Be Inspired

Many of us may think we know what a cathedral is, "an important religious building, being the centre of a bishopric and dating from the Middle Ages". Yet the definition is not as simple as it seems. In order to clarify what a cathedral is, we offer you a short history of these unique buildings.

Organs contribute to the magical atmosphere of the churches. These massive instruments, perched as if by a miracle, are works of art made for centuries by a true artisanal elite.

The construction of dams in the 20th century led to the engulfment of entire villages all over Europe. In a few rare cases, their location can be guessed from their churches, parts of which remain above water, giving the strange sight of partially sunken churches.

The chapels of castles are often moving testimonies of the life of the chatelains, and bear the traces of their weddings, coronations or burials. If you visit these castles, don't forget to take a look at their chapels!

Lipót Baumhorn (1860-1932) was one of the greatest synagogue architects in Europe, whose monumental work can be admired in the former territory of the Kingdom of Austria-Hungary.

Before gradually spreading to all strata of society in the 19th and 20th centuries, literacy was the responsibility of the clergy, especially monks. So it is not surprising that monastic libraries are among the oldest, and most impressive, that have been passed down to us.

For the first week of school, we have drawn up a list of famous university churches and chapels. Let yourself be carried away by these places which will take you back to the creation of universities in Europe, far back in the Middle Ages.

Wedged between Romania and Ukraine, Moldova is one of Europe's last and best-kept secrets. In these orthodox lands, monks been building impressive monasteries since at least the 15th century.

Summer often means long journeys on the highways. In northern European countries the main roads are dotted with Road Churches, a network of churches open to truckers and holidaymakers passing through. In Germany, more than anywhere else, Road Churches have been given a special architecture, which these examples illustrate.

From the largest church in the world to the oldest European synagogue in use, we have made a list of religious buildings that are distinguished by their size, age or location.