The day in April 2019 when Notre Dame caught fire was one that shocked history and art lovers, and travellers worldwide. Notre Dame de Paris was, and is, not just a cathedral, but in many ways, the soul of France. After five years of painstaking work, this incredible human achievement has been restored to its former magnificence.
As Notre Dame rises from the Ashes, I want to take you on a whirlwind tour of Europe’s most beautiful medieval cathedrals. I have tried to feature a number of countries, and a number of styles. Some of the buildings are in great European capitals, and receive millions of visitors per year; others are magnificent and yet somehow escaped the worse of over-tourism, and you can have them almost to yourself.
What is a Medieval cathedral
Let’s start with the basics. Not all great churches, despite their beauty and importance, are classified as cathedrals. A cathedral is the seat (Cathedra in Latin) of a bishop or archbishop. Other great and important churches are called Basilica. So, to give an example, Saint Mark’s in Venice is a cathedral, because it is the seat of the Archbishop of Venice; Saint Peter is a Basilica, because the seat of the Bishop of Rome is San Giovanni in Laterano.
The middle Ages are traditionally considered as the period between the fall of the Western Roman Empire (476AD) and the fall of the Eastern Roman Empire (1453AD). Everything built between those dates is considered medieval. However, many European buildings are actually in a blend of styles. Due to earthquakes, fires, and in some cases a human desire to leave a mark in history, many cathedrals were modified, sometimes drastically, throughout the centuries. However, it is rare for a building not to have a prevalent style. The churches featured in this post prevalently retain their medieval appearance.
Europe’s 12 most beautiful medieval cathedrals
So, here is my selection of Europe’s most fascinating medieval cathedrals, why I chose them and a bit of their history, so you can see by yourself what makes them special
- Paris Cathedral (Notre dame de Paris)
- Aachen Cathedral (Aachener Kaiserdom)
- Speyer Cathedral (Kaiserdom Zu Speyer)
- Canterbury cathedral
- Venice Cathedral (San Marco)
- Reims Cathedral
- Modena Cathedral (Duomo)
- Monreale cathedral
- Cologne
- Toledo Cathedral
- Chartres Cathedral
- Pisa Cathedral
1.Paris Cathedral (Notre dame de Paris)
It is hard not to start with Notre Dame, one of the most iconic buildings in Europe. Together with the Eiffel Tower, it is the quintessential symbol of Paris.
It is considered one of the great examples of French Gothic style, and one of the earliest too. Its three rose windows reflect prisms of light into a soaring but simply decorated interior, which witnessed some of the most famous events in French history, including the coronation of Napoleon.
you will need to book a time slot to get in. In 2025, it will probably be very busy even in January and February, given the almost 5 years of pent-up demand. But in future years, do try and visit in winter; you may have no crowds at all. I remember a rainy January afternoon when I was crossing town to go to the Eurostar, and I decided to try my luck. I arrived and there was literally no-one. NO queue outside, and hardly anybody inside. I sat in a pew and looked around in absolute peace, feeling like I had one of the most magnificent buildings on earth to myself!
The location: Paris is one of the most famous cities on earth, but with so many museums and attractions it is still possible to go off the beaten path and discover something unique..
2. Aachen Cathedral (Aachener Kaiserdom)
When Charlemagne unified what are now France, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg into a single political entity, he chose the former roman colony of Aquisgrana as his capital. Aquisgrana, now called Aachen, is where his main residence was, and the church of his sprawling palace became known as the Kaiserdom (The Emperor’s church).
Charlemagne had visited Ravenna, where he had been dazzled by the domed beauty of the Bizantine Basilica of Saint Vitale, and asked his architects to build him a palace chapel inspired by San Vitale, with a similar octagonal dome-centred area. Charlemagne loved the church so much that he chose to be buried there. Because of this Carolingian connection, the Aachen Palatine chapel became central to the coronation of kings of Germany and Holy Roman emperors throughout the centuries. Even today, you can see The marble coronation throne used by Holy Roman emperors (with its steps allegedly taken from the Holy Sepulchre Church in Jerusalem). You can still pay your respects to Charlemagne, whose body in the 13th-century was translated from his ancient Roman sarcophagus a the golden church=shaped shine.
Do check Mass times when planning your visit; I made the mistake of turning up on a Sunday morning and was not allowed in. I had to come back the following year, and was so grateful. The interior totally lives up to expectations.
The location. Aachen is a compact but delightful city; the rathaus takes over part of what used to be the palace complex, and the gorgeous central square has roman columns in the middle. It is highly atmospheric. It is also a wellness destination – something Charlemagne himself knew very well. He chose Aachen because it was already a thermal resort, known for its healing waters!
3. Speyer Cathedral (Kaiserdom Zu Speyer)
Dedicated to Mary and St Stephen, the cathedral of Speyer was conceived by Holy Roman Emperor Conrad II, the first of the Salian dynasty. Like Charlemagne, Conrad built for the glory of God, of Mary, the protectress of his dynasty, and for his own.
The 4-dome and 2-tower red sandstone structure needs to be seen in reality to be appreciated. It sits on top of a low hill, in a dominant position. and even today its size feels unreal in the small centre of Speyer. That was the effect Conrad wanted to achieve – to create the largest building in western Christendom, to complete with Constantinople.
Like Charlemagne 2 centuries earlier, he also asked to be buried in his cathedral’s crypt, as did his successors. Works continued under Conrad’s grandson Henry IV, who is also buried there. Emperors from the dynasties that succeeded the Salians also continued to treat the Kaiserdom as the Holy Roman empire’s unofficial mausoluem.
The design of Speyer’s cathedral was extremely influential and you can spot its influence in all the other great Romanesque cathedrals of Germany, such as Mainz and Trier.
The location: Speyer lies on the Rhine, and is easy to reach from Heidelberg and Mannheim. It is one of Germany’s oldest city, and the city centre played an important part in German medieval history. There are other churches to visit, and a interesting Jewish Quarter – Emperor Henry IV saw himself as a protector of Speyer’s ewish community. tourists are mainly from Germany, and this small city truly is a gem you can still enjoy without the crowds.
4. Canterbury cathedral
Canterbury cathedral feels like an accordeon. You can walk around it, from every side, and you feel like the church contracts and expands, showing you her different treasures from each different perspective. Inside, it feels like a treasure box. Unlike continental churches, you pay to visit, but your ticket is valid for a year, so if you are staying in Canterbury for a short break you can go for repeat visits. I recommend you do. The wonder of medieval cathedrals, especially when they have glass stained windows, is that the way the light filters in at different times of the day and in different weathers allows you to experience the church in different ways, and to focus on different features.
The location: Canterbury is a delightful town just one hour away from the hustle and bustle of London. The cathedral is the main draw, but there are other fascinating early Christian churches and it is the starting point of the Via Francigena to Rome. Other medieval buildings include city gates, a fortress and plenty of half-timbered houses. It also has lovely parks and waterways. For more info on Canterbury, check this post.
5. Venice Cathedral (San Marco)
Together with Notre Dame and Saint Peter’s Saint Mark’s is probably the world’s most recognisable church, so it needs no introduction.
Like Emperor Conrad when he built his Kaiserdom, the Venetian Republic looked to Constantinople for models when they built St Marks. to house the relics of Saint Mark the Evangelist, the patron saint of the city, they took inspiration from the Bizantine of the Holy Apostles.
It is attached to the Palazzo Ducale, and there is a reason. Although it seems impossible today, the imposing structure was until the nineteenth century simply the chapel of the Doge, who lived next door in the Palazzo Ducale!
You do need to Pay to go in, although the general admission ticket is only 3 euros. You can book here. The best way to appreciate Saint Marks is to stay overnight. That means you can visit either early or late in the day when the majority of the tourists have gone. It also gives ou the opportunity to walk around St Mark’s at sunset or sunrise, and watch as the rising or fading lights reveals different details of the statuary.
The location: Venice is undeniably busy. Staying overnight trly does make a difference. Even St Mark’s square after dark can be relatively peaceful, and a truly special experience. If you stay longer, go and explore other islands, such as beautiful Torcello and Burano. Even the Lido, Venice’s city beach. Outside the cinema festival season in September, can offers a glimpse into a more authentic Venice.
6. Reims Cathedral
I would argue Notre Dame de Reims is as important in French history as Notre Dame de Paris. One of the first churches built in France it was the site of the conversion to Christianity of the Frankish King Clovis, and has occupied a prominent role in French history since then. A clue to that role is in the exterior, Above the main portal, and the slightly receding rose window there is series of statues depicting 56 kings of France. What the stonework is telling us is that we are entering the sacred space where the kings of France were crowned.
The current high Gothic church replaces an earlier structure destroyed by fire. It is magnificent not just in size, but in intricacy and refinement. Notre Dame de Paris has an austere grandiosity, whereas the towers of Notre Dame de Reims feel almost made of lace. The stained glass windows are amongst the most celebrated in Europe.
The location: Reims is a delightful city, where sacred and profane mix. The cathedral and other beautiful churches and royal buildings are pretty much surrounded by Champagne houses, and the cellars of some of them run underneath the town centre. For more info on its main attractions, check this post.
7. Modena Cathedral (Duomo)
When I was studying Art history in high school in Italy, The 12th-century Modena cathedral was taught as a supreme example of early Romanesque art. The grandiose cathedral was commissioned by Matilda of Tuscany, the Grancontessa who ruled over a half of Italy and defied the power of Emperor Henry IV (one of the builders of Speyer’s Kaiserdom).
The cathedral was innovative in many ways. replacing an early Christian basilica, the current building is nevertheless covered with ancient roman stones. The architect, Lanfranco, was thus paying homage to the splendor of Roman temples.
The sculptures are the work of Wiligelmo, which could be considered the Giotto of sculpture, the first sculptor whose name is recorded since the the days of the Roman, and it is recorded on the cathedral itself! An inscription on the façade gives the date of the cathedral’s foundation in 1099 and names Wiligelmo as the chief sculptor. The individuality of his work and His co-workers willingness to acknolewdge an individual’s creation marks, in a way the end of the dark ages. It appropriate then, that the marble covering of the cathedral coats the brickwork in a white cloak.
The location: Modena’s historic centre includes other highlights such as the ducal Palace and the Galleria Estense Art Gallery. The city is also notoriusly the home of Ferrary, and one of Italy’s food capitals. Balsamic vinegar, filled pasta, and an emphasis on locally sourced ingredients produce mouth-watering dishes. For wines, the lambrusco hills around Castelvetro are as delightful as some of Tuscany’s.
8. Monreale cathedral
The Norman cathedrals of Sicily are so unique and different from all other medieval churches that at least one had to make this list.
Built after the Virgin Mary appeared to King William II of Sicily in a dream, for me, Monreale it is the medieval equivalent of the sistine Chapel. Architecturally, the church displays the unique of Bizantine, Arab, and Christian Romanesuqe architecture that is typical of the Norman kingdom of Sicily. Arab architects worked on the project.
The local and Venetian mosaicists that worked on decorating the interior belonged to the great Bizantine tradition. The cathedral walls are almost entirely covered in mosaics of biblical stories on a golden background. An enormous Christ Pantocrator dominates the apse and you feel like you move under his gaze in the sacred space. It is one of the most incredible pieces of visual arts I can think of. I had heard of Stendhal’s syndrome before, and when surrounded by the mosaics of Monreale I did experience it first-hand. Unsurprising, King William chose to be buried in his beloved church.
The wonders of Monreale do not stop at the cathedral itself. The Benedictine cloister attached to the cathedral feels more like a Moorish courtyard in Andalucia than a Christian building. The columns are decorated with plant, animal and fantastical motifs and are all different.
The location: Due to its hilltop position, there are great views of Palermo, from the roof of the cathedral and from viewpoints around the centre. Monreale is a small city today, and outside the cathedral square it remains very authentically Sicilian. Food is incredible, and the bread is so famous that people travel from Palermo to buy it!
9. Cologne
The towers of Cologne’s cathedral are Germany’s most iconic architectural feature, matched only by the Brandeburg Gate.
The current cathedral replaced earlier Merovingian and Carolingian churches built on the same site. Begun in 1248, it took almost 7 centuries to complete, but the constructors continued to follow the original designs so it remains uniform and eminently gothic in appearance.
It is one of the largest and tallest church structures in Europe. The cathedral was an important pilgrimage site, especially after Frederick Barbarossa brought back from Milan the relics of the 3 kings. They are housed in a gilded church-shaped reliquiary richly sculpted and studded with enamels and gemstones.
Location: the cathedral is one of Germany’s most visited attractions, but Cologne has plenty more to offer. From great art galleries to tracts of Roman walls, to a classic German altstadt with cobbled streets and breweries, to its 12 Romanesque churches.
10. Toledo Cathedral
Considered the masterpiece of the Spanish Gothic style, Toledo cathedral is built on the site of a Mosque, that was built on the site of an earlier Visigothic cathedral.
Interestingly, after the Castilla kings recaptured toledo from the Arabs. For 150 years the Christians in Toledo worshipped in the Mosque, with the blessing of the Pope! The wonders of Toledo, a city that in many ways is a symbol of Tolerance.
When replacing the mosque-cathedral with a new one in the Gothic style recently imported from France, the architects did not completely demolish the previous building, they adapted the mosque space. Over 2 centuries, the building continued to grow and evolve, with remarkable features such as the golden raised altarpiece (retablo mayor), a number of mesmerising chapels, the choir, and incredible statuary.
The location: Known as the city of 3 cultures, where Arabs, Jews and Christians cohabited peacefully and enriched each other’s culture, Toledo is a fantastic city. Founded by the Romans in a strategic position overlooking the Tago, it became the capital of the Visigothic kingdom and then of the Kingdom of Castilla before the court moved to Madrid. You can read more about Toledo here.
11. Chartres Cathedral
Chartres was the first cathedral I visited outside paris, when I was living there, and remains one of the most incredible religious buildings I have ever seen and incredibly atmospheric. I still remember the low winter light filtering through the stained glass windows in the afternoon!
Probably the magic of Charters has something to do with the fact the 12-13th-century Gothic building has survived almost intact, so you feel like you are stepping back to a specific moment in time.
The majority of the original stained glass windows also survived, The windows are larger and taller than in other cathedrals, but because so much of the glass is painted in bright colours, less light filters in, so the interior feels darker. That in itself draws the eye in wonder towards the colours of the windows, and the Mind to admire the skill of their makers.
Stone Labyrinths were a common feature on the floor of othic cathedrals. They symbolized the long winding path towards salvation. But in later centuries they were often removed. Chartres’s is one of the few that survives.
The cathedral is grandiose, and like Speyer it feels almost unnaturally large in such a small town centre. Also like Speyer, it sits on top of a hill so it is visible from miles away, dominating the landscape.
The location: The cathedral is the highlight, but Chartres is a lovely small town, brimming with history. the cobbled streets still have medieval names reflecting the traders that used to live on them. There are charming half-timbered houses and many smaller churches. On Saturday morning there is a very authentic market in the cathedral square.
12. Pisa cathedral
The leaning tower of Pisa is actually the belltower of Pisa’s medieval cathedral. Even without the tower, the cathedral is one of the most remarkable in Italy, and a masterpiece of Italian Romaneque style.
If you Compare it with the Modena Duomo, though, the difference is remarkable. Pisa’s cathedral reflects Pisa’s role as one of the leading Maritime powers in the Mediterranean.
The rich exterior decoration contains multicolored marble, mosaic, and numerous bronze objects from the spoils of Pisan military campagins from the Balearics to the Middle East. The influences gathered by Pisan merchants across the Mediterranean are reflected in the structure of the building, which displays, Moorish, Bizantine and even Armenian influences (the blind arches with lozenge shapes).
In the interior, again a blend of Moorish and Bizantine elements, The granite Corinthian columns between the nave and the apse are spoils from the mosque of Palermo.
The large Mosaic of Christ enthroned between the Virgin and Saint John in the apse, influenced by the mosaics of Bizantine and Sicilian Norman churches such as Monreale, is quite special. Like Wiligelmo’s sculptures in Modena, it is a milestone in the history of European art. The face of Saint John was painted at the onset of the 14th century by Cimabue, the first medieval painter who broke with the conventions of his time. He experimented with and shading proportions to achieve more lifelike representations, taking the first steps towards representing volume after almost 100 years of bi-dimensional painting.
It seems appropriate to finish the series with Pisa, a cathedral that is a bridge bewteen past and future, and between different corners of Europe and the Mediterranean.
Location: No visit to Pisa is complete without visiting the Leaning Tower, of course. The eclectic Moorish-influenced baptistry and the Camposanto, resting place of famous pisans and Italians, are also worth a visit.
How do I get to these Cathedrals?
By train, of course! Europe has one of the best developed rail networks in the world, and all the cities featured in this article have a train station. You can plan your trip and book your train tickets through Trainline or RailEurope.
There are many other great medieval cathedrals in Europe
Despite sticking strictly to my definition, the choice has been a tough one. There are so many more beautiful medieval cathedrals that I could have included. So, by all means, do not take this list as exhaustive! If you travel through Europe, try and see as many as you can. Cathedrals used to be called books of stone, and while the reference was to them as stone bibles, in many cases they truly are history books, revealing the unique experience and world view of the city or ruler who shaped it.
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