World's Great Cathedrals
Soaring stone and stained glass, centuries in the making. 23 places, mapped and ready to build a trip around.
Plan a trip on Trailwind →Church of the Holy Sepulchre
IsraelBestVariesClimate43–91°FThe Church of the Holy Sepulchre, also known as the Church of the Resurrection, is a fourth-century church in the Christian Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem. The church is simultaneously the seat of the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem, Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem, and the Catholic Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem. It is the holiest site in Christianity and it has been an important pilgrimage site for Christians since the fourth century.
Florence Cathedral
ItalyBestFeb–OctClimate37–91°FCurrencyEURLanguageItalianFlorence Cathedral, formally the Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Flower, is the cathedral of the Catholic Archdiocese of Florence in Florence, Italy. Commenced in 1296 in the Gothic style to a design of Arnolfo di Cambio and completed by 1436 with a dome engineered by Filippo Brunelleschi, the basilica's exterior is faced with polychrome marble panels in various shades of green and pink, alternated by white, and features an elaborate 19th-century Gothic Revival western façade by Emilio De Fabris.
St Mark's Basilica
ItalyBestVariesClimate34–84°FCurrencyEURLanguageItalianThe Patriarchal Cathedral Basilica of Saint Mark, commonly known as St Mark's Basilica, is the cathedral church of the Patriarchate of Venice; it became the episcopal seat of the Patriarch of Venice in 1807, replacing the earlier cathedral of San Pietro di Castello. It is dedicated to and holds the relics of Saint Mark the Evangelist, the patron saint of the city.
Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba
SpainBestSep–JunClimate41–102°FCurrencyEURLanguageSpanishThe Mosque–Cathedral of Córdoba is the cathedral of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Córdoba in the Spanish region of Andalusia. Officially called the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption, it is dedicated to the Assumption of Mary. Due to its status as a former mosque, it is also known as the Mezquita and, in a historical sense, as the Great Mosque of Córdoba.
Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
BulgariaBestFeb–OctClimate28–86°FThe St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral is a Bulgarian Orthodox cathedral in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria. Built in the Neo-Byzantine style, it serves as the cathedral church of the Patriarch of Bulgaria and it is one of the largest Christian church buildings by volume in the world. It is one of Sofia's symbols and primary tourist attractions. St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Sofia occupies an area of 3,170 square metres (34,100 sq ft) and can hold 5,000 worshipers.
Tournai Cathedral
BelgiumEst. 1936BestApr, Jun, AugClimate36–75°FCurrencyEURLanguageDutchThe Cathedral of Our Lady, or Tournai Cathedral, is a Roman Catholic cathedral, see of the Diocese of Tournai in Tournai, Belgium. It has been classified both as a Wallonia major heritage site since 1936 and as a World Heritage Site since 2000.
Etchmiadzin Cathedral
ArmeniaBestVariesClimate23–95°FEtchmiadzin Cathedral is the mother church of the Armenian Apostolic Church, located in the city dually known as Etchmiadzin (Ejmiatsin) and Vagharshapat, Armenia. Constructed at the turn of the fourth century, it is usually considered the first cathedral built in ancient Armenia, and often regarded as the oldest cathedral in the world.
Wawel Cathedral
PolandBestVariesClimate28–77°FThe Archcathedral Basilica of Saint Stanislaus and Saint Wenceslaus, known colloquially as Wawel Cathedral, is a Catholic cathedral situated on Wawel Hill in Kraków, Poland. Nearly 1,000 years old, it is part of the Wawel Castle Complex and is a national sanctuary which served as the coronation site of Polish monarchs.
Lala Mustafa Pasha Mosque
CyprusBestSep–JunClimate48–95°FThe Lala Mustafa Pasha Mosque, originally known as the Cathedral of Saint Nicholas and later as the Saint Sophia (Ayasofya) Mosque of Mağusa, is the largest medieval building in Famagusta, Cyprus.
Riga Cathedral
LatviaBestMay, Jun, SepClimate27–73°FRiga Cathedral formally The Cathedral Church of Saint Mary, is the Evangelical Lutheran cathedral in Riga, Latvia. It is the seat of the Archbishop of Riga.
York Minster
United KingdomBestJun, Aug, SepClimate36–70°FCurrencyGBPLanguageEnglishYork Minster, formally the Cathedral and Metropolitical Church of Saint Peter in York, is an Anglican cathedral in the city of York, North Yorkshire, England. The minster is the seat of the archbishop of York, the second-highest office of the Church of England, and is the mother church for the diocese of York and the province of York. It is administered by its dean and chapter. The minster is a Grade I listed building and a scheduled monument.
Saint Sophia Cathedral
CyprusBestOct–MayClimate45–100°FThe Lala Mustafa Pasha Mosque, originally known as the Cathedral of Saint Nicholas and later as the Saint Sophia (Ayasofya) Mosque of Mağusa, is the largest medieval building in Famagusta, Cyprus.
Nidaros Cathedral
NorwayBestJun, AugClimate25–64°FCurrencyNOKLanguageNorwegianNidaros Cathedral is a Church of Norway cathedral located in the city of Trondheim in Trøndelag county. It is built over the burial site of King Olav II, who brought Christianity to Norway and became the patron saint of the nation; the consecration of new Norwegian monarchs occurs at Nidaros Cathedral. It was built over a 230-year period, from 1070 to 1300 when it was substantially completed.
Euphrasian Basilica
CroatiaBestVariesClimate37–84°FCurrencyEURLanguageCroatianThe Euphrasian Basilica or the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of Mary is a Roman Catholic basilica in the Istrian town of Poreč, Croatia. The episcopal complex, which comprises the basilica itself, a sacristy, a baptistery and the bell tower of the nearby archbishop's palace, is an excellent example of early Byzantine architecture in the Mediterranean region.
Šibenik Cathedral
CroatiaBestJun–SepClimate39–90°FCurrencyEURLanguageCroatianThe Cathedral of St. James or simply Šibenik Cathedral is a triple-nave Catholic cathedral with three apses and a dome in Šibenik, Croatia. It is the episcopal seat of the Diocese of Šibenik. It is often known as "St. Jacob's", because Croatian, like many other languages, uses the same name for both "James" and "Jacob". It is dedicated to Saint James the Great.
Matthias Church
HungaryBestMar–OctClimate30–84°FCurrencyHUFLanguageHungarianThe Church of the Assumption of the Buda Castle, more commonly known as the Matthias Church and more rarely as the Coronation Church of Buda, is a Catholic church in Holy Trinity Square, Budapest, Hungary, in front of the Fisherman's Bastion at the heart of Buda's Castle District.
Pannonhalma Archabbey
HungaryBestVariesClimate28–81°FCurrencyHUFLanguageHungarianThe Benedictine Pannonhalma Archabbey or Territorial Abbey of Saint Martin on Mount Pannonhalma is a medieval building in Pannonhalma and one of the oldest historical monuments in Hungary. Founded in 996, it is located near the town, on top of a hill. Saint Martin of Tours is believed to have been born at the foot of this hill, hence its former name, Mount of Saint Martin, from which the monastery occasionally took the alternative name of Márton-hegyi Apátság.
Modena Cathedral
ItalyEst. 1986BestFeb–OctClimate32–91°FCurrencyEURLanguageItalianModena Cathedral is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Modena, Italy, dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary and Saint Geminianus. Formerly the seat of the Diocese, later Archdiocese, of Modena, it has been since 1986 the archiepiscopal seat of the Archdiocese of Modena-Nonantola. Consecrated in 1184, it is an important Romanesque building in Europe, and along with its bell tower, the Torre della Ghirlandina, is designated as a World Heritage Site.
Cathedral of the Most Holy Conception
ChileBestAug–AprClimate41–70°FCurrencyCLPLanguageSpanishThe Cathedral of the Most Holy Conception is a Roman Catholic cathedral located in Concepción, Chile.
Palermo Cathedral
ItalyBestJun–AugClimate48–88°FCurrencyEURLanguageItalianPalermo Cathedral is the cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Palermo, located in Palermo, Sicily, southern Italy. It is dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. As an architectural complex, it is characterized by the presence of different styles, due to a long history of additions, alterations and restorations, the last of which occurred in the 18th century.
Salzburg Cathedral
AustriaBestSepClimate27–77°FCurrencyEURLanguageGermanSalzburg Cathedral is the seventeenth-century Baroque cathedral of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Salzburg in the city of Salzburg, Austria, dedicated to Saint Rupert and Saint Vergilius. Saint Vergilius founded the church in 774 on the remnants of a Roman town, and the cathedral was rebuilt in 1181 after a fire. In the seventeenth century, the cathedral was completely rebuilt in the Baroque style under Prince-Bishop Wolf Dietrich von Raitenau to its present appearance.
St. John's Co-Cathedral
MaltaBestJun–AugClimate54–88°FSt John's Co-Cathedral is a Catholic co-cathedral in Valletta, Malta, dedicated to Saint John the Baptist. It was built by the Order of St. John between 1573 and 1578, having been commissioned by Grand Master Jean de la Cassière as the Conventual Church of Saint John.
Vilnius Cathedral
LithuaniaBestMay–SepClimate25–75°FThe Cathedral Basilica of St Stanislaus and St Ladislaus of Vilnius, also known as Vilnius Cathedral is the main Catholic cathedral in Lithuania. It is situated in Vilnius Old Town, just off Cathedral Square. Dedicated to the Christian saints Stanislaus and Ladislaus, the church is the heart of Catholic spiritual life in Lithuania.