Main church of a diocese: the church where you find the bishop's see.
In the early Christian cathedrals, the bishop's see was standing in an apse of the choir (called (exedra), but nowadays it stands on the side in the choir.
In the early middle ages, the abbey churches were larger and had more power than the cathedrals. The more power the cities (12th century and later) were getting, the more those cities replaced their old churches by new, giant gothic cathedrals. Cathedrals, town halls and bellfries became thé symbols to show their power. | Click here for map |
ListPos | Mini thumb | Name | Country | Place | Score | Begin year | 1 |  | Saint-Baafs' cathedral (e) Picture by Johan Mares (@Belgiumview) Keywords:Cathedral, Gothic, Brabantion Gothic, Scheldt Gothic, Norman (Romanesque), transept, chapter church, retable, pulpit, nave, choir, chancel, support tower, ambulatory, crypt, Stone from Doornik, radial chapel, mausoleum, Pieter Paul Rubens, Jan Van Eyck | BELGIUM | GHENT | 5.5 / 2150 | ~ 1300 | 2 |  | Our Ladies Cathedral (Seen from the town hall) Picture by Johan Mares (@Belgiumview) Keywords:Cathedral, Brabantion Gothic, Late gothic, Gothic, Neo-classicism, Neo-gothic, doorway (porch), clustered column, spire, gablet, arcade, triforium, breastwork, parapet, catheder, inner hall, choir, chancel, pulpit, nave, aisle, central aisle, side altar, organ-case, high altar, main altar, tower, confessional, organ, tombstone, grave stone, brass, Pieter Paul Rubens, Hendrik Van Thienen, Keldermans, J. Blom, Everard van Veeweyden (Spoorwater), Jan Tac, Peter Appelmans, Jan Baptist van Wint, Verbruggen (Verbrugghen), Michiel. Senior van der Voort (ook Vervoort), Domien de Waghemakere, Erasmus en Artus Quellin, Guillaume of Willem Kerricx de Oudere, P. Schyven, F. Durlet, L. Willemsen, M. de Vos, Francken, A. van Noort, Joseph Bascourt | BELGIUM | ANTWERP | 5.7 / 1375 | 1352 | 3 |  | Our-Ladies cathedral Picture by Johan Mares (@Belgiumview) Keywords:Church, Cathedral, World Heritage, Norman (Romanesque), Gothic, Renaissance, painting, Stone from Doornik, crossing tower, portico, window with round arch, buttress, staircase turret, staircase tower, apse, apsis, tunnel vault (barrel vault), western block, transept, choir, chancel, pilaster, triforium, rood loft, choir screen, niche, truss, gallery, pointed arch, nave, chapel (in church or other building), flanking aisle, side aisle, three-aisled, clustered column, Pieter Paul Rubens, Cornelis Floris de Vriendt (Floris) | BELGIUM | TOURNAI | 5.6 / 1630 | | 4 |  | Saint-Paul's cathedral Picture by Johan Mares (@Belgiumview) Keywords:Cathedral, Early gothic, High Gothic, Late gothic, Early romanesque (norman), transept, cross ribvaulting, diagonal rib vault, doorway (porch), crypt, stained glass, tower, vaultal painting, parclose, nave, spire, choir, chancel, clerestory, western block, pulpit | BELGIUM | LIEGE | 5.6 / 1784 | 970 | 5 |  | Saint-Salvators' cathedral Picture by Johan Mares (@Belgiumview) Keywords:Cathedral, Illuminated, Gothic, Neo-Romanesque, Baroque, Early gothic, clustered column, pier arch, church treasure, choir, chancel, reliquary, cross ribvaulting, diagonal rib vault, pulpit, lectern, stellar vaulting, shaft, mausoleum, organ, triforium, tower, rood loft, choir screen, radial chapel, spire, arched corbel course, buttress, polychromy, nave, staircase turret, staircase tower, brick, tapestry, ambulatory, Jan Vanden Poele, Robert Cantrell, Eugène Carpentier, Pierre Buyck | BELGIUM | BRUGES | 5.6 / 1726 | ~ 1275 | 6 |  | Saint-Michaels' cathedral (Saint-Michael and Sainte-Gudule) (From Place Sainte-Gudule) Picture by Johan Mares (@Belgiumview) Keywords:Cathedral, Gothic, pulpit, lancet, confessional, net or lierne vaulting, western tower, glass frame, transept, doorway (porch), stained glass, mausoleum, clustered column, chapter church, cross ribvaulting, diagonal rib vault, nave, altar, marble, bronze, church treasure, silver, Jan Baptist van der Haeghen, Verbruggen (Verbrugghen), Jan van Delen, Louis de Curte, Erasmus en Artus Quellin, Gilles de Briedere, Jan van Ruysbroeck, Norbertijnen, Jan Delporte, Duquesnoy, Cornelis Floris de Vriendt (Floris), Willem Geefs | BELGIUM | BRUSSELS | 5.7 / 1170 | ~ 1220 | 7 |  | St. Alban's cathedral Picture by Johan Mares (@Belgiumview) Keywords:Cathedral, Baroque, Classicism, Norman (Romanesque), dome (cupola), tower, Corinthian column, half-relief, pendentive, tooth course, dentils, drum, crossing, statue (as an ornament), baptismal font, Gaetano Pizzoni, Nicolae, Anton (Anthonie) van Dyck, Jacob Jordaens | BELGIUM | NAMUR | 5.8 / 1785 | 1751 | 8 |  | Cathedral Saint-Rombouts' cathedral Picture by Johan Mares (@Belgiumview) Keywords:Cathedral, Brabantion Gothic, Baroque, High Gothic, Early gothic, Neo-gothic, Renaissance, marble, pinnacle, tower, ambulatory, painting, pulpit, high altar, main altar, altar, mausoleum, choir, chancel, clustered column, transept, tabernacle, cross ribvaulting, diagonal rib vault, stained glass, sculpture group, bronze, oak wood, choir stalls, cantpost, statue (as an ornament), central aisle, tub, vat, reliquary, tracery, finial, flanking aisle, side aisle, buttress, confessional, pillar, organ, basilica, crocket, crossing, nave, bay, span, radial chapel, pillar, pier, triforium, side chapel, foundations, engaged column, inbedded column, Belgian limestone or bluestone, rood loft, choir screen, copper, spiral staircase, communion rail, Hendrik en Petrus Goyers, Erasmus en Artus Quellin, Jan-Frans Pluys, Michiel Coxcie, Michiel Vervoort, Jan van den Steen, Jan-Frans van Geel, Keldermans, Jean (Jehan) d'Oisy (Osy), Anton (Anthonie) van Dyck, Gaspar de Craeyer, Lucas Faid'herbe, Willem van Hesius, Nicolaas van der Veken, Leo Pieter Suys, J.F. Langemans, Jos Devroe, Jan Gerrits, van Peteghem, Pieter Valckx | BELGIUM | MECHELEN | 4.8 / 2686 | 1200 | 9 |  | Alexander Nevski Cathedral Picture by Jan Boeykens (@Quernus) Keywords:Cathedral, New Bysantin, dome (cupola), tower, bell | Bulgaria | Sofia | - | | 10 |  | Dom Picture by Jan Boeykens (@Quernus) Keywords:Cathedral | Germany | Aachen | 5.1 / 116 | | 11 |  | Dom Our Lady and Saints Liborius and Kilian's Cathedral Picture by Jan Boeykens (@Quernus) Keywords:Cathedral, Baroque, Early Baroque, Late Romanesque (Norman), Gothic, western tower, side chapel, mausoleum, statue (as an ornament), semi-circular (round) arch, tombstone, grave stone, baptismal font, cast iron, doorway (porch), capital, passage under semi-circular arch, choir, chancel, nave, pillar, lancet, tracery, reliquary, altar | Germany | Paderborn | 5.7 / 151 | | 12 |  | Saint Quintin's cathedral Picture by Frederik Flipkens Keywords:Cathedral, Renaissance, Baroque, Early gothic, Neo-gothic, marl stone, spire, monstrance, central aisle, choir stalls, church treasure, side chapel, pulpit, ambulatory, tower, confessional, staircase turret, staircase tower, iron sandstone holding limonite, radial chapel, choir, chancel, transept, gargouille, J. Delsaux | BELGIUM | HASSELT | 5.5 / 1984 | | 13 |  | Saint-Martin's and Saint-Nicolas' church (former cathedral) Picture by Johan Mares (@Belgiumview) Keywords:Church, Cathedral, Gothic, Scheldt Gothic, Brabantion Gothic, flying buttress, doorway (porch), tympanum, spire, rose window, nave, triforium, lancet arch, sandstone, threelight, brick, western block, choir, chancel, transept, mausoleum, Jules Homère Martin Coomans, P.A. Pauwels, Robrecht van Bethune | BELGIUM | IEPER | 5.5 / 5254 | 1221 | 14 |  | Dom - Saint Peter's Cathedral Picture by Jan Boeykens (@Quernus) Keywords:Cathedral, World Heritage, Norman (Romanesque), Gothic, Ancient Roman, western block, tower, window with round arch, pointed arch, trilobate, trefoil tracery, column dividing a window or door, basilica, quatrefoil | Germany | TRIER | 5 / 66 | | 15 |  | Saint-Laurent's catherdral (Svetog Lovro) Picture by Jan Boeykens (@Quernus) Keywords:Cathedral | CROATIA | TROGIR | 5.6 / 196 | | 16 |  | Saint John Baptist Cathedral Picture by Jan Boeykens (@Quernus) Keywords:Cathedral, World Heritage, Gothic, glass frame | FRANCE | Bazas | 5.2 / 96 | | 17 |  | Our Ladies' Cathedral Picture by Jan Boeykens (@Quernus) Keywords:Cathedral | Luxembourg | Luxembourg | 5.4 / 74 | | 18 |  | Virgin Mary's Cathedral Picture by Jan Boeykens (@Quernus) Keywords:Cathedral, Norman (Romanesque), arched corbel course, window with round arch, three-aisled | CROATIA | Krk | 5.2 / 158 | | 19 |  | Tsarevets Castle Picture by Jan Boeykens (@Quernus) Keywords:Castle, Townwall, Cathedral, tower, Teofan Soke | Bulgaria | Veliko Turnovo | 4.8 / 83 | | 20 |  | Saint Vincent's Cathedral Picture by Jan Boeykens (@Quernus) Keywords:Cathedral | FRANCE | Saint-Malo | 4 / 42 | | 21 |  | Roman Catholic Ascension Cathedral Picture by Jan Boeykens (@Quernus) Keywords:Cathedral, dome (cupola), choir, chancel, portico, mausoleum, nave, side altar, statue (as an ornament), altarpiece, high altar, main altar, carara marble, baptismal font, reliquary, pulpit, iron, balcony, apse, apsis, tower, pillar, organ, facade, facade, face, spire, crypt | Romania | Satu Mare | 5.5 / 50 | | 22 |  | Rila Monastery - Saint Ivan Rilski Monastery Picture by Jan Boeykens (@Quernus) Keywords:Abbey, convent, monastery, World Heritage, Cathedral, Bulgarian Revival, tower, gallery, bell, fresco | Bulgaria | Rila | 5.1 / 76 | ~ 946 | 23 |  | Saint-Sophia's church / Old Bishopric Picture by Jan Boeykens (@Quernus) Keywords:Ruins, World Heritage, Church, Cathedral, Byzantine Architecture, three-aisled, apse, apsis, choir, chancel, narthex | Bulgaria | Nessebar | 5.8 / 50 | | 24 |  | Our LadyAssumption Cathedral - Assumption of the Virgin Cathedral Picture by Jan Boeykens (@Quernus) Keywords:Cathedral, New Bysantin, dome (cupola), portico, centralized pattern | Romania | Satu Mare | 5.9 / 67 | 1932 | 25 |  | Church of the Archangels Michael and Gabriel Arch. Victor Smigelschi Picture by Jan Boeykens (@Quernus) Keywords:Church, Cathedral, New Bysantin, balcony, nave, dome (cupola), three-aisled, wall painting, narthex | Romania | Satu Mare | 5.1 / 65 | | 26 |  | Orthodox Cathedral Picture by Jan Boeykens (@Quernus) Keywords:Church, Cathedral, New Bysantin | Romania | Aiud | 6 / 248 | |
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