Explore Religious Heritage Across Europe

The cathedral of Almeria was built between 1524 and 1562 on an old church destroyed by an earthquake in 1522. The building presents an architecture of transition between late Gothic and Renaissance. It is a rare, if not unique, example of a 16th-century fortress church. At that time and throughout the 17th century, the Andalusian coast was exposed to attacks by Moorish pirates, making it essential to fortify the main buildings of the city.

The cathedral of Amalfi is composed of two churches: the first one was founded in the 9th century, and in 987, another church was built right next to the cathedral. Soon the two churches, both with three naves, were joined together and thus formed a single Romanesque church with six naves. In the period following the Counter-Reformation, the two buildings became separate again and the older one became the Basilica of the Crucifix, leaving the title of caricature to the building of 987. Other interventions took place between the 16th and 18th centuries. The present façade was built in the 19th century by Errico Alvino assisted by a group of architects. The bell tower of St Andrew's Cathedral was built between 1108 and 1276.

The current building was built over the previous Church of São Salvador, probably dating back to 1496.

The Cathedral of Arezzo was founded in 1278, the construction of the Gothic building lasted until 1511. The façade was built between 1901 and 1914, replacing the previous one, unfinished, dating back to the 15th century. The rose window and stained glass windows are the work of Guillaume de Marcillat (1470-1529).

The Cathedral of Ariano Irpino was built in the 10th century on the ruins of an ancient temple of Apollo. King Charles I of Anjou (1266 - 1285) had the cathedral rebuilt, which was completed much later, in 1309. The new building was damaged by the earthquake of 1349 and then devastated by the great earthquake of 1456. The basilica was hit again by earthquakes in March 1517, June 1688, September 1694, March 1702 and especially in November 1732. The bishop of the time, Filippo Tipaldi, completed the new construction of the sacred building in 1736, giving it its modern structure and forms. Still damaged by the earthquake of 1962, the cathedral was then subject to extensive renovations and was reopened for worship in 1982, while the bell tower, which collapsed in the earthquake of 1980 without causing any casualties, was later rebuilt.

The Cathedral of Asti, built between 1266 and 1470, is one of the greatest examples of Lombard Gothic architecture to be found in Northern Italy. There was already a cathedral there in the 5th century, but it was destroyed by arson around the year 1070. A new cathedral was then erected in 1095, probably in the Lombard Romanesque style. The present church gradually replaced the old one and integrated the pre-existing structure.

The Metropolitan Cathedral of Athens is an Orthodox cathedral built between 1842 and 1862. The construction of this neoclassical building began under the architect Theophil Hansen and was continued by Dimitris Zezos, Panagis Kalkos and François Boulanger. In 1999, the cathedral was damaged by an earthquake and a restoration operation had to be carried out which lasted until 2016.

The Cathedral of Aveiro was once part of the Dominican Monastery of Our Lady of Mercy of Aveiro, founded in 1423. In 1834, when Prime Minister Joaquim António de Aguiar closed the convents and houses of all religious orders with the decree of May 30th, the church became a parish church. In 1938, Pope Pius XI restored the Diocese of Aveiro, and the church became the Cathedral of Aveiro.

The Cathedral of Ayia Napa was built between the late 19th and early 20th century on the ruins of a smaller ancient Byzantine church. According to tradition, the church takes its name from an icon of the Virgin Mary, which was found in a wooded valley ("napa" in Latin), and is therefore dedicated to her.

The Cathedral of Santa Creu and Santa Eulàlia is a Gothic wonder. The cathedral was built in the 12th century on the site of an old Romanesque cathedral. The building is a site of cultural interest and a national historic monument since 1929.