Cathedrals

A cathedral is the home church of a bishop. "Cathedral" is a functional rather than an architectural term and derives from the bishop's cathedra, or seat, that is located there. Our list of cathedrals includes Catholic, Orthodox and Episcopalian cathedrals that are true cathedrals (the seats of bishops) as well as some former cathedrals still commonly called by that name. See our Church Glossary for definitions of terms used to describe cathedral architecture. Below is an illustrated index of the 144 cathedrals profiled on Sacred Destinations so far. For photo credits, please see corresponding articles.

Featured Cathedrals

Aachen Cathedral Aachen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany Commissioned by Charlemagne in 786 AD, Aachen's cathedral is the oldest in Northern Europe and contains several holy relics. Autun Cathedral Autun, Burgundy, France Dating from the early 12th century with later Gothic additions, the Cathédrale St-Lazare is a pilgrimage church (for relics of Lazarus) famed for its splendid sculptures by the Romanesque sculptor Gislebertus. Rock of Cashel County Tipperary, Ireland These striking hilltop ruins include a 12th-century royal chapel, cathedral and round tower, plus some fine high crosses in the churchyard. Stephansdom Vienna, Austria Vienna's cathedral has survived many wars and is now a symbol of the city's freedom. The Gothic cathedral was first built in 1147 and its most recognizable characteristic, the diamond-patterned tile roof, was added in 1952. Hildesheim Cathedral Hildesheim, Lower Saxony, Germany Founded in 1010, the cathedral of Hildesheim contains many treasures of early medieval art, including bronze doors carved with biblical scenes and a bronze column showing the life of Christ. Prague Cathedral Prague, Czech Republic Located inside Prague Castle, the striking Cathedral of St. Vitus has a long history that extends from its founding in the 10th century to its final completion in 1929.

All Cathedrals by Country Gurk Cathedral , Austria Innsbruck Cathedral Innsbruck, Austria Salzburg Cathedral Salzburg, Austria Stephansdom Vienna, Austria Tournai Cathedral Tournai, Belgium Bruges Cathedral Bruges, Belgium Brussels Cathedral Brussels, Belgium Cathedral of the Queen of the World Montreal, Canada St. John's Cathedral Hong Kong, China St. Ignatius (Xujiahui) Cathedral Shanghai, China Prague Cathedral Prague, Czech Republic Plzen Cathedral Plzen, Czech Republic Roskilde Domkirke Roskilde, Denmark St. Mark's Coptic Cathedral Alexandria, Egypt St Paul's Cathedral London, England Exeter Cathedral Exeter, England Canterbury Cathedral Canterbury, England Lincoln Cathedral Lincoln, England Gloucester Cathedral Gloucester, England Christ Church Cathedral Oxford, England Bath Abbey Bath, England Bristol Cathedral Bristol, England Chichester Cathedral Chichester, England Ely Cathedral Ely, England Durham Cathedral Durham, England Peterborough Cathedral Peterborough, England Winchester Cathedral Winchester, England St Albans Cathedral St Albans, England Wells Cathedral Wells, England Salisbury Cathedral Salisbury, England York Minster York, England Southwark Cathedral London, England Westminster Cathedral London, England Canterbury Cathedral Stained Glass Canterbury, England Lutheran Cathedral Helsinki, Finland Uspenski Cathedral Helsinki, Finland Notre Dame Cathedral Paris, France Albi Cathedral Albi, France Chartres Cathedral Chartres, France Bourges Cathedral Bourges, France Autun Cathedral Autun, France Poitiers Cathedral Poitiers, France Chartres Cathedral Stained Glass Chartres, France Angers Cathedral Angers, France Tours Cathedral Tours, France Amiens Cathedral Amiens, France Aix Cathedral Aix-en-Provence, France Le Puy Cathedral Le Puy, France Narbonne Cathedral Narbonne, France Reims Cathedral Reims, France Rouen Cathedral Rouen, France Lyon Cathedral Lyon, France Avignon Cathedral Avignon, France Laon Cathedral Laon, France Nantes Cathedral Nantes, France Noyon Cathedral Noyon, France Strasbourg Cathedral Strasbourg, France Clermont Cathedral Clermont-Ferrand, France Aachen Cathedral Aachen, Germany Berliner Dom Berlin, Germany Cologne Cathedral Cologne, Germany Münster Cathedral Munster, Germany Trier Cathedral Trier, Germany Hildesheim Cathedral Hildesheim, Germany Augsburg Cathedral Augsburg, Germany Magdeburg Cathedral Magdeburg, Germany Regensburg Cathedral Regensburg, Germany Worms Cathedral Worms, Germany Ulm Münster Ulm, Germany Erfurt Cathedral Erfurt, Germany Mitrópoli (Cathedral) Athens, Greece Landakotskirkja Reykjavik, Iceland Christ Church Cathedral Dublin, Ireland St. Patrick's Cathedral Dublin, Ireland St. Mary's Pro-Cathedral Dublin, Ireland Rock of Cashel County Tipperary, Ireland Clonmacnoise County Offaly, Ireland Church of the Holy Sepulchre Jerusalem, Israel Troia Cathedral Puglia, Italy Anagni Cathedral Lazio, Italy Monreale Cathedral Monreale, Italy San Giovanni in Laterano (St. John Lateran) Rome, Italy Duomo di San Rufino Assisi, Italy Amalfi Cathedral Campania, Italy Cefalu Duomo Cefalu, Italy Florence Duomo Florence, Italy Milan Cathedral Milan, Italy Siena Duomo (Siena Cathedral) Siena, Italy Palermo Cathedral Palermo, Italy Spoleto Cathedral Spoleto, Italy St. Mark's Basilica Venice, Italy Pisa Cathedral Pisa, Italy Parma Cathedral Emilia-Romagna, Italy Ruvo di Puglia Cathedral Puglia, Italy Lucca Cathedral (San Martino) Lucca, Italy Mdina Cathedral Mdina, Malta Metropolitan Cathedral Mexico City, Mexico Puebla Cathedral Puebla, Mexico Sacre-Coeur Cathedral Casablanca, Morocco Nidaros Cathedral Trondheim, Norway Braga Cathedral Braga, Portugal Evora Cathedral Evora, Portugal Lisbon Cathedral Lisbon, Portugal Cathedral of Christ the Savior Moscow, Russia St. Basil's Cathedral Moscow, Russia Cathedral of the Annunciation Moscow, Russia Cathedral of the Archangel Moscow, Russia Cathedral of the Assumption Moscow, Russia Peter and Paul Cathedral St. Petersburg, Russia St. Isaac's Cathedral St. Petersburg, Russia Cathedral of the Epiphany Moscow, Russia St Giles Cathedral Edinburgh, Scotland St Andrew's Cathedral St Andrews, Scotland Toledo Cathedral Toledo, Spain Santiago de Compostela Cathedral Santiago de Compostela, Spain Mezquita de Cordoba Cordoba, Spain Almudena Cathedral Madrid, Spain Valencia Cathedral Valencia, Spain Barcelona Cathedral (La Seu) Barcelona, Spain Avila Cathedral Avila, Spain Seville Cathedral Seville, Spain Burgos Cathedral Burgos, Spain Cadiz Cathedral Cadiz, Spain Uppsala Cathedral Uppsala, Sweden Bern Münster Bern, Switzerland Geneva Cathedral (St-Pierre) Geneva, Switzerland Lausanne Cathedral Lausanne, Switzerland Maronite Cathedral Aleppo, Syria Hagia Sophia Istanbul, Turkey Akdamar Church Eastern Anatolia, Turkey Orthodox Patriarchate and Cathedral Istanbul, Turkey Cathedral of Christ the Light Oakland, USA Grace Cathedral San Francisco, USA Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels Los Angeles, USA National Cathedral Washington DC, USA St. James Cathedral Seattle, USA St. Mark's Cathedral Seattle, USA St. Spiridon Orthodox Cathedral Seattle, USA St. Patrick's Cathedral New York City, USA Cathedral of St. John the Divine New York City, USA Cathedral Church of St. Paul Boston, USA Baltimore Basilica Baltimore, USA St. Louis Cathedral New Orleans, USA St. David's Cathedral St Davids, Wales

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