shrines

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.

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.

Located in southern Italy, this is the second-most visited Catholic shrine in the world. It centers on the tomb of St. Padre Pio of Pietrelcina, a Capuchin friar, priest and mystic known for his devotion.

St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City is the world headquarters of Roman Catholicism and one of the largest churches in the world. Founded by Constantine the Great in 324, it stands over the tomb of Saint Peter the Apostle.

Originally built in the 4th century to house the relics of the city's first two martyrs, Vitale and Agricola, this is the oldest church in Bologna and part of the Santo Stefano complex.

Pilgrims from the Middle Ages to the present have walked the Way of St. James for months to arrive at the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, home of the relics of St. James. It features a Baroque exterior and Romanesque interior.

Christ Church Cathedral is a small medieval cathedral that is also the chapel of Christ Church College. It contains the restored shrine of Frideswide (Oxford's patron saint), a spectacular lierne vault in the choir, and 14C stained glass.

Housing the tomb of St. Francis and filled with spectacular medieval frescoes by Giotto, this church is Assisi's crowning glory. It is a major place of pilgrimage for St. Francis devotees and art lovers alike.

This small church houses the chains that held St. Peter while he was imprisoned in Rome and a famous statue of Moses by Michelangelo.

Dura Europos (nicknamed the “Pompeii of the Syrian Desert.”) is an important archaeological site in eastern Syria on the Euphrates river.