Sacred Planetariums: An Exploration of Celestial Influences on Ecclesiastical Architecture Part 1 Dissertation 2021 Niamh Hurley University College Cork | Ireland The connection between the celestial and spiritual realms is etched into ecclesiastical spaces. Humans were curious as to how the sun rose and fell each day, how the moon appeared to renew over a period and how natural phenomena occurred. This curiosity informed the development of sacred spaces. Here the unknown could be explored within a mystical space designed different from the colloquial, with its inspiration being the sky above. Odes to this curiosity are etched in these spaces with the constellations depicted on mosaic floors, murals of the zodiac and planets on high ceilings and filtration of coloured otherworldly light through stained glass windows. With these features, religious architecture not only became a place of worship but rather a sacred planetarium, telling a merged story of astronomy and theology.This dissertation seeks to discover how ecclesiastical architecture facilitates escapism and create an otherworldly atmosphere. Two Cork ecclesiastical architecture examples, Honan Chapel and St Fin Barre’s Cathedral, provide the basis of the argument presented. By studying archival documentation, creating analytical drawings, using photographic evidence, and analysing philosophical reasoning, this research aims to further comprehend the connection between the celestial and spiritual realm through architectural case studies and theories. Tutor(s) Sarah Mulrooney