Churches, Mosques and Temples of the World

This recording captures the "Isha" call to prayer in the medina of Nabeul, Tunisia. "Isha" is the night prayer, and is announced after dark. Nabeul has two main mosques in the medina, plus other call to prayers can be heard in the distance.

Call To Prayer - Nabeul, Tunisia

The Svetitskhoveli Cathedral is an Orthodox Christian cathedral located in Georgia's oldest city and former capital, Mtskheta. Shortly after we passed through the main entrance and walked through the internal grounds, bell ringers began ringing the bells from high up in one of the towers. I quickly grabbed my handheld recorder and captured the soundscape.

Sony PCM D100
26.05.2022

Svetitskhoveli Cathedral Bell Ringing - Mtskheta, Georgia

This recording captures the church bells ringing in the village of Nernier. Towards the end of the recording, as I approached the bells, you can hear the noise of the ropes grinding as they pulled the bells back and forth.

Church Bells - Nernier, Haute-Savoie, France

This recording captures bell ringing of the Church of Our Lady in Bruges Belgium. The recording was taken from a local bed and breakfast situated about 200 metres from the church. Birds can be heard singing in the garden of the BnB, whilst distant horses hooves can also be heard as one of the local horse and carts trots by. 

Bell Ringing - Church of Our Lady, Bruges, Belgium

The St. Elisabeth Church is located in St.-Elisabeth-Platz in central Vienna. In this recording, captured at 7am, we hear a flock of pigeons in the garden of the church before the church bells ring out.

Recorded 12.04.2024
Zoom F3 + 2 x DPA 4060s

Bell Ringing - Church Of St. Elisabeth - Vienna, Austria

As I entered the Church Of St. Elisabeth in central Vienna, the local organist was practicing. I sat discretely on one of the pews and captured this unique moment. 

Recorded 13.04.2024
Zoom F3 + 2 x DPA 4060s

Organ Practice - Church Of St. Elisabeth - Vienna, Austria

This recording features the famous bells of Notre-Dame de Paris as they rang out before the daily mass. 

Recorded 04/03/2017
Recorded using 2 DPA 4060s, Sound Devices Mix Pre D & Sony PCM D-100.

Church Bells - Notre-Dame de Paris, France

Lefkes is a beautiful inland mountain village on the Greek island of Paros. During a recent stay, I spent some time exploring the village and at midday I stopped at the impressive Church Of Agia Triada to record the bells as they rang out.

Church Of Agia Triada - Lefkes, Paros, Greece

Parikia is the capital of the Greek island Paros and the largest town on the island. Situated close to the main port and Parikia's main square is the town's principal church, the Panagia Ekatontapiliani, which translates as "church of one hundred doors".

As I entered through the main gates and into the grand courtyard I stood and listened to the preaching that was broadcast from within the church. I discretely placed my portable recorder in the gardens, hit record and walked off to explore. This is the resulting recording.

Panagia Ekatontapyliani Church [Exterior Perspective] - Parikia, Paros, Greece

Parikia is the capital of the Greek island Paros and the largest town on the island. Situated close to the main port and Parikia's main square is the town's principal church, the Panagia Ekatontapiliani, which translates as "church of one hundred doors".

Having recorded the preaching that was broadcast into the gardens from within the church I grabbed my recorder and headed inside to explore further. Once again, I took the opportunity to record the preaching, this time from within the church.

Panagia Ekatontapyliani Church [Interior Perspective] - Parikia, Paros, Greece

In Jerusalem's Muslim quarter, the calls to  prayer from two minarets can be heard. One minaret was close but a second call to prayer can be heard in the distance. Recorded on an M-Audio Microtrack II at 96K, 24 Bit.

Call To Prayer 1 - Jerusalem, Israel

The call to prayer was recorded in a church courtyard in Jerusalem. The church was directly opposite the mosque and the closed courtyard meant the sound reverberated nicely in the enclosed space. Recorded with an M-Audio MicroTrack II at 96K, 24 Bit. 

Call To Prayer 3 - Jerusalem, Israel

Recorded in the narrow, windy streets of Jerusalem's Muslim quarter, this call to prayer from one of the many mosques reverberates nicely. Recorded using an M-Audio MicroTrack II at 96K, 24 Bit.


Call To Prayer 2 - Jerusalem, Israel

The daily call to prayer of the local mosque in the tiny village on the outskirts of Tamen Negara National Park. The recording was taken from my bungalow at dusk, which was situated just next door to the mosque. 

Mosque, Call To Prayer - Tamen Negara, Malaysia

The Chapelle Notre-Dame du Roc sits at an altitude of 903 meters, at the top of an abrupt rock overlooking the village of Castellane. Dating from the High Middle Ages, the chapel is only accessible by climbing the rocky path to the summit. As we arrived early in the morning, I recorded the church bell which can be rung from inside the chapel.  

Recorded 23.08.18
PCM D100

Bell Ringing - Chapelle Notre-Dame Du Roc, Castellane, France

An eleven minute recording of Buddhist chanting at a temple just outside of Hue, Vietnam. 

Buddhist Temple Chants, Hue, Vietnam

Santuario de Santa Luzia is a beautiful church that sits on the top of Monte de Santa Luzia hill, overlooking the seaside town of Viana Do Castelo in northern Portugal. As I stopped to visit the church, a sermon was taking place so I sat quietly at the back and made this recording.

Recorded 23.09.18
Sony PCM D100

Church Service - Santuario De Santa Luzia, Viana Do Castelo, Portugal

The sound of the gongs that are found around the main stupa of the Swayambhunath temple near Kathmandu, Nepal. 

Swayambhunath Temple Gongs, Kathmandu, Nepal

More traditional Cambodian music, this time recorded in the grounds of a temple in Angkor. A group of Buddhist monks were playing instruments as I walked by. 

Buddhist Temple Music - Angkor, Cambodia

I recorded this on a Sunday afternoon from my hotel window, as the church bells rang out across the village.

Photo credit - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Espencat

Church Bells - Ondara, Alicante, Spain

Sound recordist Colin Hunter 
Founder of the World Sounds project

Churches, Mosques and Temples of the World

World-Sounds.org