This is a list of gothic cathedrals in Europe that are active Christian cathedrals (the seats of bishops), or Parish churches, that are significant for their Gothic style of architecture.
The list is intended to be complete as far as possible.
Cathedral | Archdiocese or Diocese | Location | Country | Dedication | Notes | Image |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
St Albans Cathedral Cathedral and Abbey Church of St Alban | St Albans | St Albans | England | Saint Alban | cathedral | |
Albi Cathedral Cathédrale Sainte-Cécile d'Albi | Albi | Albi | France | Saint Cecilia | cathedral, minor basilica, World Heritage Site | |
Amiens Cathedral Cathédrale Notre-Dame d'Amiens | Amiens | Amiens | France | Blessed Virgin Mary | cathedral, minor basilica; World Heritage Site | |
Angers Cathedral Cathédrale Saint-Maurice d'Angers | Angers | Angers | France | Saint Maurice | cathedral | |
Church of St. Anne, Vilnius Šv. Onos bažnyčia | Vilnius | Vilnius | Lituania | Saint Anne | parish church | |
Autun Cathedral Cathédrale Saint-Lazare d'Autun | Autun | Autun | France | Saint Lazarus of Aix | cathedral (built in the 12th century), minor basilica | |
Auxerre Cathedral Cathédrale Saint-Étienne d'Auxerre | Sens and Auxerre | Auxerre | France | Saint Stephen | cathedral | |
St. Barbara's Church, Kutná Hora Katedrál sv. panny Barbory | Prague | Kutná Hora | Czech Republic | St Barbara | parish church; World Heirtage Site | |
Barcelona Cathedral Catedral de la Santa Creu i Santa Eulàlia | Barcelona | Barcelona | Spain | Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia | cathedral | |
Black Church Biserica Neagră | Lutheran | Brașov | Romania | Blessed Virgin Mary | parish church | |
Bordeaux Cathedral Cathédrale Saint-André de Bordeaux | Bordeaux | Bordeaux | France | Saint Andrew | cathedral; World Heritage Site | |
Bourges Cathedral Cathédrale Saint-Étienne de Bourges | Bourges | Bourges | France | Saint Stephen | cathedral; World Heritage Site | |
Church of Our Lady, Bruges Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk | Bruges | Bruges | Belgium | Blessed Virgin Mary | parish Church | |
Bristol Cathedral Cathedral Church of the Holy and Undivided Trinity | Bristol | Bristol | England | Holy Trinity | cathedral | |
Cahors Cathedral Cathédrale Saint-Étienne de Cahors | Cahors | Cahors | France | Saint Stephen | cathedral | |
Canterbury Cathedral Cathedral and Metropolitical Church of Christ at Canterbury | Canterbury | Canterbury | England | Christ | cathedral; World Heritage Site | |
Carcassonne Cathedral Cathédrale Saint-Michel de Carcassonne | Carcassonne et Narbonne | Carcassonne | France | Saint Michael | cathedral | |
Basilica of St. Nazaire and St. Celse, Carcassonne Basilique Saint-Nazaire-et-Saint-Celse de Carcassonne | Carcassonne et Narbonne | Carcassonne | France | Saints Nazarius and Celsus | former cathedral, minor basilica | |
Chalon Cathedral Cathédrale Saint-Vincent de Chalon | Autun | Chalon-sur-Saône | France | Saint Vincent | former cathedral (bishopric suppressed in 1801) | |
Châlons Cathedral Cathédrale Saint-Étienne de Châlons | Châlons | Châlons-en-Champagne | France | Saint Stephen | cathedral | |
Chartres Cathedral Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Chartres | Chartres | Chartres | France | Blessed Virgin Mary | cathedral, minor basilica; World Heritage Site | |
Chichester Cathedral Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity | Chichester | Chichester | England | Holy Trinity | cathedral | |
Clermont-Ferrand Cathedral Cathédrale Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption de Clermont-Ferrand | Clermont | Clermont-Ferrand | France | Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary | cathedral | |
Cologne Cathedral Hohe Domkirche St. Petrus und Maria | Cologne | Cologne | Germany | Saint Peter, Saint Mary | cathedral; World Heirtage site | |
Coutances Cathedral Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Coutances | Coutances | Coutances | France | Blessed Virgin Mary | cathedral | |
Basilica of Saint-Denis Basilique Saint-Denis | Saint-Denis | Saint-Denis | France | Saint Denis | cathedral | |
Dijon Cathedral Cathédrale Saint-Bénigne de Dijon | Dijon | Dijon | France | Saint Benignus | cathedral | |
Dol Cathedral Cathédrale Saint-Samson de Dol | Rennes | Dol-de-Bretagne | France | Saint Samson | former cathedral | |
Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity | Dublin and Glendalough | Dublin | Ireland | Holy Trinity | cathedral | |
Durham Cathedral The Cathedral Church of Christ, Blessed Mary the Virgin and St Cuthbert of Durham | Durham | Durham | England | Jesus Christ, Blessed Virgin Mary, and Saint Cuthbert | cathedral; World Heritage Site | |
Ely Cathedral Cathedral Church of the Holy and Undivided Trinity | Ely | Ely | England | Holy Trinity | cathedral | |
Exeter Cathedral Cathedral Church of Saint Peter | Exeter | Exeter | England | Saint Peter | cathedral | |
Florence Cathedral Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore or Duomo di Firenze | Florence | Florence | Italy | Blessed Virgin Mary | cathedral, minor basilica | |
Frankfurt Cathedral Frankfurter Dom or Cathedral of Saint Bartholomew | Limburg | Frankfurt | Germany | Bartholomew the Apostle | cathedral | |
Ghent Cathedral Sint Baafskathedraal | Ghent | Ghent | Belgium | Saint Bavo of Ghent | parish Church | |
Gloucester Cathedral Cathedral Church of St Peter and the Holy and Indivisible Trinity | Gloucester | Gloucester | England | St Peter and the Holy and Indivisible Trinity | cathedral | |
St Lambert's Church, Münster St. Lamberti | Münster | Münster | Germany | Saint Lambert | Parish church | |
Langres Cathedral Cathédrale Saint-Mammès de Langres | Langres | Langres | France | Saint Mammes | cathedral | |
Laon Cathedral Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Laon | Soissons | Laon | France | Blessed Virgin Mary | former cathedral | |
Le Mans Cathedral Cathédrale St-Julien du Mans | Le Mans | Le Mans | France | Saint Julian | cathedral | |
León Cathedral Santa María de León Cathedral | León | León | Spain | Blessed Virgin Mary | cathedral | |
Lincoln Cathedral Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Lincoln | Diocese of Lincoln | Lincoln | England | The Blessed Virgin Mary of Lincoln | cathedral | |
Lisieux Cathedral Cathédrale Saint-Pierre de Lisieux | Bayeux | Lisieux | France | Saint Peter | former cathedral | |
Lyon Cathedral Cathédrale Primatiale Saint-Jean-Baptiste de Lyon | Lyon | Lyon | France | Saint John the Baptist | cathedral; World Heritage Site | |
St Mary Redcliffe St Mary Redcliffe | Bristol | Bristol | England | St Mary Redcliffe | parish church | |
Meaux Cathedral Cathédrale Saint-Étienne de Meaux | Meaux | Meaux | France | Saint Stephen | cathedral, minor basilica | |
Metz Cathedral Cathédrale Saint-Étienne de Metz | Metz | Metz | France | Saint Stephen | cathedral | |
Milan Cathedral Basilica cattedrale metropolitana di Santa Maria Nascente | Milan | Milan | Italy | Nativity of Mary | cathedral and basilica | |
Münster Cathedral St.-Paulus-Dom | Münster | Münster | Germany | Saint Paul | cathedral | |
Nevers Cathedral Cathédrale Saint-Cyr-et-Sainte-Julitte de Nevers | Nevers | Nevers | France | Saints Cyriacus and Julitta | cathedral, minor basilica | |
Norwich Cathedral Cathedral Church of the Holy and Undivided Trinity' | Norwich | Norwich | England | The Holy Trinity | cathedral | |
Notre-Dame de Paris Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris | Paris | Paris | France | Blessed Virgin Mary | cathedral, minor basilica; World Heirtage site; damaged by fire in 2019 | |
Noyon Cathedral Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Noyon | Beauvais | Noyon | France | Blessed Virgin Mary | former cathedral | |
Orléans Cathedral Cathédrale Sainte-Croix d'Orléans | Orléans | Orléans | France | Holy Cross | cathedral, minor basilica | |- |
Orvieto Cathedral Duomo di Orvieto or Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta | Orvieto-Todi | Orvieto | Italy | Assumption of the Virgin Mary | cathedral | |
Oxford Cathederal Christ Church Cathedral of Oxford | Oxford | Oxford | England | Christ | cathedral; World Heirtage Site | |
Peterborough Cathedral Cathedral Church of St Peter, St Paul¨, and St Andrew | Peterborough | Peterborough | England | Saint Peter, Saint Paul and Saint Andrew | cathedral | |
Poitiers Cathedral Cathédrale Saint-Pierre de Poitiers | Poitiers | Poitiers | France | Saint Peter | cathedral, minor basilica | |
Pontoise Cathedral Cathédrale Saint-Maclou de Pontoise | Pontoise | Pontoise | France | Saint Maclovius | cathedral | |
Church of the Assumption of Our Lady and Saint John the Baptist Kostel Nanebevzetí Panny Marie | Prague | Kutná Hora | Czech Republic | Blessed Virgin Mary and St. John the Baptist | parish church; World Heritage Site | |
Reims Cathedral Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Rouen | Reims | Reims | France | Assumption of Mary | cathedral; World Heritage Site | |
Ripon Cathedral Cathedral Church of St Peter and St Wilfrid | Leeds | Leeds | England | Saint Peter and Saint Wilfrid | cathedral | |
Rochester Cathedral Cathedral Church of Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary | Rochester | Rochester, Kent | England | Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary | cathedral | |
Rodez Cathedral Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Rodez | Rodez | Rodez | France | Blessed Virgin Mary | cathedral, minor basilica | |
Roskilde Cathedral Roskilde Domkirke | Roskilde | Roskilde | Denmark | St. Lucius | cathedral; World Heiritage Site | |
Rouen Cathedral Cathédrale Notre-Dame de l'Assomption de Rouen | Rouen | Rouen | France | Assumption of Mary | cathedral | |
Salisbury Cathedral Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary | Salisbury | Salisbury | England | Blessed Virgin Mary | cathedral | |
Sées Cathedral Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Sées | Sées | Sées | France | Blessed Virgin Mary | cathedral, minor basilica | |
Senlis Cathedral Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Senlis | Beauvais | Senlis | France | Blessed Virgin Mary | parish church | |
Sens Cathedral Cathédrale Saint-Étienne de Sens | Sens | Sens | France | Saint Stephen | cathedral | |
Siena Cathedral Cattedrale Metropolitana di Santa Maria Assunta | Siena-Colle di Val d'Elsa-Montalcino | Siena | Italy | Assumption of the Virgin Mary | cathedral | |
Soissons Cathedral Cathédrale Saint-Gervais-et-Saint-Protais de Soissons | Soissons | Soissons | France | Saints Gervasius and Protasius | cathedral, minor basilica | |
Southwell Minster Cathedral and Parish Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary | Southwell and Nottingham | Southwell, Nottinghamshire | England | Blessed Virgin Mary | parish church | |
Strasbourg Cathedral Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Strasbourg | Strasbourg | Strasbourg | France | Blessed Virgin Mary | cathedral | |
St. Stephen's Cathedral, Vienna Stephansdom | Vienna | Vienna | Austria | Saint Stephen | cathedral | |
Toulouse Cathedral Cathédrale Saint-Étienne de Toulouse | Toulouse | Toulouse | France | Saint Stephen | cathedral | |
Tours Cathedral Cathédrale Saint-Gatien de Tours | Tours | Tours | France | Saint Gatianus | cathedral | |
Troyes Cathedral Cathédrale Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul de Troyes | Troyes | Troyes | France | Saint Peter and Saint Paul | cathedral | |
Cathedral of St Vitus Katedrála svatého Víta, Václava a Vojtěcha | Prague | Prague | Czech Republic | Saints Vitus, Wenceslaus and Adalbert | cathedral | |
Wawel Cathedral Królewska Bazylika Archikatedralna Św. Stanisława i Wacława na Wawelu | Kraków | Kraków | Poland | Saints Stanislaus and Wenceslaus | cathedral | |
Wells Cathedral Cathedral Church of St Andrew | Bath and Wells | Wells | England | St Andrew the Apostle | cathedral | |
Winchester Cathedral Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity | Winchester | Winchester | England | Holy Trinity | cathedral | |
York Minster Cathedral and Metropolitical Church of St Peter | York | York | England | Saint Peter | cathedral | |
Zagreb Cathedral Zagrebačka katedrala | Zagreb | Zagreb | Croatia | Assumption of Mary | cathedral |
A church building or church house, often simply called a church, is a building used for Christian religious activities, particularly for Christian worship services. The term is often used by Christians to refer to the physical buildings where they worship, but it is sometimes used as an analogy to refer to buildings of other religions. In traditional Christian architecture, a church interior is often structured in the shape of a Christian cross. When viewed from plan view the vertical beam of the cross is represented by the center aisle and seating while the horizontal beam and junction of the cross is formed by the bema and altar.
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of medieval Europe characterized by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque style, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 11th century, this later date being the most commonly held. In the 12th century it developed into the Gothic style, marked by pointed arches. Examples of Romanesque architecture can be found across the continent, making it the first pan-European architectural style since Imperial Roman architecture. The Romanesque style in England is traditionally referred to as Norman architecture.
Gothic architecture is an architectural style that flourished in Europe during the High and Late Middle Ages. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture. It originated in 12th century northern France and England as a development of Norman architecture. Its popularity lasted into the 16th century, before which the style was known as Latin: opus Francigenum, lit. 'French work'; the term Gothic was first applied during the later Renaissance.
Cologne Cathedral is a Catholic cathedral in Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is the seat of the Archbishop of Cologne and of the administration of the Archdiocese of Cologne. It is a renowned monument of German Catholicism and Gothic architecture and was declared a World Heritage Site in 1996. It is Germany's most visited landmark, attracting an average of 20,000 people a day. At 157 m (515 ft), the cathedral is currently the tallest twin-spired church in the world, the second tallest church in Europe after Ulm Minster, and the third tallest church in the world. It is the largest Gothic church in Northern Europe and has the second-tallest spires. The towers for its two huge spires give the cathedral the largest façade of any church in the world. The choir has the largest height to width ratio, 3.6:1, of any medieval church.
The architecture of cathedrals, basilicas and abbey churches is characterised by the buildings' large scale and follows one of several branching traditions of form, function and style that all ultimately derive from the Early Christian architectural traditions established in the Constantinian period.
A spire is a tall, slender, pointed structure on top of a roof or tower, especially at the summit of church steeples. A spire may have a square, circular, or polygonal plan, with a roughly conical or pyramidal shape. Spires are typically built of stonework or brickwork, or else of timber structure with metal cladding, ceramic tiling, shingles, or slates on the exterior.
Medieval architecture is architecture common in the Middle Ages, and includes religious, civil, and military buildings. Styles include pre-Romanesque, Romanesque, and Gothic. While most of the surviving medieval architecture is to be seen in churches and castles, examples of civic and domestic architecture can be found throughout Europe, in manor houses, town halls, almshouses, bridges, and residential houses.
Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the late 1740s in England. Its momentum grew in the early 19th century, when increasingly serious and learned admirers of neo-Gothic styles sought to revive medieval Gothic architecture, in contrast to the neoclassical styles prevalent at the time. Gothic Revival draws features from the original Gothic style, including decorative patterns, finials, lancet windows, hood moulds and label stops. By the mid-19th century, it was established as the preeminent architectural style in the Western world.
The Metropolitan Cathedral of Saints Vitus, Wenceslaus and Adalbert is a Roman Catholic metropolitan cathedral in Prague, the seat of the Archbishop of Prague. Until 1997, the cathedral was dedicated only to Saint Vitus, and is still commonly named only as St. Vitus Cathedral.
Rose window is often used as a generic term applied to a circular window, but is especially used for those found in Gothic cathedrals and churches. The windows are divided into segments by stone mullions and tracery. The term rose window was not used before the 17th century and according to the Oxford English Dictionary, among other authorities, comes from the English flower name rose.
The term Norman architecture is used to categorise styles of Romanesque architecture developed by the Normans in the various lands under their dominion or influence in the 11th and 12th centuries. In particular the term is traditionally used for English Romanesque architecture. The Normans introduced large numbers of castles and fortifications including Norman keeps, and at the same time monasteries, abbeys, churches and cathedrals, in a style characterised by the usual Romanesque rounded arches and especially massive proportions compared to other regional variations of the style.
Gothic art was a style of medieval art that developed in Northern France out of Romanesque art in the 12th century AD, led by the concurrent development of Gothic architecture. It spread to all of Western Europe, and much of Southern and Central Europe, never quite effacing more classical styles in Italy. In the late 14th century, the sophisticated court style of International Gothic developed, which continued to evolve until the late 15th century. In many areas, especially Germany, Late Gothic art continued well into the 16th century, before being subsumed into Renaissance art. Primary media in the Gothic period included sculpture, panel painting, stained glass, fresco and illuminated manuscripts. The easily recognizable shifts in architecture from Romanesque to Gothic, and Gothic to Renaissance styles, are typically used to define the periods in art in all media, although in many ways figurative art developed at a different pace.
St. Andrew's Cathedral is the Roman Catholic cathedral for the diocese of Victoria in British Columbia, Canada. Built in the High Victorian Gothic style, St. Andrew's was Victoria's third cathedral to be built.
The Cathedral Church of St. Paul is the cathedral church of the Episcopal Diocese of Michigan. In 1824 its congregation formed as the first Episcopal and first Protestant church in Michigan Territory.
Brick Gothic is a specific style of Gothic architecture common in Northwest and Central Europe especially in the regions in and around the Baltic Sea, which do not have resources of standing rock, but in many places many glacial boulders. The buildings are essentially built using bricks. Buildings classified as Brick Gothic are found in Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Kaliningrad, Sweden and Finland.
The Cathedral of Santa Maria of Palma, more commonly referred to as La Seu, is a Gothic Roman Catholic cathedral located in Palma, Mallorca, Spain.
English Gothic is an architectural style which flourished in England from about 1180 until about 1520. The style was most prominently used in the construction of cathedrals and churches. Its defining features are pointed arches, rib vaults, buttresses, and an extensive use of stained glass. Combined, these features allowed the creation of buildings of unprecedented height and grandeur, filled with light from large stained glass windows. Important examples include Westminster Abbey, Canterbury Cathedral and Salisbury Cathedral. The English Gothic style endured in England until the early sixteenth century – much longer than in Continental Europe. It was succeeded by Tudor architecture and Renaissance architecture.
Spanish Gothic architecture is the style of architecture prevalent in Spain in the Late Medieval period.
Czech Gothic architecture refers to the architectural period primarily of the Late Middle Ages in the area of the present-day Czech Republic.