SaraLee

Salisbury Cathedral under a clear moon light. It was a heavenly sight. <BR>(But when I went back next morning, the night rain made it appear so different...)<BR>Ste Chapelle is very pretty inside. <BR>Cologne Cathedral is an awesome sight from any direction and in any light<BR>condition.<BR>

jmw

Thanks, Iregeo, for the mention of St. Mary's Church in Fairford. I've copied and filed for future ref. In which part of England is Fairford?<BR><BR>I feel like I should add another -- There are two wonderful churches in St. Gallen, Switzerland, and if you like frescoes, see Lugano's S. Maria degli Angioli. J.

Iregeo

To jmw -- St. Mary's church, although consecrated in the year 1497, really dates back to the eleventh century. It is located in Fairford, Gloucestershire, in the Cotswolds. It is most certainly worth a visit when driving around exploring this area. In addition to the extraordinary stained glass, there are other amazing aspects to this church. One interesting aside, the church cat, apparently well known in those parts, has a prominent burial spot in the cemetary you must walk through to enter the church! I hope you do visit the church someday.

Mucky

LLandaff Cathedral in Cardiff Wales UK.<BR>Diana Princess of Wales went there several times.

joegri

Pluscarden Abbey near Elgin in Scotland. It's serene simplicity is awe-inspiring. <BR>Weis Kirsche near Augsburg in Germany. I didn't know I could be so taken with Rococo, the flowery refinement on Baroque.<BR>The very grand and colorful cathedral at Albi in France.<BR>Rheims: amazing, just amazing.<BR>Roskilde in Denmark with it's history and magnificence.<BR>The Duomo in Milan. Nothing really compares.<BR>Salisbury in England; my first cathedral many years ago.<BR>The frescoes at Assisi put it right near the top.<BR>The wonderful mosaic floor at the cathedral at Aquileia in Italy.<BR>The beautiful, beautiful Pannonhalma Abbey near Sopron in Hungary.<BR>Of course, no one could exclude Durham, Note Dame, Chartres, York Minster, the list goes on, but those above are my favorites.

ed

I haven't seen St Matthias in Budapest mentionedk beautiful church on a spectacular site.

jsmith

I thought this was worth bringing to the top again along with recommendations for two books on the subject: <BR><BR>Churches by Judith Dupre published 2001<BR><BR>Churches and Cathedrals of London by Stephen Humphrey published 2000<BR><BR>Both are full of stunning photographs.<BR><BR>Enjoy.<BR><BR>Christopher Wren

Snoopy

Another vote for Il Duomo in Milan.

kismetchimera

The DUOMO in Milan,<BR>Chartres,<BR> Saint Peter's, Rome<BR>Saint Denis, Paris

lekker

I want to visit Chartres now! Never been there!<BR><BR>My vote goes to Saint Chappelle in Paris.<BR><BR>My favourite church in Rome - San Giovanni in Laterano. <BR><BR>In Assisi - St Francis is a must, but the my other favourite is San Rufino.

jsmith

Here's another book for you armchair travellers. Found this in the book shop of the Clark Art Institute in Williamstown, MA.

Great Cathedrals by Bernhard Schutz and others ISBN 0810932970 published 2002 $85.00

allovereurope

Chartres and Saint Chappelle for me. End of story.

flanneruk

Strictly speaking off topic, but:
Cathedrals, by definition, are what the ruling class built. Often using the finest craftsmen and artists. But limited in what they tell you about the other 99.9% of Europeans. And often just a wee bit soulless.

Europe's parish churches, on the other hand, carry a community's history - usually for the past thousand years. The 8,000 historic parish churches listed for protection in England document what ordinary people did, and how they worshipped.

Anyone driving round England must - before Fodor or a road atlas- have a copy of Simon Jenkins' &quot;England's Thousand Best Churches&quot;. Not to plan your route round, but to make sure you visit the ones you're going to pass anyway.

Which is the greatest? As dumb a question as &quot;who's the world's greatest mum?&quot; But I'd rather spend time at Kilpeck, Herefordhire than at Chartres or even Assisi. Well, as much as at Assisi.

EnglishOne

I'm surprised nobody has yet mentioned the Mosta Dome in Malta (although this may be considered a church?). It is absolutely breathtaking when you first step inside and look up towards the HUGE dome above you (3RD largest dome in the world I think, one place behind the Pantheon, Rome). It is so light inside and airy, and the silence is beautiful. You have to whisper as your voice echoes all around. A bomb dropped through the dome during WWII and fell amongst the 500 congregation. It didnt explode and nobody was hurt. It is hailed as a miracle, and the bomb is preserved inside the church for you to see. It is very much like the Pantheon in Rome structure-wise, but, if I may say, so much more beautiful inside, the dome and general decor has been beautifully preserved. Dont miss this on a trip to Malta!

vcl

I haven't read every word of this thread, but I didn't spot two of my favorites: Beverley Minster and St. Mary's, both in Beverley, England.

The Minster has some truly glorious carvings, especially of angels playing musical instruments. St. Mary's, Beverley, has 14th Century misericords, fantastically painted ceilings, and a carving that just might be the model for Alice in Wonderland's White Rabbit.

P.S. I'm also a great fan of &quot;Pillars of the Earth.&quot;

ChrisV

Tough call. Beauty, art, etc. My favorite is the cathedral in Ulm, Germany. Tallest in the Europe and , I think, the world - 532 feet. And you can go tot he top for less than 2 Euros. My personal best (out of four trys) is 15 minutes. Good luck!

CrazyCat

Our favorites:
St. Fin Barre - Cork City, Ireland
Salisbury cathedral - Salisbury, England
St. Patrick's - Dublin, Ireland

cigalechanta

Last year in the Poitou-Charente we saw a magnificent one in Saintes.The St-Pierre Cathedral, a lacy vertical style unlike anything I have ever seen.

martytravels

The Cathedral in Seville is spectacular inside and out, and the views from the top are fantastic.

Kate

Funny me and my partner play the best of 5...churches

Mine are (excuse spelling):
1. Rosselyn Chapel near Edinburgh, a strange massonic chapel which somehow survived the reformation, curiously it has almost Indian decoration, and over 20 green man heads carved in intricate detail. There is the famous apprentices pillar that apparently when he completed it, the head mason killed him in a fit of jealousy, someone has sculpted the face of the apprentice looking at his beautiful pillar. Downstairs is very spooky and has masonic inscriptions everywhere. Lots of holy grail references...super!

2. Hagia Sopha, Istanbul (everyones mentioned this so I shant bore you except to say that when the early christians decided what went into the new testament thay piled up all the varients on the alter, what fell off didint go in!)

3. Santa Croce, Florence, a small and peaceful church Giotto, Machiavelli, Michelangelo are buried here to mention a few. It has many Giotto frescos painted at his peak. But for me it is the lovely Francescan monks that drift in and out the church. that make this a living church. Theres the most perfect Romanesq chapel at the side of the church with near perfect sound ressonannce.

4. The Medici Tombs, Florence. Scarey scarey stuff the awesome tombs of the rulers of Florence are large, erry and overpowering in size, gloomy colours, and that aweful silence. The beautiful sculptures of Michealangelo adore the sons of Lorenzo medici, showing Dawn, Dusk, Night and Day check out the stale bab brests, Michelangelo refused to have lady models.

5. Assisi, Italy (again) I'm not at all religious but I felt moved to tears in this church built over the tomb of this gentle monk. Upstairs theres nothing special, but downstairs the discovery of the stone coffin of St Frances, left in its original position, surrounded by his 'disciples' is touching in its simplicity - an experience the glitz of the Vatican left me without.

Have fun I'm off to Chartres sounds wonderful. Bye bye.