Romanesque Churches And Cathedrals

Romanesque was the dominant architectural style in Europe in the 11th and 12th centuries. Named for its basis in the basilicas of ancient Rome, Romanesque architecture developed in northern Italy and had its most exquisite expression in France, but fine examples can be found throughout western Europe. "Romanesque" is Roman(e) in French, Romanish in German, Romaanse in Dutch, Románico in Spanish and Romanico in Italian.

Romanesque churches were the first buildings to incorporate monumental sculpture since ancient Rome and the first to use a stone vault instead of a wooden roof. Other characteristics of Romanesque include round arches, large towers, thick walls, small windows, and decorative details inside and out. When they were first built, Romanesque churches were alive with color and imagery, serving as a visual Bible to a mostly illiterate population. But not all Romanesque church art is religious: many carvings and paintings depict plants, animals, mythical beasts, pagan imagery, scenes of daily medieval life, and humorous figures. See our Romanesque Architecture reference article for more details and example illustrations.

Below is an illustrated index of the 185 Romanesque Churches and Cathedrals profiled on Sacred Destinations so far. For photo credits, please see corresponding articles.

Featured Romanesque Churches and Cathedrals

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. Notre-Dame-la-Grande Poitiers, Poitou-Charentes, France This unique Romanesque-Byzantine church of the 11th and 12th centuries has one of the finest Romanesque faces in France, covered in a jumble of carvings of saints and biblical scenes. Sant'Antimo Abbey Tuscany, Italy Located in a Tuscan valley near Siena, this spectacularly beautiful abbey is a must-see. Gregorian chant can be heard from inside the elegant Romanesque church throughout the day.

All Romanesque Churches and Cathedrals (by Country) Nonnberg Convent Salzburg, Austria St. Peter's Abbey Church Salzburg, Austria Martinskirche Linz, Austria Tournai Cathedral Tournai, Belgium Basilica of the Holy Blood Bruges, Belgium Bruges Cathedral Bruges, Belgium Cassington Church Cassington, Oxfordshire, England Exeter Cathedral Exeter, Devon, England Canterbury Cathedral Canterbury, Kent, England Lincoln Cathedral Lincoln, Lincolnshire, England Gloucester Cathedral Gloucester, Gloucestershire, England St Mary Arches Exeter, Devon, England St Mary Steps Exeter, Devon, England St Nicholas Priory Exeter, Devon, England Round Church Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England Glastonbury Abbey Glastonbury, Somerset, England Christ Church Cathedral Oxford, Oxfordshire, England Iffley Church Oxford, Oxfordshire, England St Giles Church Oxford, Oxfordshire, England St Peter-in-the-East Oxford, Oxfordshire, England St Augustine's Abbey Canterbury, Kent, England Bampton Church Bampton, Oxfordshire, England Black Bourton Church Black Bourton, Oxfordshire, England Chichester Cathedral Chichester, Sussex, England Christchurch Priory Christchurch, Dorset, England Cuddesdon Church Cuddesdon, Oxfordshire, England Ely Cathedral Ely, Cambridgeshire, England Durham Castle Durham, England Durham Cathedral Durham, England Kilpeck Church Kilpeck, Herefordshire, England New Romney Church New Romney, Kent, England Peterborough Cathedral Peterborough, England Tewkesbury Abbey Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, England Winchester Cathedral Winchester, Hampshire, England St Albans Cathedral St Albans, Hertfordshire, England Clifford's Tower York, Yorkshire, England All Hallows by the Tower London, England St Bartholomew the Great London, England Temple Church London, England Battle Abbey Battle, East Sussex, England Cluny Abbey Cluny, Burgundy, France Anzy-le-Duc Church Anzy-le-Duc, Burgundy, France Germigny-des-Pres Oratory Germigny-des-Pres, Centre, France Tournus Abbey Tournus, Burgundy, France Basilica of St. Sernin Toulouse, Midi-Pyrenees, France Chauvigny Church Chauvigny, Poitou-Charentes, France St-Martin-du-Canigou Languedoc-Roussillon, France St-Germain-des-Prés Paris, Ile-de-France, France Senanque Abbey Provence, France Fontevraud Abbey Fontevraud l'Abbaye, Loire Valley, France Conques Abbey Conques, Midi-Pyrenees, France Autun Cathedral Autun, Burgundy, France Poitiers Cathedral Poitiers, Poitou-Charentes, France Notre-Dame-la-Grande Poitiers, Poitou-Charentes, France St-Hilaire-le-Grand Poitiers, Poitou-Charentes, France Sainte-Radegonde Poitiers, Poitou-Charentes, France St-Jean-de-Montierneuf Poitiers, Poitou-Charentes, France St-Porchaire Poitiers, Poitou-Charentes, France Aulnay Church Aulnay-de-Saintonge, Poitou-Charentes, France Fontenay Abbey Burgundy, France Gourdon Church Gourdon, Burgundy, France Iguerande Church Iguerande, Burgundy, France Angers Cathedral Angers, Loire Valley, France Saulieu Church Saulieu, Burgundy, France St-Trophime Arles, Provence, France Vézelay Abbey (Basilique Ste-Madeleine) Vézelay, Burgundy, France Aix Cathedral Aix-en-Provence, Provence, France Le Puy Cathedral Le Puy, Auvergne, France Chapel of St Michael d'Aiguilhe Le Puy, Auvergne, France Mont St-Michel Normandy, France Saint-Benoît-sur-Loire Abbey Saint-Benoît-sur-Loire, Centre, France Moissac Abbey Cloister Moissac, Midi-Pyrenees, France Fontfroide Abbey Languedoc-Roussillon, France Abbaye aux Dames Caen, Normandy, France Abbaye aux Hommes Caen, Normandy, France Lyon Cathedral Lyon, France Avignon Cathedral Avignon, Provence, France Escaladieu Abbey Midi-Pyrenees, France Rocamadour Shrine Rocamadour, Midi-Pyrenees, France Saint-Révérien Church Saint-Révérien, Burgundy, France St-Savin-sur-Gartempe Church St-Savin-sur-Gartempe, Poitou-Charentes, France St-Pierre-de-Montmartre Paris, Ile-de-France, France Notre-Dame-du-Port Clermont-Ferrand, Auvergne, France Saint-Nectaire Church Saint-Nectaire, Auvergne, France Chapelle St-Quenin Vaison-la-Romaine, Provence, France Vaison-la-Romaine Cathedral Vaison-la-Romaine, Provence, France Saint Hilaire Abbey Saint-Hilaire, Languedoc-Roussillon, France Montceaux l'Etoile Church Montceaux l'Etoile, Burgundy, France St. Gereon Church Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany Münster Cathedral Munster, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany Trier Cathedral Trier, Germany St. Matthias Abbey Trier, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany Maria Laach Abbey Maria Laach, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany Michaelskirche Hildesheim, Lower Saxony, Germany Hildesheim Cathedral Hildesheim, Lower Saxony, Germany Schnütgen Museum (St. Cecilia) Cologne, Germany St. Maria im Kapitol Cologne, Germany St. Pantaleon Church Cologne, Germany Bonn Münster Bonn, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany Augsburg Cathedral Augsburg, Bavaria, Germany Wartburg Castle Eisenach, Thuringia, Germany Mainz Cathedral Mainz, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany Schottenkirche St Jakob Regensburg, Bavaria, Germany Worms Cathedral Worms, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany Worms Synagogue Worms, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany Mikrí Mitropolí Athens, Attica, Greece Monasterboice County Louth, Ireland Christ Church Cathedral Dublin, Ireland St. Audoen's Church Dublin, Ireland Glendalough County Wicklow, Ireland Rock of Cashel County Tipperary, Ireland Mellifont Abbey County Louth, Ireland Clonmacnoise County Offaly, Ireland Church of the Holy Sepulchre Jerusalem, Israel Chapel of the Ascension Jerusalem, Israel Last Supper Room Jerusalem, Israel Tomb of the Virgin Jerusalem, Israel Troia Cathedral Puglia, Italy Anagni Cathedral Anagni, Lazio, Italy Sant'Agnese fuori le Mura Rome, Lazio, Italy San Clemente Rome, Lazio, Italy Santa Croce in Gerusalemme Rome, Lazio, Italy Monreale Cathedral Monreale, Sicily, Italy San Lorenzo fuori le Mura Rome, Lazio, Italy Santa Maria in Trastevere Rome, Lazio, Italy San Paolo fuori le Mura Rome, Lazio, Italy Duomo di San Rufino Assisi, Umbria, Italy Eremo delle Carceri Assisi, Umbria, Italy San Damiano Convent Assisi, Umbria, Italy Sant'Antimo Abbey Tuscany, Italy Amalfi Cathedral Amalfi, Campania, Italy Cefalu Duomo Cefalu, Sicily, Italy San Miniato al Monte Florence, Tuscany, Italy Fossanova Abbey Lazio, Italy Marienberg Abbey South Tyrol, Italy Santa Maria dei Servi Siena, Tuscany, Italy Cappella Palatina Palermo, Sicily, Italy La Cataldo Palermo, Sicily, Italy Palermo Cathedral Palermo, Sicily, Italy La Martorana Palermo, Sicily, Italy San Giovanni degli Eremiti Palermo, Sicily, Italy Spoleto Cathedral Spoleto, Umbria, Italy San Gregorio Maggiore Spoleto, Umbria, Italy San Ponziano Spoleto, Umbria, Italy San Pietro Spoleto, Umbria, Italy Sant'Eufemia Spoleto, Umbria, Italy Pisa Cathedral Pisa, Tuscany, Italy Leaning Tower of Pisa Pisa, Tuscany, Italy Pisa Baptistery Pisa, Tuscany, Italy Parma Cathedral Parma, Emilia-Romagna, Italy Sant'Ambrogio Milan, Lombardy, Italy Milan Cathedral Treasury Milan, Lombardy, Italy Ruvo di Puglia Cathedral Ruvo di Puglia, Puglia, Italy San Galgano Abbey Tuscany, Italy Basilica di San Nicola Bari, Puglia, Italy Florence Baptistery Florence, Tuscany, Italy San Michele in Foro Lucca, Tuscany, Italy Lucca Cathedral (San Martino) Lucca, Tuscany, Italy San Frediano Lucca, Tuscany, Italy San Zeno Maggiore Verona, Veneto, Italy Verona Cathedral Verona, Veneto, Italy Bitonto Cathedral Bitonto, Puglia, Italy Kerak Castle Jordan Shobak Castle Jordan Nidaros Cathedral Trondheim, Norway Urnes Stave Church Western Norway, Norway Evora Cathedral Evora, Alentejo, Portugal Lisbon Cathedral Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal Convento de Cristo Tomar, Portugal Iona Abbey Western Isles, Scotland St Andrew's Cathedral St Andrews, Fife, Scotland Santiago de Compostela Cathedral Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, Spain Sant Pau del Camp Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain Avila Cathedral Avila, Castile and Leon, Spain Basilica de San Vicente Avila, Castile and Leon, Spain San Clemente Segovia, Castile and Leon, Spain San Millán Segovia, Castile and Leon, Spain Grossmünster Zurich, Canton Zurich, Switzerland Geneva Cathedral (St-Pierre) Geneva, Canton Geneva, Switzerland Spiez Schlosskirche Spiez, Canton Bern, Switzerland Fraumünster Zurich, Canton Zurich, Switzerland St. Peterskirche Zurich, Canton Zurich, Switzerland Krak des Chevaliers Syria Cave Church of St. Peter Antioch, Turkey St. David's Cathedral St Davids, Pembrokeshire, Wales

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