Christianity is the majority religion in Europe. For many centuries, the Catholic Church held great power over the continent. In this way, a way of reaffirming power over the European population was through the construction of great monuments, including cathedrals.
In order to talk about some of the most beautiful and important cathedrals in Europe, we made this article. Good reading!
8 Cathedrals To Discover In Old Continent
These are the cathedrals you must visit:
- 1. Santa Maria del Fiore;
- 2. Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris;
- 3. Saint Mark’s Basilica;
- 4. Cologne Cathedral;
- 5. Milan cathedral;
- 6. St Paul’s Cathedral (London);
- 7. Saint Peter’s Basilica;
- 8. Saint Basil’s Cathedral.
1. Santa Maria del Fiore
This cathedral is one of the largest in Europe. Its construction began in the 13th century and lasted until the 15th century, with the works on the dome — the great differential of this monument. In addition, the church mixes elements of the Gothic style with the Renaissance style. Thus, the dome drum is 54 meters long, the church is 90 meters wide and 153 meters long.
2. Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris
This is another gothic style cathedral. It stands out for its stained glass windows and its robustness. In addition, it is one of the best known cathedrals in the world, especially for the novel by Victor Hugo (The Hunchback of Notre-dame). The Church is one of the most visited monuments in Paris.
3. Saint Mark’s Basilica
St. Mark’s Cathedral is the most famous church in Venice. The city has always stood out for its maritime trade. In this way, a great architectural influence in the city was the Byzantine civilization, heir to the Roman Empire and with many influences from the arts and techniques of the East.
This cathedral is an example of that and brings together one of the greatest examples of Byzantine architecture that has remained until the present day.
4. Cologne Cathedral
This church is the fifth tallest in the world. In this way, it is one of the symbols of the city of Cologne, and also a world heritage site by Unesco since 1996. It is another great cathedral in the Gothic style and it is worth visiting it on your visit to Europe and Germany.
5. Milan cathedral
Milan Cathedral was built in the Gothic style, but it has many peculiarities in terms of style, which make it very emblematic. In this way, be aware of the details of the adornments and the reflection of sunlight on its facade. The work is very rich and very different from any other Gothic church in Europe.
6. St Paul’s Cathedral (London)
This Cathedral, unlike the many others presented in this article, does not belong to the Catholic Church, but to the Anglican Church. It was of great magnitude and purpose built to rival the great Catholic temples in the rest of Europe. In this way, it is worth knowing this Anglican symbol. The style of the cathedral is neoclassical.
7. Saint Peter’s Basilica
This Basilica is the largest religious temple in the Vatican and, without a doubt, the most important Catholic temple in the world. The main masses of the Catholic Church take place there, as well as the headquarters of the biggest events.
This Church began to be built in the 16th century and was inaugurated in the 17th century. Therefore, it presents influences from different architectural and artistic styles, such as the Renaissance and the Baroque. The dome of this cathedral was designed by Michelangelo.
8. Saint Basil’s Cathedral
This is one of the most iconic cathedrals in Europe due to its style and onion-shaped domes. It was built to commemorate the expansion of the Russian empire and is still a major landmark in Moscow. Its shapes are very unique. It seems that its forms were conceived in a dream. In this way, it is a great monument to visit.
Therefore, there are many cathedrals that you must visit in Europe. They are large, but stand out for their countless styles, construction techniques or even their particularities.
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