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Passion Façade

Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família, Barcelona

Sagrada Família is the one must-see in town. This commission was originally for a modest orthodox church in a neo-Gothic style. Obviously, it went a different direction. Gaudì started this project when he was 31 and spent the rest of his life working on it, living in an on-site studio and becoming a recluse. For […]

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Barcelona Seu

La Catedral Basílica Metropolitana de Barcelona, or La Seu

Barcelona’s stunning 15th-century Gothic cathedral is dedicated to local martyr Santa Eulàlia, whose tomb rests in a crypt below the high altar. The cathedral sits on the site previously occupied by a Roman temple and a Christian basilica. The neo-Gothic façade is relatively new, having been completed in the 19th century. I didn’t get to […]

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Milan Dom-2

Duomo di Milano

In Milan, most main streets lead straight to the enormous cathedral and the ones that don’t, encircle it. Such a layout is a tip-off to the important role the Duomo has always held. This is Europe’s third largest cathedral (St. Peter’s and the cathedral in Seville are bigger). Work began in the 14th century but […]

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The bishops blessed the citizens from the upper loggia.

Basilica di Sant’Ambrogio, Milan

This basilica was founded in 379 AD by Milan’s patron saint, Saint Ambrose. It remains one of the few remaining examples of medieval Lombard architecture, though it underwent numerous restorations and reconstructions throughout the years. One showpiece is the decorative canopy supported by four ancient Roman columns. Under the canopy is an elaborate 9th-century gold […]

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Exterior, with Emperor Constantine

Chiesa di San Lorenzo Maggiore, Milan

This 4th-century octagonal basilica is the oldest church in Milan. It was substantially rebuilt in the 11th century after a devastating fire and numerous earthquakes, heavily renovated in the 16th century and completely restored in the 1930s. Since it was built on unstable, marshy ground, the entire structure sits on enormous blocks of foundation taken […]

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Milan Maria delle Grazie

Santa Maria delle Grazie and Cenacolo Vincianzo, Milan

The last time I visited Milan, I didn’t have the foresight to get tickets for the Last Supper in advance. This time, being much older and a little wiser, I planned ahead and bought tickets online about a month in advance. It was worth it! No photos were allowed inside the refectory, which houses the […]

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Salzburg Dom

Domkirche St Rupert, Salzburg

This 17th-century Baroque cathedral is the third iteration to sit on this site, replacing two that were destroyed in fires. The first cathedral was built in the 8th century. The cavernous interior has beautiful ceiling frescoes, especially elaborate around the dome, and the small side chapels have intricate stucco work and cherubs. Inside is the […]

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Gloomy exterior shot

Peterskirche, Salzburg

18th-century St. Peter’s Cemetery fits right into the city’s ornate character. Locals buried here include Mozart’s sister and Haydn’s brother. Up above, 3rd-century inhabitants cut catacombs into the rock. Saint Rupert, a Franconian missionary, came to Salzburg in the 7th century and founded St. Peter’s church and Benedictine monastery. The current Romanesque structure dates from […]

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Notre Dame Lyon

Basilique Notre Dame de Fourvière, Lyon, France

Basilique Notre Dame de Fourvière sits high atop Fourvière, the steep hill on Lyon’s west side. It’s nicknamed the “upside down elephant.” Fourvière Hill was where the Romans first settled and established a Roman forum and temple. In the 12th century, a chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary was built on the hill. In the […]

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Crypt

Basilique Notre-Dame de la Garde Marseille, France

This 19th-century Romano-Byzantine basilica, informally known as La Bonne Mère, sits atop Marseille’s highest hill, La Garde, and is visible from almost anywhere in the city. The structure is striking, with colored marble, murals and mosaics, wraparound terraces and a tall Virgin Mary crowning the bell tower. Since Roman times, this site has served as […]

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