religious buildings

Originally built in the 5th century over a Temple of Isis, this octagonal brick structure was patterned after the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. It was modified in the 11th century.

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.

Built in 1930 during French rule, this Art Deco cathedral in white concrete is a surprising and interesting sight in the heart of Casablanca.

Famed for both its architecture and sculpture, Amiens Cathedral is the largest cathedral in France and a World Heritage Site. With Chartres and Reims, it is one of the three great High Gothic French cathedrals built in the 13th century.

Dating from the early 12th century with later Gothic additions, the Cathédrale St-Lazare is a pilgrimage church famed for its splendid Romanesque sculptures by Gislebertus.

Formerly a monastery and a cathedral, the spectacular cream-colored Bath Abbey (c. 1500) now serves as the parish church of Bath. The interior is especially famed for its fan vaulting.

One of the most famous cathedrals in the world, Notre-Dame Cathedral is an Early Gothic beauty famed for its historical importance, fascinating sculpture, and medieval stained glass.

Built in 1905, this impressive basilica has been called the "Protestant St. Peter's." The crypt contains tombs of Prussian royals and you can climb up to the dome.

This fine 12th-century church, part of an active Benedictine abbey, houses the relics of St. Matthias, the apostle who was chosen to replace Judas Iscariot. It is still visited by many pilgrims.