Many churches in Denver got their start in the old mining camp days at the confluence of Cherry Creek and the Platte River before the city was incorporated. Most of the buildings were constructed as a labor of love in the late 1800s and early 1900s and are now preserved on the Colorado State Register of Historic Properties, as well as the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. Grab your camera and your curiosity and go pay homage to these stunning architectural specimens in our magnificent Mile High City.

1. The Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception

With its twin 210-foot towers, 75 German stained glass windows, and altar, statuary, and bishop's chair made from imported Italian marble, the Cathedral Basilica is a truly spectacular sight to behold. Located at 1535 Logan Street, the Cathedral was formerly the St. Mary's Parish Church and was established in the late 1800s as the first Catholic church in Denver.

2. Holy Ghost Church

You can't miss the beautifully constructed Holy Ghost Catholic Church at 1900 California Street Downtown - or the huge skyscraper encircling it and providing plenty of opportunities for contrasting photos. It's architecturally inspired by the Spanish and Italian Renaissance and boasts a six-foot bronze cross atop a 110-foot tower on the exterior, with roughly 300 tons of Colorado marble on the interior used to construct the body of the church.

3. St. Elizabeth of Hungary Church

In 1878, St. Elizabeth of Hungary became Denver's second Catholic parish, and in 1898, a Romanesque-style church was built using rusticated rhyolite from quarries in nearby Castle Rock. St. Elizabeth's is now on the National Register of Historic Places and the Denver Landmark Preservation Commission, and you can visit it at 1060 St. Francis Way on the Auraria Campus in northwest Denver.

4. Central Presbyterian Church

Built in 1891 in the Richardsonian Romanesque style of architecture and also on the National Register of Historic Places, the Central Presbyterian Church at 1660 Sherman Street Downtown, is the perfect melding of old and new, past and present, and should most definitely be added to your walking tour of Downtown.

5. Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Assumption & Community Center

Located at the intersection of Leetsdale and Alameda, the Assumption of the Theotokos Cathedral is an utterly unique experience inside and out. It is truly one of a kind!

6. Trinity United Methodist Church

Trinity United Methodist Church was built in 1887 and is listed on both the U.S. National Register of Historic Places and the Colorado State Register of Historic Properties. It boasts a Modern Gothic architectural style, locally quarried rhyolite from Castle Rock on its exterior, and a magnificently crafted spire that stands over 180 feet in height and was one of the tallest stone towers in the United States in 1888. Trinity is also home to a historic and massive Roosevelt Organ, which contains 4,202 pipes and is "one of the largest American-built organs of the Nineteenth Century still in operation." (The church is located at the corner of 18th and Broadway in downtown Denver, near the Brown Palace Hotel.)

7. St. John's Cathedral

"Saint John's Church in the Wilderness" got its start when Denver was nothing more than a series of mining camps along the confluence of Cherry Creek and the Platte River. After a devastating fire, the current cathedral was built at 14th and Washington, and the first service was held on November 5, 1911.

8. Montview Boulevard Presbyterian Church

In 1902 with the inception of the church, worshippers first congregated in a cloth-ceilinged tabernacle then relocated to an old schoolhouse at its current location at 1980 Dahlia Street in 1903. Over the years the congregation has grown and many buildings have been added, but it maintains its status as a national and state landmark with a deep-rooted history.

9. Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Parish

This lovely ultramodern parish at 11385 Grant Drive in Northglenn, was blessed by its founding pastor on April 30, 1970, but is rooted in traditions that date back over 2,000 years. "Since then, Immaculate Heart of Mary has grown in to one of the largest parishes in the state of Colorado, and currently serves over 6,000 families."

10. Cameron Church United Methodist

The original congregation of what is now the Cameron Church was organized in 1888 and consisted of just five founding members. The present day building was constructed between 1909 and 1913 at a cost of just $35,000 and is located at 1600 S. Pearl Street in the historic Platt Park neighborhood.

Hungry for more Mile High history? Check out these 10 Captivating Castles and 22 Historic Landmarks in Denver that you've just got to see!