Inside 19 of the most beautiful cathedrals in the world

Zoë EttingerMay 22, 2020, 02:36 IST

St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City.Pablo Damonte/Getty Images.

Cathedrals are examples of incredible feats of early architecture.
They differ from churches in that they must have a cathedra, the seat of a bishop.
Many European cathedrals were constructed between 1000 and 1600 AD.
The Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City is the largest in the world.

Many cathedrals were constructed hundreds of years ago, and without the help of modern machinery, many took centuries to complete. For some, construction is still ongoing.

Many were built with the help of community members. In the mid-12th century, churches began offering indulgences (forgiveness of sins) to those who would help build churches or cathedrals.

Though the only requirement for a church to become a cathedral is the presence of seat for a resident bishop, many cathedrals have far grander architecture than traditional churches.

Some cathedrals are gargantuan in size, like New York's St. John the Divine, which is 121,000 square feet.

Take a look inside some of the most beautiful cathedrals in the world.

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The Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City is the largest in the world at 121,000 square feet. Construction began in 1892 and is ongoing.

St. John the Divine Cathedral in New York City. Raymond Boyd/Getty Images

Construction of the Milan Cathedral, or the Duomo di Milano, began 1386 and is also still ongoing.

Milan Cathedral in Milan, Italy. VWPics:Universal Images Group via Getty Images

The Cathedral of San Sebastian in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, was constructed between 1964 and 1979.

Cathedral of San Sebastian, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Gunter Fischer/Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

Notre Dame Cathedral in Ottawa, Canada, was constructed between 1841 and 1846.

Notre Dame Cathedral in Ottawa, Canada. Molly Gross/EyeEm/Getty Images

The first brick of Modena Cathedral in Italy was laid in 1099. It was officially consecrated in 1184.

Modena Cathedral, Italy. Francesco Riccardo Iacomino/Getty Images

Construction of the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Reims, France, took place between 1211 and 1516.

Cathedral of Notre Dame, Reims, France. Francisco Andrade/Getty Images

The Cathedral of the Dormition, in Moscow, Russia, was first constructed in 1326, but was rebuilt in 1475.

The Cathedral of the Dormition, Moscow, Russia. Massimo Borchi/Atlantide Phototravel/Getty Images

The Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba in Spain was a medieval Islamic mosque that was converted into a cathedral in the 13th century.

Cathedral of Cordoba, Cordoba, Spain. Santiago Urquijo Zamora/Getty Images

The Cathedral of Brasília in Brasília, Brazil, was constructed from 1958 to 1968.

The Cathedral of Brasília, Brasília, Brazil. Dircinha Welter/Getty Images

St. Paul's Cathedral in London was constructed between 1675 and 1710, after its predecessor was destroyed by the Great Fire of London.

St. Paul's Cathedral, London, UK. Peter Adams/Getty Images

Salisbury Cathedral in the UK was built between 1220 and 1258. The first foundation stone was laid by Bishop Roger Poore.

Salisbury Cathedral in Wiltshire, UK. Allan Baxter/Getty Images

Notre-Dame Cathedral in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, was constructed between 1863 and 1880 by French colonists.

Notre-Dame Cathedral, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Pawel Toczynski/Getty Images

Myeongdong Cathedral, in Seoul, South Korea, was built between 1892 and 1898.

Myeongdong Cathedral, Seoul, South Korea. Tuomas Lehtinen/Getty Images

St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City was built between 1858 and 1879.

St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City. Pablo Damonte/Getty Images.

Construction of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Rouen, France, began the 12th century, and most additions were completed by the early 16th century.

Notre Dame Cathedral in Rouen, France. Yulia Reznikov/Getty Images

The construction of the Pisa Cathedral in Pisa, Italy, was started in 1063, and it was consecrated in 1118.

Pisa Cathedral, Pisa, Italy. Francisco Andrade/Getty Images

St. Matthew's Cathedral, in Osorno, Chile, was first built in 1577, but was destroyed by an earthquake in 1960. It was rebuilt from 1962 to 1977.

St. Matthew's Cathedral, Osorno, Chile. jopstock/Getty Images

St. Andrew's Cathedral in Sydney, Australia, was constructed between 1819 and 1868, and is the oldest cathedral in Australia.

St. Andrew's Cathedral, Sydney, Australia. Oliver Strewe/Getty Images

Construction of the current Cathedral of Saint Paul in St. Paul, Minnesota, began in 1904 and was completed in 1958.

Cathedral of Saint Paul in St. Paul, Minnesota. Douglas Sacha/Getty Images

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