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"Medieval Griffin. Porch of the Duomo, Verona, Italy. GRIFFIN. In mythology, an imaginary animal supposed to be generated between the lion and the eagle, and to combine the head, front, and wings of an eagle with the body and hind quarters of a lion." -Whitney, 1911

Griffin

"Medieval Griffin. Porch of the Duomo, Verona, Italy. GRIFFIN. In mythology, an imaginary animal supposed…

This Cathedral door is made out of bronze and found in the cathedral of Russia.

Cathedral Door

This Cathedral door is made out of bronze and found in the cathedral of Russia.

A store near the cathedral in Lucerne, Switzerland selling silks.

Silk Store in Lucerne, Switzerland

A store near the cathedral in Lucerne, Switzerland selling silks.

A cathedral in a city in Panama, Central America.

Panama Cathedral

A cathedral in a city in Panama, Central America.

The Cathedral of Our Lady of Amiens or simply Amiens Cathedral, is a Roman Catholic cathedral and seat of the Bishop of Amiens, Jean-Luc Marie Maurice Louis Bouilleret. The cathedral is the tallest complete cathedral in France, with the greatest interior volume (estimated at 200,000 m³). The vaults of the nave are 42.30 m high, the tallest nave vaults in any completed French cathedral, and surpassed only by the incomplete Beauvais Cathedral. This monumental cathedral is located in Amiens, the chief city of Picardy, in the Somme River valley a little over 100 kilometers north of Paris.

Amiens Cathedral

The Cathedral of Our Lady of Amiens or simply Amiens Cathedral, is a Roman Catholic cathedral and seat…

This is the plan of the Campanile and Cathedral in Pisa, Italy. This is an example of Italian Central Romanesque architecture. Furthermore it is an example of a Pisan Church. The Campanile, or Leaning Tower was erected from 1174 to 1350. The Cathedral was erected in 1067 to 1250 and restored after a fire in 1596. The Baptistery of St. Jean was erected in 1153 to 13th Century AD. The Cemetery, Campo Santo, was erected in 1278 to 1465.

Plan of the Campanile de Pisa, 1068–1509

This is the plan of the Campanile and Cathedral in Pisa, Italy. This is an example of Italian Central…

This is a plan of the Durham Cathedral, England. It is an example of English Gothic architecture. Building began in 1093 and was finished in approximately 40 years. "The square eastern termination, the less ambitious height, and the comparatively simple buttress–system, combine to give the English Gothic cathedral an air of greater repose than is found in the magnificent triumphs of French Gothic art." The scale is in feet.

Plan of Durham Cathedral, 1093–1133

This is a plan of the Durham Cathedral, England. It is an example of English Gothic architecture. Building…

This is a plan of the Salisbury Cathedral, England. It is an example of English Gothic architecture. The scale is in feet. "The square eastern termination, the less ambitious height, and the comparatively simple buttress–system, combine to give the English Gothic cathedral an air of great repose than is found in the magnificent triumphs of French Gothic art." The grouping "of 'lancet' windows, the piercing of the wall above them with the foiled circles, and the combination of the whole under an enclosed arch, soon led to the introduction of tracery, for which the design of earlier triforium arcades had also afforded a suggestion."

Plan of Salisbury Cathedral, 1075–1092

This is a plan of the Salisbury Cathedral, England. It is an example of English Gothic architecture.…

This is the Plan of Cathedral at Aix–la–Chapelle in Aachen, Germany. It is an example of Romanesque and Gothic architecture in Germany. It was built in AD 796. The scale is in feet. "With the exception of the church built at Trèves (There) by the empress Helena, of which small portions can still be traced in the cathedral, there are no remains of earlier date than the tomb–house built by Charlemagne at Aachen (Aix–la–Chapelle), which, though much restored in the 19th century, is still in good preservation. It consists [...] of an octagonal domed hall surrounded by aisles in two [stories], both vaulted; externally the structure is a polygon of sixteen sides, about 105 ft. in diameter, and it was preceded by a porch flanked by turrets."

Plan of Cathedral at Aix-la-Chapelle, AD 796

This is the Plan of Cathedral at Aix–la–Chapelle in Aachen, Germany. It is an example of…

This is the plan of the Cathedral at Mainz, Germany. It is an example of Romanesque and Gothic architecture. The scale is in feet. Construction was started in AD 975. In Germany and Italy up until this point in architecture open timber roofing or flat ceilings were being used, however this problem was "solved in Germany, as well as in Italy, [with the] vaulting over the nave, and the cathedrals of Spires, Worms and Mainz are the three most important churches in which this was accomplished."

Plan of Cathedral at Mainz, AD 976

This is the plan of the Cathedral at Mainz, Germany. It is an example of Romanesque and Gothic architecture.…

This is a plan of the Cathedral at Würms, Germany. It is an example of Romanesque and Gothic architecture in Germany. The scale is in feet. Construction was started in AD 1000 and continued until 1025. In Germany and Italy up until this point in architecture open timber roofing or flat ceilings were being used, however this problem was "solved in Germany, as well as in Italy, [with the] vaulting over the nave, and the cathedrals of Spires, Worms and Mainz are the three most important churches in which this was accomplished,"

Plan of Cathedral at Worms, AD 1000–1025

This is a plan of the Cathedral at Würms, Germany. It is an example of Romanesque and Gothic architecture…

This is a plan of the Cathedral of Spires (Speyer), Germany. It is an example of Romanesque and Gothic architecture in Germany. The scale is in feet. Construction lasted from 1030 to 1061, and it was planned by Conrad II. In Germany and Italy up until this point in architecture open timber roofing or flat ceilings were being used, however this problem was "solved in Germany, as well as in Italy, [with the] vaulting over the nave, and the cathedrals of Spires, Worms and Mainz are the three most important churches in which this was accomplished,"

Plan of Cathedral of Spires, 1030–1061

This is a plan of the Cathedral of Spires (Speyer), Germany. It is an example of Romanesque and Gothic…

This is a plan of the Cathedral at Tournai, Belgium. It is an example of Netherlands Gothic architecture. The construction lasted from 1146 to 1325. "In the 13th century [Belgium and Holland] came under the influence of the great Gothic movement in France, and two or three of their cathedrals compare [favorably] with the French cathedrals. The finest example of earlier date is that of the cathedral of Tournai, the nave of which was built in the second half of the 11th century, to which a transept with north and south apses and aisles round them was added about the middle of the 12th century. These latter features are contemporaneous with similar examples at Cologne, and the idea of the plan may have been taken from them; externally, however, they differ so widely that the design may be looked upon as an original conception, though the nave arcades, triforium storey, and clerestory resemble the contemporaneous work in Normandy. The original choir was pulled down in the 14h century, and a magnificent chevet of the French type erected in its place. The grouping of the towers which flank the transept, with the central lantern, the apses, and lofty choir is extremely fine."

Plan of Cathedral at Tournai, 1146–1325

This is a plan of the Cathedral at Tournai, Belgium. It is an example of Netherlands Gothic architecture.…

This is a plan of the St Paul's Cathedral in London, England. It is an example of English Renaissance architecture. The construction lasted from 1675 to 1710. Sir Christopher Wren designed the cathedral. "In plan, Wren's design was in accordance with the traditional arrangement of an English cathedral, with nave, north and south transepts and choir, in all the cases with side aisles together...Wren introduced a series of cupolas over the main arms of the cathedral, which enabled him to light with clerestory windows; these are not visible on the exterior, as they are masked by the upper storey which Wren carried round the whole structure, in order, probably, to give it greater height and importance." The scale is given in feet.

Plan of St Paul's Cathedral, London, 1675–1710

This is a plan of the St Paul's Cathedral in London, England. It is an example of English Renaissance…

The royal Château de Chambord at Chambord, Loir-et-Cher, France is one of the most recognizable châteaux in the world because of its very distinct French Renaissance architecture that blends traditional French medieval forms with classical Italian structures. "The artistic influence of Italy came into operation in France sooner than in other European countries, for as early as the fifteenth century the Renaissance style was introduced there by Italian architects, as, for instance, by Fra Giocondo, who was summoned thither by Louis XII. But at the epoch the Flamboyant style was still in its vigour, and the buildings then erected could not extricate themselves from its influence. The consequence was that a blending of the two styles temporarily prevailed, as, for instance in the Château de Blois, which Louis XII. caused to be built, and which has lately been restored by Duban. It was in these country residences of the nobility, especially on the banks of the Loire, that this architectural activity was displayed during the earlier period of the Renaissance; amongst their number the Château de Chambord [shown here] is most worthy of notice. The pilasters and their mouldings of the Renaissance style were, it is true, somewhat rudely carried out, and in the earlier period were combined with certain elements of the Flamboyant style. Highly ornamental gables and dormer-windows. especially, were executed in the latter style. Buildings were contemporaneously constructed entirely in the Flamboyant style, as, for instance, the Cathedral, the Palais de Justice, and the Hâtel Bourgtheroulde, all at Rouen, and the Hâtel de Ville at Compiègne."

Château de Chambord

The royal Château de Chambord at Chambord, Loir-et-Cher, France is one of the most recognizable…

The Panthéon (Latin Pantheon, from Greek Pantheon, meaning "Every god") is a building in the Latin Quarter in Paris, France. It was originally built as a church dedicated to St. Genevieve, but after many changes now combines liturgical functions with its role as a famous burial place. It is an early example of Neoclassicism, with a façade modeled on the Pantheon in Rome, surmounted by a small dome that owes some of its character to Bramante's "Tempietto". Located in the 5th arrondissement on the Montagne Sainte-Geneviève, the Panthéon looks out over all of Paris. Its architect, Jacques-Germain Soufflot, had the intention of combining the lightness and brightness of the gothic cathedral with classical principles. Soufflot died before his work was achieved, and his plans were not entirely followed. The transparency he had planned for his masterpiece was not attained. Nevertheless, it is one of the most important architectural achievements of its time and the first great neoclassical monument."Toward the end of the reign of Louis XV. a reaction set in, which was caused partly by the excess and caprice displayed in the application of this style, and partly by the tide again setting in the direction of the antique. This evidence by the Colonnades de la Place de Concorde, and by the Church of Ste. Geneviève, which was begun by Soufflot in the year 1755, and subsequently received the name of Pantheon [shown here]. From thenceforth imitations of ancient buildings came into vogue, as they also did in other countries."

West Front of the Pantheon at Paris

The Panthéon (Latin Pantheon, from Greek Pantheon, meaning "Every god") is a building in the Latin…

St Paul's Cathedral is the Anglican cathedral on Ludgate Hill, in the City of London, and the seat of the Bishop of London. The present building dates from the 17th century and is generally reckoned to be London's fifth St Paul's Cathedral, although the number is higher if every major medieval reconstruction is counted as a new cathedral. The cathedral sits on the highest point of the City of London, which originated as a Roman trading post situated on the River Thames. The cathedral is one of London's most visited sights.

St. Paul's London

St Paul's Cathedral is the Anglican cathedral on Ludgate Hill, in the City of London, and the seat of…

The Mosque of Cordoba was a former mosque and today is a Roman Catholic Cathedral located in the Andalusian city of Cordoba, Spain. It was built into a mosque by the Umayyad Dynasty. The structure is most notable for its interior large arches, and over 1,000 columns that are made out of jasper, onyx, marble and granite.

Mosque of Cordoba

The Mosque of Cordoba was a former mosque and today is a Roman Catholic Cathedral located in the Andalusian…

The Cathedral of Spires was built between 916 and 1097. It is the largest church in Germany. Designed in a Romanesque style, it has two towers in the front with spires on top, similar to a pointed spear.

The Cathedral at Spires

The Cathedral of Spires was built between 916 and 1097. It is the largest church in Germany. Designed…

The Cathedral of Mans is a Roman Catholic Cathedral located in Le Mans, France. The Cathedral was built in dedication to the city's first bishop Saint Julian of Le Mans. It is built in a Romanesque and Gothic style.

Cathedral of Mans

The Cathedral of Mans is a Roman Catholic Cathedral located in Le Mans, France. The Cathedral was built…

The cathedral of Chartres is a roman catholic cathedral in Chartres, France. Built in a Gothic style, the Cathedral has two different spires.

Cathedral of Chartres

The cathedral of Chartres is a roman catholic cathedral in Chartres, France. Built in a Gothic style,…

The Cathedral of Bourges is located in Bourges, France. It Cathedral was built in dedication to Saint Stephen. The structure of the Cathedral is designed in a Gothic style with the use of flying buttresses.

Cathedral of Bourges

The Cathedral of Bourges is located in Bourges, France. It Cathedral was built in dedication to Saint…

The Cathedral of Rheims is also known as Notre-Dame de Rheims in French. It is a Roman Catholic Cathedral, located in Rheim, France. It was the site of where the Kings of France were once crowned. The Cathedral was completed during the end of the 13th century.

Cathedral of Rheims

The Cathedral of Rheims is also known as Notre-Dame de Rheims in French. It is a Roman Catholic Cathedral,…

The cathedral of Strasbourg is a Roman Catholic cathedral located in Strasbourg, France. The church was erected by the bishop St. Argobast of the Strasbourg Diocese during the end of the 7th century. It is designed in a Gothic style with some parts in a Romanesque style. Today the church is the 6th tallest church in the world.

Cathedral of Strasbourg

The cathedral of Strasbourg is a Roman Catholic cathedral located in Strasbourg, France. The church…

The Metz Cathedral is also known as the St. Etienne de Metz in French. It is a Roman Catholic church located in Moselle, France. The interior nave shown in this picture, is the center aisle that leads to the altar, it is the third highest in France.

Metz Cathedral

The Metz Cathedral is also known as the St. Etienne de Metz in French. It is a Roman Catholic church…

The Cathedral of Siena is a Roman Catholic Marian church located in Siena, central Italy. A medieval church, it was completed in 1263. The interior of the church is designed with black and white marble stripes on the columns and the walls. These black and white stripes represent the coat of arms of Siena. The entire floor of the church is covered with an inlaid marble mosaic.

Cathedral of Sienna

The Cathedral of Siena is a Roman Catholic Marian church located in Siena, central Italy. A medieval…

An illustration of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France. This building is also known as Notre Dame de Paris which is French for Our Lady of Paris. It is the church which contains the official chair of the Archbishop of Paris.

Notre Dame Cathedral

An illustration of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France. This building is also known as Notre Dame…

An Anglican cathedral on Ludgate Hill in London, England.

St. Paul's Cathedral

An Anglican cathedral on Ludgate Hill in London, England.

"This edifice was begun in the eleventh century, but was not finished until our own day (1880). It is one of the most imposing monuments of Gothic architecture in the world."—Myers, 1905

The Cologne Cathedral

"This edifice was begun in the eleventh century, but was not finished until our own day (1880). It is…

This illustration shows the baptismal font at the Winchester Cathedral in England.

Baptismal Font at Winchester Cathedral

This illustration shows the baptismal font at the Winchester Cathedral in England.

In Gothic architecture, a lantern tower is frequently placed over the center of cross churches, and the light admitted by windows in the sides. This illustration shows the lantern tower at St. Ouen in Rouen, France

Lantern Tower at St. Ouen; Rouen, France

In Gothic architecture, a lantern tower is frequently placed over the center of cross churches, and…

In Gothic architecture, a lantern tower is frequently placed over the center of cross churches, and the light admitted by windows in the sides. This illustration shows the lantern tower at St. Botolph's Church in Boston, Lincolnshire, England.

Lantern Tower at St. Botolph's; Boston, Lincolnshire

In Gothic architecture, a lantern tower is frequently placed over the center of cross churches, and…

Crocket, as seen in Exeter Cathedral in England.

Crocket

Crocket, as seen in Exeter Cathedral in England.

A pillar from the Cathedral of Tours in France, circa 13th century.

Pillar from the Cathedral of Tours

A pillar from the Cathedral of Tours in France, circa 13th century.

Pinnacle of buttress at York Minster cathedral in York, England.

York Minster Buttress Pinnacle

Pinnacle of buttress at York Minster cathedral in York, England.

A piscina is a shallow basin usually located in an architectural niche of a church. It is used by the priest to wash his hands before celebration of the eucharist and for washing the chalice after the celebration. More often located in the sacristy than in the sanctuary.

Piscina in Morning Chapel, Lincoln Cathedral

A piscina is a shallow basin usually located in an architectural niche of a church. It is used by the…

The Le Puy Cathedral (Cathédrale Notre-Dame du Puy) facade or west front. It is a Roman Catholic cathedral and French monument located in Le Puy-en-Velay, Auvergne.

Le Puy Cathedral

The Le Puy Cathedral (Cathédrale Notre-Dame du Puy) facade or west front. It is a Roman Catholic cathedral…

Illustration of a bishop sitting on an ornately decorated cathedra. A crosier, pastoral staff, rests against his left shoulder. The view is of the left side of the bishop and throne. There are columns in the background, to the right of the throne. A cathedral is a church that is the cathedra, or seat, of a bishop.

A Bishop Sitting on a Bishop's Throne Called a Cathedra

Illustration of a bishop sitting on an ornately decorated cathedra. A crosier, pastoral staff, rests…

Illustration of the southern side of the Cathedral of Cologne. Construction on the cathedral was begun in 1248 and it was meant to be a place to hold the reliquary of the Three Kings. The cathedral was not completed until the 19th century. Its Gothic architecture is based largely on the Amiens Cathedral. From the view, the cathedral's enormous Germanic spires are visible.

A Southern View of the Cathedral of Cologne in Germany

Illustration of the southern side of the Cathedral of Cologne. Construction on the cathedral was begun…

Illustration of the Cathedral at Monreale, near Palermo. It is an example of Sicilian and Norman architecture. Construction was begun in 1174. The interior includes monolithic columns with Corinthian capitals. There are numerous pointed arches. Mosaics cover all of the interior walls and ceilings.

Cathedral of Monreale - Interior View

Illustration of the Cathedral at Monreale, near Palermo. It is an example of Sicilian and Norman architecture.…

Illustration of a spire of the Senlis Cathedral in France, early 13th century. It is "one of the earliest of fully developed spires, and is admired for the purity and elegance of its design." —Whitney, 1889

Spire from the Senlis Cathedral

Illustration of a spire of the Senlis Cathedral in France, early 13th century. It is "one of the earliest…