pilgrimage churches

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.

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.

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.

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.

Completed in 1969, this Catholic basilica stands on the traditional site where the angel Gabriel announced to Mary that she would bear the Savior. It is built over Crusader and Byzantine foundations.

Completed in 1049, the Romanesque pilgrimage church of Saint-Hilaire in Poitiers features the shrine of Saint Hilary, an apse surrounded by chapels, 11th-century frescoes and carved capitals.