<Tr> <Td> Church of the Nativity </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Bethlehem </Td> <Td> West Bank </Td> <Td> c. 565 </Td> <Td> Simultaneum </Td> <Td> One of the oldest church buildings in the world which has continuously functioned as a church . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Jvari (monastery) </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Mtskheta </Td> <Td> Georgia </Td> <Td> 590--604 </Td> <Td> Georgian Orthodox </Td> <Td> A World Heritage Site . </Td> </Tr> <Table> <Tr> <Th> hide Building </Th> <Th> Image </Th> <Th> Location </Th> <Th> Country </Th> <Th> Oldest Part </Th> <Th> Denomination </Th> <Th> Notes </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> San Vitale </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Rome </Td> <Td> Italy </Td> <Td> 400 </Td> <Td> Roman Catholic </Td> <Td> Although it was restored several times, the church retains its original structure and walls; it actually sits below street level due to its age and relative lack of major structural renovations . The portico is one of the most ancient parts of the church . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Santa Sabina </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Rome </Td> <Td> Italy </Td> <Td> 422 </Td> <Td> Roman Catholic </Td> <Td> Mostly unaltered, with some original mosaic decoration and agate window treatments . Notably, wooden doors date from around the same era and contain an early depiction of the crucifixion . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> San Giovanni Evangelista </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Ravenna </Td> <Td> Italy </Td> <Td> 424 </Td> <Td> Roman Catholic </Td> <Td> Partially original walls, with original floors and columns under layers of new floors . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Santa Maria Maggiore </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Rome </Td> <Td> Italy </Td> <Td> 432 </Td> <Td> Roman Catholic </Td> <Td> Features intact original mosaic decoration, including some of the oldest depictions of the Virgin Mary . 18th - century façade covers 12th - century façade which replaced the original . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Church of the Acheiropoietos </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Thessaloniki </Td> <Td> Greece </Td> <Td> 450--470 </Td> <Td> Greek Orthodox </Td> <Td> The Acheiropoietos has been dated from its bricks and mosaics to c. 450--470, making it perhaps the earliest of the city's surviving churches . It was modified in the 7th century and again in the 14th and 15th centuries, but retains much of its original character . Known as the Panagia Theotokos in Byzantine times, it is dedicated to Mary . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Santo Stefano Rotondo </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Rome </Td> <Td> Italy </Td> <Td> 455 </Td> <Td> Roman Catholic </Td> <Td> Believed to be the first church in Rome with a circular plan, inspired by the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Sant'Agata dei Goti </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Rome </Td> <Td> Italy </Td> <Td> 460 </Td> <Td> Roman Catholic </Td> <Td> Built for the Arian Goths by Ricimer, this ancient church retains its original site plan and columns, despite many restorations . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Stenče Basilica </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Polog Valley </Td> <Td> Macedonia </Td> <Td> 420--465 </Td> <Td> Early Church </Td> <Td> To date remains of 16 early Christian basilicas have been revealed in the Polog Valley, of which 12 in Tetovo area and 4 in Gostivar area, and best has been investigated the one in Stenče dating from the 5th century AD, which is unique in Macedonia with 3 baptisteries . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Santa Prisca </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Rome </Td> <Td> Italy </Td> <Td> 4th or 5th century </Td> <Td> Roman Catholic </Td> <Td> In the interior, the columns are the only visible remains of the ancient church after a 17th - century restoration, but the floor plan remains . A baptismal font allegedly used by Saint Peter is also conserved . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Little Hagia Sophia </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Istanbul </Td> <Td> Turkey </Td> <Td> 527 </Td> <Td> Greek Orthodox </Td> <Td> A former Eastern Orthodox church dedicated to Saints Sergius and Bacchus in Constantinople, converted into a mosque during the Ottoman Empire . This Byzantine building with a central dome plan was erected in the 6th century by Justinian, likely was a model for Hagia Sophia, and is one of the most important early Byzantine buildings in Istanbul . Poorly executed restorations leave the church with a modern character . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Hagia Sophia </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Istanbul </Td> <Td> Turkey </Td> <Td> 532--537 </Td> <Td> Greek Orthodox </Td> <Td> For almost 1,000 years it was the largest church in Christendom, the main center of worship for the Eastern Orthodox Church, and the jewel of Constantinople . In 1453, it was captured and converted into a mosque, becoming a museum in 1932 under Atatürk . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Basilica di San Vitale </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Ravenna </Td> <Td> Italy </Td> <Td> 547 </Td> <Td> Roman Catholic </Td> <Td> The best - preserved basilica from the time of Justinian I, filled with outstanding Byzantine mosaics in an excellent state of preservation . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Basilica of Saint Servatius </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Maastricht </Td> <Td> Netherlands </Td> <Td> c. 550 </Td> <Td> Roman Catholic </Td> <Td> The oldest church in the Netherlands . There was a small memorial chapel on the site dedicated to the Saint Servatius (310--384), who became the first bishop of Maastricht, and this was later replaced by a larger stone church, incorporating the ancient stone . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Dormition of the Theotokos Church, Labovë e Kryqit </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Gjirokastër </Td> <Td> Albania </Td> <Td> 6th century </Td> <Td> Eastern Orthodox </Td> <Td> The Dormition of the Theotokos Church (Albanian: Kisha e Shën Mërisë) is a church in Labovë e Kryqit, Gjirokastër County, Albania . The foundation on the structure dates from 6th, with the rest from 13th . It is a Cultural Monument of Albania . The present building dates from the 13th century . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> St. Martin's Church </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Canterbury </Td> <Td> United Kingdom </Td> <Td> 597 </Td> <Td> Anglican </Td> <Td> The oldest church building in England, still functioning as a church . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Church of Saint Apostles Peter and Paul </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Stari Ras, Novi Pazar </Td> <Td> Serbia </Td> <Td> 6th century </Td> <Td> Serbian Orthodox </Td> <Td> Also known as Peter's Church (Serbian: Петрова црква / Petrova crkva), it is a Serbian Orthodox church, the oldest intact church in Serbia . It is situated on a hill of Ras, the medieval capital of the Serbian Grand Principality (Rascia), near Novi Pazar, Serbia . It is part of the Stari Ras complex, listed on the UNESCO List of World Heritage Sites in Serbia . The foundations of the structure date from the 6th century, with the rest from the 7th, 9th, and 12th centuries . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Saint Sofia Church </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Sofia </Td> <Td> Bulgaria </Td> <Td> 6th century </Td> <Td> Bulgarian Orthodox </Td> <Td> The church was built near the Amphitheatre of Serdica. 343 in the building took place the Council of Serdica that was attended by 316 bishops . The current building is from the 6th century </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Chapel of São Frutuoso </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Real, Braga </Td> <Td> Portugal </Td> <Td> 656 </Td> <Td> Catholic Church </Td> <Td> Visigoth chapel . It has been modified and rebuilt many times . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> San Juan Bautista </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Baños de Cerrato, Venta de Baños, Castile and León </Td> <Td> Spain </Td> <Td> Completed in 661 </Td> <Td> Catholic Church </Td> <Td> Visigoth church built by King Recceswinth in 661 and whose solemn ceremony of consecration is believed to have been on January 3, 661 . The excavations carried out in the years 1956 and 1963 found a medieval necropolis of 58 tombs to the northwest of the church and also found three pieces of bronze of the 7th century: 2 lychee - shaped belt clasps and 1 liturgical object . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Santa María de Melque </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> San Martín de Montalbán, Castile - La Mancha </Td> <Td> Spain </Td> <Td> 668 </Td> <Td> Catholic Church </Td> <Td> It served as a monastic ensemble of the Visigoths . The radiocarbon dating of a sample obtained from the conserved part of the original stucco plaster has given a most probable construction date in the interval 668 - 729 AD . Probably its construction was paralyzed when the arrival of the Arabs began and it was finished and it was reformed later, having suffered multiple historical vicissitudes . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Chapel of St Peter - on - the - Wall </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Bradwell - on - Sea, Essex </Td> <Td> England </Td> <Td> 660--662 </Td> <Td> Catholic, now Church of England </Td> <Td> Early Anglo - Saxon church, reusing Roman brick . Still in use . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Escomb Church </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Escomb, County Durham </Td> <Td> England </Td> <Td> c. 670 - 675 </Td> <Td> Catholic, now Church of England </Td> <Td> Early Anglo - Saxon church . Still in use . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> All Saints' Church, Brixworth </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Brixworth, Northamptonshire </Td> <Td> England </Td> <Td> before 675 </Td> <Td> Catholic, now Church of England </Td> <Td> Early Anglo - Saxon church, with later additions . Still in use . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> San Pedro de la Nave </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> El Campillo, San Pedro de la Nave - Almendra, Castile and León </Td> <Td> Spain </Td> <Td> 680 </Td> <Td> Catholic Church </Td> <Td> Visigothic church . It must have been built between 680 and 711 . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Crypt of San Antolín of the Cathedral of Palencia </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Palencia, Castile and León </Td> <Td> Spain </Td> <Td> 7th century </Td> <Td> Catholic Church </Td> <Td> Located under the current cathedral of Palencia . It is the only remnant of the primitive Visigothic cathedral built in the second half of the 7th century . The oldest vestige of worship that is preserved today is the bottom of the crypt, a building dating from the middle of the 7th century . The remains of Antolín, noble Gallo - Visigoth, saint and martyr, would have arrived in Spain in the procession of King Wamba from Narbonne in the year 673 . Wamba himself would order the construction of the burial . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Hermitage of Santa María de Lara </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Quintanilla de las Viñas, Mambrillas de Lara, Castile and León </Td> <Td> Spain </Td> <Td> Completed at late - 7th century or early - 8th century </Td> <Td> Catholic Church </Td> <Td> Visigothic hermitage . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Church of St John the Baptist, Kerch </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Kerch </Td> <Td> Ukraine </Td> <Td> 717 </Td> <Td> Ukrainian Orthodox </Td> <Td> Founded in 717, later rebuilt on several occasions . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Santa Cruz de Cangas de Onís </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Cangas de Onís, Asturias </Td> <Td> Spain </Td> <Td> Completed in 737 </Td> <Td> Roman Catholic </Td> <Td> Church of Kingdom of Asturias . t was consecrated in 737 . The church was restored in 1633 and 1936 . Now it is a World Heritage Site . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Church of San Juan Apóstol y Evangelista </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Santianes, Pravia, Asturias </Td> <Td> Spain </Td> <Td> 774 </Td> <Td> Roman Catholic </Td> <Td> Church of Kingdom of Asturias . Built between 774 and 783 . In the church the debate between the Beatus of Liébana and Elipando of Toledo was celebrated, on the adoptionist interpretation of the divinity of Christ . Now it is a World Heritage Site . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Oviedo Cathedral </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Oviedo, Asturias </Td> <Td> Spain </Td> <Td> 781 </Td> <Td> Roman Catholic </Td> <Td> Church of Kingdom of Asturias . It underwent modifications and was enlarged until 16th century . Now it is a World Heritage Site . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Santa María de Bendones </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Bendones, Asturias </Td> <Td> Spain </Td> <Td> 792 </Td> <Td> Roman Catholic </Td> <Td> Church of Kingdom of Asturias . Built between 792 and 842 . It suffered a restoration after Spanish Civil War . Now it is a World Heritage Site . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Aachen Cathedral </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Aachen </Td> <Td> Germany </Td> <Td> 805 </Td> <Td> Roman Catholic </Td> <Td> It is the oldest cathedral in northern Europe and was constructed by order of the emperor Charlemagne, who was buried there after his death in 814 . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> San Julián de los Prados </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Oviedo, Asturias </Td> <Td> Spain </Td> <Td> Completed in 830 </Td> <Td> Roman Catholic </Td> <Td> Church of Kingdom of Asturias . The church's construction was ordered by Alfonso II of Asturias and it was built by the court architect Tioda . Now it is a World Heritage Site . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Santa María del Naranco </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Municipality of Oviedo, Asturias </Td> <Td> Spain </Td> <Td> Completed in 842 </Td> <Td> Roman Catholic </Td> <Td> Church of Kingdom of Asturias . Built as a banqueting house, later used as a church . It is a World Heritage Site . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> San Miguel de Lillo </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Oviedo, Asturias </Td> <Td> Spain </Td> <Td> Completed in 842 </Td> <Td> Roman Catholic </Td> <Td> Church of Kingdom of Asturias . It is a World Heritage Site . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Santa Cristina de Lena </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Lena, Asturias </Td> <Td> Spain </Td> <Td> Completed in 852 </Td> <Td> Roman Catholic </Td> <Td> Church of Kingdom of Asturias . It is a World Heritage Site . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Iglesia de San Tirso </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Oviedo, Asturias </Td> <Td> Spain </Td> <Td> 9th century </Td> <Td> Roman Catholic </Td> <Td> Church of Kingdom of Asturias . It was founded in the 9th century . It has undergone various reconstructions and restorations . Now it is a World Heritage Site . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> San Pedro de Nora </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Las Regueras, Asturias </Td> <Td> Spain </Td> <Td> 9th century </Td> <Td> Roman Catholic </Td> <Td> Church of Kingdom of Asturias . It suffered a restoration after Spanish Civil War . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Cámara Santa </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Oviedo, Asturias </Td> <Td> Spain </Td> <Td> 9th century </Td> <Td> Roman Catholic </Td> <Td> Church of Kingdom of Asturias . Its function, practically from its construction and that it conserves at present, has been the one of guard of the relics and cathedral treasure . It is now a World Heritage Site . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> San Salvador de Valdediós </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Municipality of Villaviciosa, Asturias </Td> <Td> Spain </Td> <Td> 9th century </Td> <Td> Roman Catholic </Td> <Td> Church of Kingdom of Asturias . Consecrated in 893 . Now it is a World Heritage Site . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Santiago de Gobiendes </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Gobiendes, Asturias </Td> <Td> Spain </Td> <Td> late - 9th century </Td> <Td> Roman Catholic </Td> <Td> Church of Kingdom of Asturias . It was restored in three times . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Santo Adriano de Tuñón </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Tuñón, Asturias </Td> <Td> Spain </Td> <Td> 9th century </Td> <Td> Roman Catholic </Td> <Td> Church of Kingdom of Asturias . Founded in 891 . It suffered many reforms . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Church of St. Margaret of Antioch </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Kopčany </Td> <Td> Slovakia </Td> <Td> 9th or 10th century </Td> <Td> Roman Catholic </Td> <Td> The only remaining Great Moravian building . The oldest church in Slovakia . Well - preserved and openly accessible to the public . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Church of San Salvador de Priesca </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Villaviciosa, Asturias </Td> <Td> Spain </Td> <Td> Completed in 921 </Td> <Td> Roman Catholic </Td> <Td> Church of Kingdom of Asturias . Consecrated in 921 . It suffered some enlargements and two restorations . Now it is a World Heritage Site . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> San Pietro in Trento </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Ravenna </Td> <Td> Italy </Td> <Td> c. 977 </Td> <Td> Roman Catholic </Td> <Td> Facade restored, but very much intact . Constructed by Galla Placidia . </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Th> hide Building </Th> <Th> Image </Th> <Th> Location </Th> <Th> Country </Th> <Th> Oldest Part </Th> <Th> Denomination </Th> <Th> Notes </Th> </Tr>

Where was the first catholic church built in the world