Cathedrals & Basilicas Worthy of Worship

"I would not like to live in a world without cathedrals. I need their beauty & grandeur. I need their imperious silence. I need it against the witless bellowing of the barracks yard and the witty chatter of the yes-men. I want to hear the rustling of the organ, this deluge of ethereal notes. I need it against the shrill farce of marches."

-Pascal Mercier

Florence Cathedral

Testaments to man’s longing for holiness, wholeness, connection with his creator, and attempts to honor the greatness of our God. The fruit of vast fortunes and, in many cases,  centuries of sacrifice. Generations dedicating their life’s labor to a build grand Cathedrals they may never see complete and cozy chapels for humble communion of ones heart with it’s source of life and Goodness itself. 

"The Gothic Cathedral is a blossoming in stone subdued

by the insatiable demand of harmony in man."

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

I adore visiting houses of adoration, they lift my spirit out from the mundane and raise it to the heavens with their steeples and spires towards my true home. Even the the tiniest of churches makes me small is the best way.

Some of my most cherished are Cozy Unsung Chapels & Nontraditional Churches, but it's hard to find a more awe inspiring sight than a Traditional Cathedral. Below are some of the most stunning monuments of worship ever erected...

The earliest Cathedral still in use in it's (mostly) original structure is the Romanesque Cathedral of St Domnius in Split, Croatia, erected c.295-305.  Known as Sveti Dujam or just Sveti Duje locally, the cathedral is technically dedicated to the Virgin Mary with only the bell tower dedicated the patron saint of the city; Domnius.

Consecrated as a Roman Catholic Cathedral in the 7th century,* some of the most as Cathedral-like features were not added till a later date (the tower for example dates to 1100AD.) It is the 2nd oldest building ever used as a Christian Cathedral.

* Before it was converted to a church it was the Mausoleum of Emperor Diocletian, a fitting turn of the tables perhaps, considering St. Domnius was martyred in the Diocletian persecutions in 304AD

1 - The SIMPLE BEAUTY of my FAVORITE Churches

Cathedrals lean towards the ornate, but the ones that move me most are those elegant churches that are (relatively) simpler; they may have intricate architecture, but they balance it with a clean, controlled color palates and don't get too busy inside or out.

Sacré-Cœur - Paris | France  · Roman Catholic · Romanesque/ Byzantine

Dedicated to the Jesus' heart, the 1914 Shrine of the Sacred Heart houses one of the worlds heaviest bells, a 1895, nineteen-ton Savoyarde, and it has a unique above ground crypt🔍 with stained glass widows. But the Basilica may be most loved for its 656ft high (200m) seat on the summit of Montmartre butte overlooking Paris & the Seine.

Grundtvig’s Church 📸 -  Copenhagen | Denmark  · Church of Denmark  · Expressionism

Named for Danish philosopher, pastor & hymnist N. F. S. Grundtvig this elegant cathedral, c1927-1940 was built with  5 million yellow bricks! It draws on gothic themes but simplifies them to the extreme creating an incredibly peaceful, one of a kind church. (Funnily enough, I've heard it compared to the cathedral in SHREK.) 

The great Marcussen organ, longest in Scandinavia, is regularly used for concerts, and just imagining the body shaking acoustics in it's nave gives me chills.

Ely Cathedral -  England | UK    · Anglican   · Romanesque/ English Gothic   

On the site of 672AD Queen Etheldreda’s monastery, Cambridgeshire, the 1083 limestone church was dedicated to the old monastery's founder & namesake, Saint Æthelthryth, before England

went protestant.

Officially Cathedral Church of the Holy & Undivided Trinity of Elyit's now dedicated to the Holy Trinity with Etheldreda's shrine destroyed by Henry VIII.

It's interior is relatively plain, with a modest painted ceiling as it's main decor and it has a beautiful octagonal lantern tower.

Moritzkirche / St Moritz Church -  Augsburg | Germany   · Anglican   · Minimalist  

I stumbled on this little known church while visiting one of the most charming Bavarian towns I've ever seen, Augsburg, (founded by Romans in 15BC.)

This church is nearly 1,000 years old, but due to fire & WWII bombings the interior has been completely rebuilt.

Unassuming, clean and full of light, it's almost a museum gallery, accented by details from it's baroque past life like the massive, intricately carved dark wood entry doors 📸.

2 - TALLEST Spires & LARGEST Churches in the World

Saint Peter's Basilica  | Vatican City  · Roman Catholic · Renaissance / Baroque 

Originally built in 333AD on the site of St. Peters tomb🔍 (visible under the church) the current Basilica, c1635, is the largest cathedral in the world @ 163,000 sq ft (15,160 sq m). The dome, famously designed by Michelangelo, is 448 ft (136.57 meters) high.

Officially Basilica Papale di San Pietro in Citta di Vaticano (Papal Basilica of Saint Peter in the Vatican City) it surprises many to learn it is not the Pope's official seat or first in rank among the Major Basilicas* but it houses priceless art like Michelangelo’s Pietà, and fountains designed by Maderno & Bernini.

(UNESCO World Heritage Site)

* The Pope's cathedral is the 1st ranked Archbasilica of St. John Lateran (see 'More Sacred Relics..'.)

Ulmer Münster/ Ulm Minster | Germany  · Lutheran · Gothic 

The tallest spired church in the world is Ulm, c.1377-1890, which reaches a remarkable 530 ft (161.5 m.) While sometimes referred to as Ulm Cathedral because of its size, the name is technically incorrect as it has never been the episcopal see of a bishop.

Visitors can climb the 768 minister steps to the top of the 3rd gallery, just below the spire tip, but claustrophobics be warned, the final spiral stairwell has barely enough room for one person.

3 - FAIRYTALE Churches

Some castle-like churches in picturesque setting are so beautiful as to seem unreal. They look like they might be hosting Cinderella's wedding or the Christening of Aurora before she's cursed by the last, uninvited fairy...

Mont Saint Miché Abbey   | France   · Roman Catholic · Romanesque/ Gothic

Built on the peak of the Mont-Saint-Michel,* a tidal island in Normandy, the layout of the 10th century planned feudal town is meant to symbolize God's order on earth; with God, in the form of the Abbey** / Monastery as the pinnacle over all other earthly tiers.

The Abbey has many underground crypts & chapels and has been used regularly as a jail over the years, particularly under Louis XI.

(UNESCO World Heritage Site)

* Originally called Mont Tombe & connected to the mainland, it was populated by religious devotees; hermits & likely Celtic monks in the 8th century. In 709AD a tsunami hit, destroying an entire nearby forrest, isolating the mont as an island - so in 710 it was renamed Mont-Saint-Michel au péril de la Mer (Mount Saint Michael at the Peril of the Sea🔍 - at the direction of the Archangel Michael via a dream to Saint Aubert, who then built the first circular abbey on the mont.

In the Middle Ages it was called Saint-Michel-aux-Deux-Tombes (Saint Michael of the two tombs) for the tomb of Aubert & a small island near by, Tombelaine, that purportedly holds the tomb of a French Princess Hélène.

** Abbey - AA·Beee /ăb′ē/ (n) a monastery or convent (community of Nuns) run by an Abbott or Abbess

Sanctuary of Las Lajas  -  Ipiales | Columbia  · Roman Catholic · Neo-Gothic  

Jutting from a mountain cliff & attached to a high, arched stone bridge over Guáitara River canyon, the minor basilica of the Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary of Las Lajas* was built c1916- 1949

at the site of a claimed miraculous 1754 Marian apparition** to a deaf-mute girl.

The vision of Mary, illuminated by lighting in a storm, is said to have left the colorful Madonna & Child image seen on the rock wall, called Sancta Virgo de Rupe (Holy Virgin of the Rock.) Pope Pius XII granted the image a Pontifical Decree of Coronation to attest to it's divine nature.

* Sanctuary -   SANK·tchoo·air·ee  /săngk'choo-ĕr"ē/ Latin sanctus=holy (n) consecrated place, building set apart for holy worship + Laja = flagstone in Spanish, a flat sedimentary rock

** Marian apparition are claims of the supernatural appearance of the Blessed Virgin Mary, there are less than 50 such appearance in history that have been investigated & "confirmed"by the Roman Catholic Church since 1521, with 3 "confirmed" by the Coptic Orthodox Church. Despite the images coronation the apparition itself is not officially listed as one "approved" by the church.

Saint-Michel d'Aiguilhe  | France  · Roman Catholic  · Romanesque  

Built 962AD,  the isolated Saint-Michel d'Aiguilh e chapel (Saint Michael of the Needle) near Le Puy-en-Velay, is impossibly perched at the top of a 279 foot high (85m) volcanic plug* spire. It can

only be reached via the 268 steps carved into the volcanic rock it sits on.

The dramatic location makes it one of the most striking churches in world (and the perfect setting for a Princes rescue quest in any fairytale!)

* Also called a volcanic neck or lava neck, is a formation created by hardening magma within an active volcano vent

~ ORNATE Cathedrals ~

We don't decorate modern churches with the splendor of cathedrals, some consider it ostentatious or wasteful. So why did The Church spend so much $ (not to mention time) adorning cathedrals? There was certainly no lack of poor & needy people in the past.

There were political and power motives involved, to be sure, but on a more basic level the beauty of a church was symbolic of the faith it's built to house. In the Christian faith they're is meant to bear witness to the Incarnation of Christ; Heavenly Truth & Beauty incarnated in earthly form. It is an attempt to capture the transcendent and eternal, (and in the Catholic tradition Christ himself is physically present in the church in the form of the sacrament.)

Practically, the human heart is hardwired to be moved by beauty and as a house of prayer the interior of the church is meant to prepare & open the heart for communion with God, to both humble and lift a soul towards heaven...

"They stop, and gaze, and lift their eyes upward, and as they do they

fall to their knees, and even the most unlearned stumble and mumble the words their stuttering tongues seek to find:

Holy, Holy Holy is the Lord God of Hosts."

- Fr. Dwight Longenecker

4 - GILDED & GLITTERING  

Gold has long been the epitome of wealth and beauty; rare, lovely in itself & unchanging in it's nature^ so what better material for adornment.

La Compañía -  Quito | Ecuador  · Roman Catholic · Colonial Baroque

Church & Convent San Ignacio de Loyola de la Compañía de Jesús de Quito, c1605 - 1765,

doesn't glitter on the outside. The façade of its main temple is intricately carved from Ecuadorian andesite, a lovely, but plainly colored volcanic stone.

The interior of the colonial church though, with it's decorative carved cedar wood detailing, is so richly gilded it's been referred to as the Temple of Solomon of South America.

The presbytery, side naves, dome & pulpit are covered completely with gleaming 23-carat gold leaf sheets.

St. Mark’s Basilica  -  Venice | Italy   · Roman Catholic   · Byzantine/ Romanesque/ Gothic 

St. Mark's was originally built in the 9th century, to house the remains of the patron saint of Venice & his sacred relics. A blend of Western and Eastern architectural styles the Basilica is one of the city's most iconic structures.

The interior walls and domes are covered in intricate mosaics, frescoes & loads of gold sparkling in the sunlight filtered in through the arched openings in the dome-drums.

It's also known for an elaborate golden altar screen; Pala d’Oro; & four glittering bronze horse statues; the Triumphal Quadrig, taken from the Hippodrome of Constantinople during the 4th crusade, that now on the loggia above the porch of the Basilica.

St. Paul’s Cathedral  -  London, England | UK · Anglican · English Baroque/ Neo Classical 

Founded in 604AD at the site of a Roman temple to Diana, the Cathedral sits on the highest point of London's Ludgate Hill. It 's been damaged and rebuilt five times over the centuries including when

the Gothic version burnt down in the great fire of 1666.

In the current Cathedral, designed by Cristopher Wren* the dome and eastern apse are adorned with gilded cornices & mosaics.

At his death in 1723, Wren was the first to be interred in the cathedral with the epitaph "Lector, si monumentum requiris, circumspice" on his tomb ("Reader, if you seek his monument, look around you.")

* Wren is credited with 50 +city church designs, many of which had to be rebuilt after the fire.

Church of Saint Nicholas  -  Prague | Czech Republic  · Roman Catholic  · Baroque   

The gold pulpit and gilding in the 1755 Parish🔍 Church, Kostel svatého Mikuláše,* is understated compared to many cathedrals, but it's judicious use against the white column backdrop only serves to highlight the beauty of the many delicate frescoes.

The patron of the church, Václav Count of Kolowrat-Liebsteinsky, who donated his entire estate to pay for it's construction & that of the adjacent Malá Strana buildings, insisted that the patron plaque, still on the churches wall, credit his uncle, Frantisek Karel, so he could remain anonymous.

* FUN FACT - The church's organ has over 4,000 pipes up to six meters long and was once played by Mozart in 1787

Saint Michael’s Monastery,-  Kyiv | Ukraine  · Ukrainian Orthodox  · Baroque   

Most Cathedrals focus their gilding efforts on the the interior of their grand halls, but Saint Michaels,

on the banks of the Dnipro River, coated it's massive domes on the outside entirely in gold.

The monastery, first founded in 1108 & dedicated to the Archangel Michael, is an example of Eastern architecture traditions of vibrant, eye catching exteriors.

^ Gold has always been a symbol of stability and trustworthiness because it's chemical make up means it does not react to other elements, being nearly literally unchangeable. It is the second-lowest in the reactivity series of elements.

5 - PAINTED & FRESCOED

Paintings have adorned halls of worship for as long as both have existed. They were both decretive and educational for illiterate parishioners. As churches grew more elaborate so did the murals, blooming into divine frescoes covering ever grander cathedrals.

Frescoes have mostly been replaced by more traditional painting these days, with more stable paint technology, but painted cathedrals can sbe equally stunning.

Sistine Chapel/ Cappella Sistina  | Vatican City  · Roman Catholic  · Renaissance   

Called Cappella Magna (Great Chapel,) is where papal conclaves are held to select Popes, it was named Sistine for Pope Sixtus IV who commissioned it.

(See banner image)

The most famous of any fresco in the world is without a doubt Michelangelo's 1508 ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, (Sacellum Sixtinum) but his Last Judgement behind the chapel's alter, painted 30+ years later, is just as beautiful.

Many other great artists, including Botticelli, Pinturicchio, Ghirlandaio & Rosselli, also have frescoes in the chapel, but none are remembered with the same reverence as Michelangelo.

The flattened barrel-vaulted ceiling was originally painted blue with stars. When Michelangelo was approached by Pope Julius II to repaint it with a fresco of the Apostles he turned the project down because he liked to think of himself as a sculptor, not a painter.

To persuade him Pope Julius offered freedom of subject - and instead of 12 figures Michelangelo painted 300+ immaculate biblical figures across well over 5,000 sq ft (460m) of frescoes, cementing his legacy in art history as firmly as his watercolor was cemented in the chapel's plaster.

( UNESCO World Heritage Site)

Sant'Ignazio -  Rome | Italy  · Roman Catholic  · Baroque   

The Jesuit church of St. Ignatius of Loyola at Campus Martius (Chiesa di Sant'Ignazio di Loyola in Campo Marzio), c.1626-1650, was originally a college chapel.

It has several Andrea Pozzo frescoes including the impressive ceiling; Apotheosis of St. Ignatius,  one of the few Baroque style frescoes,  that makes exceptional use of forced perspective to 'extend' the architecture of the church and make the barrel vault seem to open to the heavens. (There is a marble marker on the floor of where to view the ceiling from to get the full effect of the illusion.)

Notre-Dame de Montréal -  Quebec City | Canada  · Roman Catholic · Gothic Revival   

Montreal's 19th century basilica is a cathedral of dramatic surprises; built in the gothic style but without stone or marble, it's intricate carvings and sculptures all wood, it's shockingly vibrant palate all paint, no tile or even fresco, but the gold of the tens of thousands of stars studding the ceiling, that's real, 24K.

It was designed by James O'Donnell, who reported converted to Catholicism at the completion of the church he was so moved by it's beauty. Currently he is the only man buried in the Cathedrals crypts.

Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi | Italy  · Roman Catholic · Romanesque / Gothic   

The Basilica di San Francesco d'Assisi c1228, consists of two chapels, a Gothic upper church, a Romanasque lower church and a crypt where the saints is buried. Built into the side of a hill, the exterior structure of the church is connected to Friary of Saint Francis.

Both Churches are adorned with beautiful medieval wall paintings including The Life of Isaac frescoes and a series of 28 Giotto's (although authorship is disputed due to ambiguous records)

(UNESCO World Heritage Site)

6 - TILES & MOSAICS

The use of colored stones, shells and ivory for mosaic decorations dates back to at least to the second half of 3rd millennium BC.

San Michele Arcangelo -  Capri | Italy  · Roman Catholic  · Baroque     

Built in 1719 in Anicapri, the small octagonal Church of St Michael the Archangel has a stunning floor Mosaic featuring Adam & Eve, the devilish snake wound round the Tree of the Knowledge of Good & Evil and... Unicorns!

Santa Costanza -  Rome | Italy  · Roman Catholic · Early Christian   

At one time, the 4th-century church named for Emporer Constanine's daughter, Constantina, was nearly completely covered in mosaic.* What remains today are those in the apses & the impressive ring barrel vaulted corridor encircling the mausoleum dome, which consists of eleven divisions of ornamental motifs.

The mosaics are made from marble, unlike later pieces using glass, and the colors, a narrow range of red, dark green, brown & yellow on a light backdrop are similar to early Roman works, suggest they were likely created soon after the completion of basilica.

* As depicted in surviving Renaissance-era illustrations

Santa Pudenziana - Rome | Italy · Roman Catholic · Paleochristian/ Romanesque   

The 4th century basilica, dedicated to Saint Pudenziana, is the oldest site of Christian worship in Rome, erected over a 2nd century house & re-using part of a Roman bath, which is still partly

visible in the apse.

It is known for a 4th century apse mosaic of Christ, one of the earliest human, rather than symbolic, iconographies of Jesus.

The building was a residence of the pope until 313AD and the facade & entry courtyard also contain some beautiful tile and mosaic work.

Mosaics of Ravenna | Italy · Roman Catholic  · Early Christian/ Byzantine 

Capital of the Western Roman Empire, and then of Byzantine Italy in the 5th & 6th centuries, Ravenna was the center of late Roman Mosaic Art.

It's churches, like the Basilica of Sant’Apollinare Nuovo, Sant’Apollinare Classe &  Basilica of San Vitale are prime examples of the period's skill and artistry.

 (The Basilica of Nuovo is a UNESCO World Heritage Site)

Portuguese Tiled Cathedrals  · Roman Catholic · Various   

Some of the most unique tiled churches can be found in Portugal, where traditional azulejos* tiles are used to decorate the Cathedrals.

Best known are 18th century Porto churches like Neoclassical Capela das Almas (Chapel of Souls/

Chapel of Santa Catarina) & Proto-Baroque Igreja de Santo Ildefonso (Church of Saint Ildefonso,) both covered in blue & white azulejos, (influenced by Dutch Delft tiles) and there are 15,947 of them covering Capela da Almas! (Tiles, not Saints...)

Both churches were fairly plain when built. Tiles weren't added until 1929 & 1932.

For an earlier example of azulejos look to the Gothic cloister of Sé do Porto (the Porto Cathedral) where a 1729 tiled wall depicts Mother Mary & scenes from The Metamorphosis. The 12th century Romanesque cathedral got a later Gothic refurbish. The tiled wall & facade added as part of a Baroque 'upgrade'

Outside of Porto there are versions of tile work, that incorporate more than just the classic blue & white, like the 1746 Baroque & Rococo Igreja matriz de Santa Maria de Válega who's bright, full spectrum exterior tiles were laid in the 1960s. The churches interior also has strikingly tile panels

(Saint Ildefonso is a UNESCO World Heritage Site)

* Azulejos, from Arabic الزليج (al-zillīj); zellij = polished stone, meant to imitate Byzantine & Roman stone mosaics, is a form of Portuguese & Spanish painted tin-glazed ceramic tile-work. Dating back to the13th century where panels of alicatados tile-mosaic (from Arabic: ﻗَﻄَﻊَ,  qata'a=to cut) were originally glazed in a single color, cut into small shapes & assembled into geometric patterns. This later evolved into painted scenes on the glazed tiles.

7 - CARVED & SCULPTED

Before wide spread literacy the church used both theater & visual arts to teach, including the sculpting of important biblical scenes on the facades and interiors of Cathedrals telling the core stories of Jesus' birth, life, death & resurrection.

Duomo di Milano -  Milan | Italy · Roman Catholic · Gothic/ Renaissance   

The vast Milan Cathedral, or Basilica cattedrale metropolitana di Santa Maria Nascente,  (Metropolitan Cathedral-Basilica of the Nativity of Saint Mary)  begun in 1386 wasn't completed until 1965.

It was nearly finished by Napoleon who was crowned King of Italy at the Duomo & promised the French would cover construction expenses. Even though the debts were never paid, a statue of Napoleon was erected on top of one of the spires.

The facade is covered in intricate stone carvings and statues, notably, the octagonal cupola contains four series of 15 statues each, portraying saints, prophets & other Biblical figures.

Reims Cathedral | France  · Roman Catholic · French High Gothic   

The Cathedral, also called Notre Dame de Reims, (Our Lady of Reims) was begun in 1211 and has been the sight of coronation for kings of France, from the 13th - 19th century, including Louis VIII

& Charles VII (when Joan of Arc was in attendance.)

It was modeled on Chartres Cathedral, but incorporated new architectural techniques like sculpted bar tracery,* which became a signature element of French High Gothic.

(UNESCO World Heritage Site)

* A technique where windows are divided into sections by stone bars/ ribs of moulding.

8 - STAINED-GLASS

Colored glass use in religious buildings documents back to the 7th century. Like the carved stone scenes, stained-glass played more than just a decorative role - the images of Bible stories made teachings accessible. The symbolism & language of light also holds significance - as Jesus is the light of the world.

Sainte Chepelle  -  Paris | France  · Roman Catholic  · Rayonnant Gothic   

Sainte Chepelle, meaning simply Holy Chapel, was built in 1248, with an impressive 6,500 sq ft of stunning stained glass including 15 panels of biblical scenes. It was commissioned by King Louis IX to house his collection of sacred relics on Île de la Cité in the river Seine.

(Monument Historique)

Bourges Cathedral | France  · Roman Catholic  · High Gothic / Romanesque  

Built 1195-1230 atop an earlier Romanesque church, the Cathedral honors St. Stephen, the first Christian martyr. It features stained glass panels of standing prophets designed by André Beauneveu. Sadly in the 18th century some of the 13th century stained glass was replaced with white grisaille glass to allow in more light.

(UNESCO World Heritage Site)

Less Traditional Churches have also made impressive use of stained-glass...

Coventry Cathedral -  England | UK   · Anglican    · Regional Modern   

Built next to the preserved ruins of a 14th-century Gothic church bombed during World War II, the more modern Coventry, or St. Michael’s has a spectacular set of stained-glass windows designed by Lawrence Lee, and a Baptistry window designed by John Piper.

(The church also preserved the remaining old cathedral’s medieval stained-glass, by John Thornton.) 

Chapel of Thanksgiving  -  Dallas, TX | USA   · Symbolic Minimalism   

The 1976, 73 paneled Glory Window, in a small, 90 foot spiraled dome in Thanksgiving Square is one of the largest horizontally mounted stained-glass windows in the world. (As a public chapel it isn't associated with any particular denomination)

Reached by a 125 foot bridge over a waterfall in the landscaped public gardens it was featured Terrence Malick's THE TREE OF LIFE.

9 - Sites of SACRED RELICS

Many religious practices, including both Roman Catholic and Orthodox tradition, include the veneration of relics.

Christian relics brought back from crusades began to be exhibited in churches the Middle Ages. They played a pivotal role in attracting pilgrims (aka Middle Ages tourist $) and as such where a form of political currency.^

Their explosion in popularity was an issue contributing to the Protestant Reformation. John Calvin argued veneration was idolatry. More over, he, and others after him, noted there's no mention of the keeping of any of the claimed relics in early church writings, casting doubt on wether any extant relics are even authentic.^^

But real or not, they are still a huge draw for pilgrims & tourists alike...

Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre - Jerusalem | Israel  · Shared* · Paleochristian/ Romanesque / Baroque

First constructed in 335AD, under Emperor Constantine, the complex contains both the site where Jesus was crucified (@ Calvary, or Golgotha) and the empty tomb where he was buried before the resurrection; it's original name was Church of the Anastasis (the Resurrection). It was demolished in 1009 and rebuilt i 1948.

The church houses relics including the True Cross & Stone of Anointing, (where Jesus’ body was prepared for burial.)

* Roman Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Armenian Apostolic, Coptic, Syriac, & Ethiopian Orthodox all share the Basilica

Notre-Dame Cathedral de Paris | France   · Roman Catholic · French Gothic  

Home of Victor Hugo's Hunchback in the eponymous🔍 book, Notre-Dame may be the most recognized cathedral in the world.*  It's known for stunning stained glass Rose Windows, inventive

gargoyles and of course, "the bells the bells..."** 

Built off the river Seine, from 1163-1189 it has born much damage over the years. It was first restored by Emperor Napoleon, and then again, after fire broke out 2019, destroying most of the roof and Viollet-le-Duc’s 19th-century spire. The Cathedral just recently re-opened December 2024.

It's relics, Jesus' Crown of Thorns,† a Nail from & Sliver of the True Cross managed to survive the fire.

(UNESCO World Heritage Site)

* So much so that despite the fact that there are many many churches & cathedrals named Notre Dame - ( Notre Dame is French for Our Lady, referring to the Virgin Mary) - if you reference Notre Dame without a place qualifier it will be assumed you're referring to the one in Paris.

** In addition to the later classic grotesques turned water spouts, there are carved chimera (a mythical hybrid creature; body of a lion & head of a goat) and strix or stryge scultpures, (an owl or bat-like creature said to eat human flesh.)

Notre-Dame has ten bronze bells total, all named (after a formal christening including the naming by Godparents.) The two largest are Emmanuel & Marie, in the south tower, with Gabriel, Denis, Marcel, Anne Geneviève, Jean-Marie, Étienne, Benoît-Joseph & Maurice in the north tower. The bells have rung since at least 1198AD.

† The crown has been venerated since around the year 400AD, and in 1238, Latin Emperor Baldwin II of Constantinople yielded it to French King Louis IX placed it in Notre-Dame.

Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore- Rome | Italy · Roman Catholic · Roman/ Romanesque/ Baroque

The Basilica of Saint Mary Major, or Saint May of Nevi, is sometimes referred to as Our Lady of the Snows,* or Saint Mary of the Crib (Sancta Maria ad Praesepeone) in honor of it's most significant holy relic; Pieces of Jesus' Manger.

(UNESCO World Heritage Site)

* In connection with a legend that in the summer of 352AD a Roman & his wife without heirs, made a vow to donate their possessions to the Virgin Mary and prayed she would make known to them how. In response on the night of August 5th snow fell on Esquiline Hill, where the first Basilica was then built. (Alternatively there's a version where Pope Liberius was told in a dream to build the Basilica at the site of the forthcoming summer snow)

Basilica of the Holy Blood-  Bruges | Belgium · Roman Catholic · Romanesque/ Gothic/ Gothic Revival

The Heilig-Bloedbasiliek consists of two chapels 📸 - a lower Romanesque stone chapel, dedicated

to St. Basil the Great, connected to an upper ornate Gothic Chapel of the Holy Blood by a monumental staircase, De Steegheere, built 1529-1533.

The Basilica began as a simple private chapel built by Flemish Count Thierry of Alsace in 1134 next to the residence of the Counts of Flanders, (what's today town-hall) to house the relics of St. Basil brought from Cappadocia (Turkey.)

In 1147 Thierry went on the Second Crusade and supposedly returned with the Basilica's claim to fame, the Holy Blood of Christ* gifted to him by a brother-in-law in Jerusalem.**

The upper chapel was renamed in it's honor, transformed into the Gothic Style at the end of the 15th century & again in 1823, and eventually granted minor Basilica status in 1923 due to the import of the relic.

*  A Byzantinan rock crystal perfume bottle, sealed with a red wax covered stopper, the phial dates to the 11th/ 12th century and is said to contain a cloth with the blood of Jesus Christ on it - allegedly collected by Joseph of Arimathea.

The Bible never mentions Christ's blood being saved, only an apocryphal book, Acts of Pilate says Joseph preserved it as he washed the dead body of Christ (as INDIANA JONES fans will know, legends of Joseph were popular in the 13th century, along with emerging Holy Grail mythology.)

In 1310 Pope Clement V issued a papal bull  granting indulgences to pilgrims who visited the relic; the blood allegedly liquefied at noon on Fridays but other than a reported reoccurrence in 1388 the miracle didn't last past the year.

** It is more likely the relic comes from the 1204 sack of Constantinople during the Fourth Crusade.

Kölner Dom/ Cologne Cathedral | Germany  · Roman Catholic  · Gothic    

Hohe Domkirche Sankt Petrus or Cathedral Church of Saint Peter, was begun in 1248 and finally completed in 1880 as one of the tallest churches in the world.

It boasts carved oak choir stalls dating from the early 14th century and the facade is adorned with intricate carvings and statues so fine it's considered the pinnacle of cathedral architecture.

It's the home to the shrine & relics of The Magi (the three kings/ wisemen of the nativity.)

                 (UNESCO World Heritage Site)

* In 1238, King Baldwin II of Jeruselem offered the crown of thorns to King Louis IX in exchange for France supporting his weakening empire.

**Professor Euan Cameron of Union Theological Seminary, NY noted in his book, Interpreting Christian History, that most relics show markers of creation in the Middle Ages and further stated; "The deliberate avoidance of anything savouring of idolatry in the early church made it most unlikely that any such relics would have been kept in the first place... Then there was the problem that so many relics existed in multiple versions across Europe: one saint might have up to four full bodies dispersed in various places, besides body parts dispersed here and there..." He therefor concluded that most, if not all, had to be forgeries.

10 - World FAMOUS Cathedrals

Florence Cathedral -  Florence | Italy  · Roman Catholic  · Gothic / Romanesque/ Renaissance

The Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore (Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Flower) was begun in 1296 and completed 1436. It's adorned with intricate green, pink & white marble panels and is the fourth largest church in the world. The enormous dome was designed by Filippo Brunelleschi and inside are amazing works of art, including the Last Judgment frescoes by Giorgio Vasari.

(UNESCO World Heritage Site)

Canterbury Cathedral  -  Kent, England | UK · Anglican · Gothic / Romanesque   

Inspiration & destination of the pilgrims in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, the cathedral was established in 597 AD, with the arrival of it's first archbishop, Saint Augustine, and it's the oldest church in England still in use.

It's most known as the site of Archbishop Thomas Beckett's murder in 1170*, likely on the orders of King Henry II. The exact spot is marked & healing miracles are attributed to Becket's relics kept at the church (It was to Becket's shrine that Chaucer's Pilgrims were traveling.)

(UNESCO World Heritage Site)

* It is also the resting place of Edward of Woodstock, The Black Prince

St. Vitus Cathedral - Prague | Czech Republic  · Roman Catholic · Gothic   

Known for it's intricate twin spires & buttresses, mosaics, elaborate stained glass windows, tombs of Bohemian Kings & Holy Roman Emperors and the 14th century Chapel of St. Wenceslaus, decorated with 1300+ semi-precious stones. Began in 1344, it took nearly six centuries to complete!

(UNESCO World Heritage Site)

Apostolic Tomb Cathedrals - Cathedrals built at burial sites of Apostles

Some of the most visited pilgrimage sites in Christianity are the Cathedrals built over tombs of the original apostles of Christ.

In addition to St. Peter's Basilica (above)  there are:

Santiago de Compostela Cathedral -  Galicia | Spain   1075-1211 · Roman Catholic · Romanesque/ Gothic & Baroque

At (reported) tomb of St. James (Santiago) the Apostle

San Thome Cathedral Basilica -  Chennai,  | Ind 1500-1523/ 1896   · Roman Catholic   · Neo Gothic  

At (reported) tomb of St. Thomas (Thome) the Apostle

Aziz Yuhanna Katedrali/  Basilica of St. John -  Izmir | Turkey  · 1862-74  · Roman Catholic · Neo- Classical

At (reported) tomb of St. John the Evangelist & Apostle

Westminster* Abbey -  London, England | UK  · Anglican  · Gothic   

Founded by Benedictine Monks in 906, it's the site of British coronations from William the Conqueror, Christmas Day 1066 to King Charles III in 2022. (On the Cosmati pavement;

a 700-year-old tile floor made of ~30,000 pieces of colored glass & stone.)

The current abbey, or Collegiate Church of Saint Peter was commissioned by Henry II in 1245. It contains a medieval shrine to Edward the Confessor, (last Anglo-Saxon King of England) but it still has a few 11th-century sections like the Chamber of the Pyx.**

Over 3,300 people are buried or commemorated in Westminster such as Queen Elizabeth I, Laurence Olivier & Sir Isaac Newton are buried here.

(UNESCO World Heritage Site)

* Originally called West🔍 Minster to differentiate it from St. Paul’s of London , which was the East Minster.

** Pyx - from Greek pyxis = wooden box - refers to a boxwood chest that holds the coins used in the Trial of the Pyx: a judicial ceremony to insure newly minted coins conform to specifications. Coin quality is now tested in labs, but the event has been an annual tradition since the 12th century.

BONUS Non-Christian Houses of Worship

I'm Christian, so I fully believe Jesus is The Way (The Truth & The Light) but Christians are by no means the only believers who aspire to reach, communicate & honor our God with houses of worship. And we certainly don't have a monopoly on beautiful architecture! Just look @...

Wat Rong Khun -  Pa O Don Chai | Thailand  · Buddhist Temple

Known as the White Temple,  the unique porcelain effect of the concrete building (completed in 1997,) is achieved with whitewash & embedded glass/ mirrored chips!

[You can check out more Non-Christian houses of Worship here...]

Which is your favorite Church? Have you visited a cool Cathedral I don't mention? Tell us about it in the comments below!