and overseas. It can accommodate up to 4,000 people. The facade is equipped with a minaret that rises to 32 m, it is easily spotted in the heart of the city. The call to prayer is pronounced three times a day in the streets of Saint-Denis.

Built in 1840, the parish church of Saint-Benoît is in the neoclassical style, with a pure and symmetrical architecture. The massive aspect is reinforced by the visible stone and by the pairs of pilasters and columns. Its nave is supported by twelve basalt pillars in reference to the twelve apostles. Marble fonts have been preserved in the vestibule. Its stained glass windows made in 1960 in Nancy are remarkable. The church and the fountain on the square are worth a look. They are both listed as historical monuments.

The church in the village of Salazie is unmistakable. It is the second church of the parish built on the old one between 1939 and 1941 on the initiative of Father Bourasseau. It was the parishioners who built it, including the children! It follows the codes of Gothic architecture with its two flanking towers. On the façade, one can read: "Be queens in our house! "which reminds us that the Assumption is a dogma according to which the mother of Jesus was "raised to heaven".

Not far from the fruit and vegetable market, other rituals take place in a beautiful Tamil temple, colorful and decorated with multiple deities. In 1917, there was only a small temple named Kôvil, made of tin. It was rebuilt in concrete in 1956 and enlarged in the 1980s to form an architectural complex called Shri Kali Kambal Kôvil. The latest expansion work dates from 2012. To visit the temples, take off your shoes, get rid of your leather items and check other requests indicated on a sign at the entrance.

After seven years of restoration, the temple reopened in 2019. It is dedicated to the goddess Kali, with eyes and black skin. The gods called upon her to defeat the demon Raktabija whose every drop of blood that fell to the ground gave birth to her clone. Drinking the blood before it fell, she poisoned herself and danced frantically, endangering the balance of the world. To appease her, Shiva lay down under her feet, stopping the destructive dance.