Amanda Pretlow- Sacred Profanity of Architecture

When we were doing student presentations about architecture, the fact that many churches are tourist venues now. The church that I researched, St. Basil's Cathedral, charges admission for the museum portion of the museum. Many people may see this as profaning a sacred space. I don't necessarily agree with this notion. Many churchyards serve as marketplaces and others allow people lodging during rough times. So then why should it be less sacred for someone to want to visit the particular religious site? The people who visit religious sites are not there to desecrate the venue; they are generally there for people to have new experiences. The people want to experience a part of another faith or tradition. Therefore I am more inclined to believe that tourism does not profane religious sites. I actually think that tourism has a way of making the divine more accessible. Some people many have never had the opportunity to experience a certain religious view if not for tourism. I must say that if not for the National Cathedral's draw for tourists, I may have never experienced the traditions and symbols of the Episcopalian Church. People visit religious venues with an attitude of respect and reverence. There is generally no malice toward the host religion. I genuinely believe that tourism is actually beneficial to the artistic customs of a religion.