See a Different Europe: A Tour of the World’s Eight Great Cathedrals

By Li Xinyi, compiled and reported

When traveling in Europe, a city’s main cathedral (also known as a duomo) is often a must-visit spot. Don’t worry if you don’t speak the local language—just tell the driver “Cathedral,” “Dom” (in German), or “Duomo” (in Italian), and they’ll definitely take you to where you want to go. Religion is deeply rooted in European culture, and the architecture, sculptures, and relics of cathedrals all come with fascinating historical stories. You could say that visiting each cathedral is like exploring a piece of European and art history. Come on, let’s visit the world’s three great cathedrals: St. Peter’s Basilica, Seville Cathedral, and Milan Cathedral. In addition, we’ll also explore the Hagia Sophia in Turkey and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Israel, which, although not in Europe, hold immense significance. You’ll see a whole new side of the world’s cultural richness.

St. Peter’s Basilica is a rectangular church, with the entire structure forming a Latin cross shape. Its design is very traditional and sacred, and it is currently the largest church in the world.

Over the 176-year construction period of the current St. Peter’s Basilica, several masters who left their mark in the history of architecture or art participated in its building. These include Raphael, Michelangelo, Bernini, and Borromini. It can be said that St. Peter’s Basilica combines the styles of many architectural geniuses. Beyond its religious sanctity, its artistic value is also highly remarkable.

The most eye-catching feature of St. Peter’s Basilica is its large dome, which is almost an iconic landmark of Rome. It was designed by Michelangelo but completed by Fontana and Della Porta. It is this dome that further solidifies St. Peter’s Basilica’s status as one of the world’s great architectural masterpieces.

This is a dazzling structure and a major pilgrimage destination for visitors to Seville. After Seville returned to Christian hands in 1248, before 1401, the original mosque was used as a church. However, as the church deteriorated over time, the church authorities decided to rebuild a larger and more spectacular church on the site to showcase Catholicism’s dominance in Spain. And so, this grand cathedral, measuring 160 meters wide and 140 meters long, was born. Originally built in the Gothic style, its central dome collapsed, after which the architectural style was changed to Renaissance.