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Top Ten Cathedrals and AbbeysReligious buildings are a treasure
Religious buildings are among the main tourist attractions.
Whether religious or not, tourists tend to be attracted by cathedrals, abbeys, basilicas and even small churches. They are among the best historical witnesses to the development of cities and countries. The ones in this article started as Catholic Temples although some were later converted to Protestant churches. Canterbury CathedralThe seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury is both a holy place but also a World Heritage Site. It is the most important Anglican temple where Thomas Beckett was murdered in 1170. It was always a centre of Pilgrimage and today many tourists travel to Canterbury to visit this historical place. Westminster AbbeyAlthough used for religious services this temple is a fine museum. Kings and Queens are buried here and the poets’ corner is a reminder of the most influential writers in the kingdom. Some important authors are buried here although it was not intended as a burial place but a place for commemoration. Lincoln CathedralThis Cathedral is one of the finest gothic buildings in Europe and houses one of the four surviving copies of the Magna Carta. It is located on a hill presiding majestically over the city of Lincoln and can be seen from afar. In the film “The Da Vinci Code” the cathedral took the role of Westminster Abbey after the producers were not authorised to film there. Santiago de CompostelaIn the Middle Ages it was the most important place of Christian pilgrimage together with Jerusalem and Rome. Today it receives millions of tourists each year willing to visit the alleged burial place of Santiago (St. James) even when some historians suggest that a heretical Galician priest is buried in the saint’s place. It is located in one of the most beautiful squares in Spain: the Obradoiro. The Old Quarter where the Romanesque Cathedral is located is one of the best preserved in Spain. Cathedral of SevilleIt is the largest Gothic cathedral and the fourth largest Christian church in the world. It was built over land previously occupied by the Almohad Mosque. Christopher Columbus is buried here in an impressive sepulchre. BarcelonaBarcelona is peculiar in the fact that even when it has an impressive gothic cathedral in the centre of the old quarter it also has two more religious building which are as important as the cathedral. One of them is the beautiful church of Santa Maria del Mar and the other is the breathtaking temple of Sagrada Familia designed by Antoni Gaudí. Buenos AiresCathedral It was a surprise for the society of Buenos Aires when the Cathedral was finished because the façade rsembled a Greco-Roman temple with the twelve columns representing the twelve Apostles. It is an imposing temple where their most famous hero, General San Martín, was buried after his death in Boulogne-sur-Mer. St Vitus, PragueThis impressive Gothic building is located within Prague Castle and its towers preside over the city. The cathedral is home to the relics of St Wenceslas. In the late 19th century the cathedral underwent important reconstruction work which was completed in the early 20th century when the late local Art Noveau painter Alfons Mucha decorated the new windows in the north part of the nave. Notre Dame, ParisThe cathedral has suffered many attacks during the ages but it still stands in a beautiful area of Paris. It is the finest example of French Gothic architecture. The authorities started a complete process of maintenance and restoration in 1991 that still continues in 2008. Notre Dame, BoulogneWhile not as impressive as the one in Paris, this it is a fine basilica built in the place occupied previously by the medieval cathedral. Its most important part, however, is underground. In 1827 the workmen building the basilica discovered a crypt that lain unknown for centuries. They discovered the foundations of a Roman Temple and many chambers with relics. The Argentine General San Martín was buried here in a small chapel until his remains were transferred to the Cathedral in Buenos Aires. References:-Guided visits to each cathedral and temple and brochures about the history and growth of them.
The copyright of the article Top Ten Cathedrals and Abbeys in Catholic Church is owned by José Luis Rodríguez-Olveira. Permission to republish Top Ten Cathedrals and Abbeys in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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