Cathedrals and Basilicas of Europe

Europe has some of the most beautiful cathedrals and basilicas you'll ever see. It's amazing the amount of time and effort spent on the buildings; and, there are gorgeous churches in almost every European city. 

Here are a few of the ones we saw while on our honeymoon...

Barcelona

La Sagrada Familia: Designed by famed architect Antoni Gaudi, construction of the cathedral began in 1882 and is still ongoing.

Aix-en-Provence

Cathedral of the Holy Savior:  The site of this cathedral was originally a Roman temple to Apollo; the Christian church that stands now began with construction of a baptistry in the 4th or 5th century that is still standing. 

Marseille

Notre Dame de la Garde: This basilica sits on the highest point in Marseille and is considered by many of the locals to be the protector of the city.

These paintings represent accidents and disasters (plane crashes, boating accidents, sickness, etc.) where people have survived. They present the paintings to the church in gratitude to "the good mother," who they believe saved them from death.

The view from the basilica.

Monaco-Ville

Cathedral of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception (Saint Nicholas Cathedral): Many of the Grimaldis are buried here, including Grace Kelly.

Florence

Basilica of Santa Croce: This basilica is the burial place of many famous Italians including Michelangelo, Galileo, and Machiavelli. It was completed in 1385.

Basilica of Saint Mary of the Flower (Duomo): The Duomo, as it is ordinarily called, is the main church of Florence. It was started in 1296 and completed in 1436.

The Gates of Paradise lead to the Baptistry of Saint John.

Carthage

Cathedral of Saint Louis: Completed in 1890, the cathedral is no longer used for worship. We didn't actually go inside this cathedral. 

Palermo

Church of San Domenico: The church was completed in 1480 and is the 2nd most important cathedral in Palermo. 

Oratory of San Domenico: The small chapels were used by wealthy Palermo citizens as prayer rooms. 

Oratory of the Rosary of St. Cita

These are all carved out of stucco.

Rome

The Pantheon (Basilica of St. Mary and the Martyrs): Built around 126 AD, The Pantheon is one of the best preserved Roman buildings in Rome. It is also the burial site of Raphael, the famous painter. 

St. Peter's Basilica: The burial site of St. Peter, the basilica is the largest church in the world.

I hope you enjoyed a little tour of only a handful of the cathedrals and basilicas in Europe. Have you visited any of these? Which is your favorite?