Boulder,CO

As one can see, Boulder and its religious landscape have evolved together, as the city has conquered new problems and attracted new movements. The city and the religious landscape are tightly woven together and as the religious centers developed, so did the atmosphere of the city and the thoughts of the citizens. The Seventh-Day Adventists and the many Swedish churches influenced thoughts about healthy and holistic living, while the St. Walburga Abbey acts as a case study of the struggle between city expansion and Boulder’s resistance to building. Though the city expanded so far as to drive the Abbey away, Boulder severely restricted growth around the same time to combat a changing city dynamic and to preserve open space. The arrival of Buddhism also contributed immensely to the dynamic and beliefs of Boulder’s citizens, and changed the city's perspective towards topics like mindfulness, meditation, and environmental respect. These are only a few examples of the immense influence of the religious landscape on the city of Boulder. We hope this project shows the interwoven relationship between religious institutions and the “least religious city."