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 […]
Tag Archives | cathedral
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 […]
Cathédrale Sainte-Marie-Majeure de Marseille, Marseille, France
This monstrosity is Marseille’s cathedral. If it looks a little modern, it’s because it was built during the late-19th century boom. This was built to signify France’s importance as a powerful trading partner with Asia. Built in eye-catching green and white stone stripes and a mix of Romanesque, Byzantine and Gothic styles, the cathedral oozes […]
Sé do Porto
Porto’s massive cathedral, Sé do Porto, sits high on a hill overlooking the city. It was founded in the 12th century and is one of Portugal’s significant Romanesque monuments. The plain façade features a Baroque porch and a Romanesque rose window and is flanked by two square towers with cupolas. The interior is striking with […]
Cathédral Notre Dame des Doms d’Avignon, Avignon, France
It makes sense that a city that the pope once called home would have a 4.5-ton gilded Virgin Mary looming over it. Avignon’s Cathédrale Notre Dame des Doms likely existed as early as the 4th century, but the structure we see today was built in phases from the 12th century. During the French Revolution, the […]
Berner Münster
After the Zytglogge, this late-Gothic church gets the most attention in Bern. Its spire is the highest in Switzerland and the portal, which has 234 colored depictions of the Last Judgment, is its most famous feature. The left half of the portal depicts the saved, the right half the damned. The 170 small figures are […]
Freiburg im Breisgau
We chose to make Freiburg home-base for exploring the Black Forest because it’s the largest town in the region and accessible to many of the areas we wanted to explore. Though the Black Forest is a well-known Christmas destination, this time of year is very quiet so we wanted to make sure to stay somewhere […]
Kolner Weihnachtsmarkt, or Cologne’s Christmas Markets
If you visit only one Christmas market in this part of Europe, make it Cologne’s. When I saw how crowded Cologne’s Christmas markets were, I wasn’t surprised that its four main markets attract over two million visitors a year. Cologne has the best Christmas markets I’ve seen thus far in Europe. The wares were diverse […]
Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Luxembourg
Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Luxembourg was founded in the early 17th century as part of the city’s Jesuit college. When the Jesuits were ordered from the area in the 18th century, the church was given to the City of Luxembourg. Notre Dame awarded cathedral status in 1870 when Pope Pius IX declared Luxembourg a self-governing diocese. […]
Parc du Château
It’s hard to miss Parc du Château, the 92-meter high rock. This was Nice’s first settled spot. The extravagant castle Colline du Château once adorned the top, but was destroyed by Louis XIV in the 18th century. Other medieval ruins are visible, such as a pedestrian gate fitted into the former castle’s wall and ruins […]
