churches

The largest cathedral in England, York Minster incorporates all the stages of English Gothic architecture and contains an impressive collection of medieval stained glass - its largest window is the size of a tennis court.

One of the greatest achievements in the history of architecture, Chartres Cathedral (1140-1260) is almost perfectly preserved in its original medieval design, from innovative Gothic architecture to extensive portal sculptures and stained glass.

Originally an abbey church, Peterborough Cathedral is a Norman and Gothic building featuring an unusual triple facade, a rare medieval painted ceiling, magnificent fan vaulting, and the tomb of Catherine of Aragon.

Possibly the best Gothic parish church in England, the cathedral-sized Beverley Minster spans the Early English, Decorated and Perpendicular Gothic periods.

Nestled in the hills of southwest France, the picturesque village of Conques is home to a magnificent Romanesque abbey church, rich with sculpture. There is also a medieval treasury.

Rebuilt in 1849-51 on the site of churches dating back to 1797, St. Louis Cathedral was the center of the original settlement of New Orleans. It remains a prominent landmark in the French Quarter, where it overlooks Jackson Square.

Constructed in the 12th and 13th centuries over a 6th-century bishop's tomb, Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux Cathedral is a small Provençal Romanesque church containing interesting medieval murals, mosaics, and sculptures.