Cathedrals are more than religious monuments or the seat of a bishop. They are deep repositories of history, art, politics, and culture—many of them with roots that stretch back into time in a way that’s nearly impossible to imagine. The Cologne Cathedral in Germany, for example, was founded in the 13th century and took hundreds of years (600, to be exact) to construct. These iconic buildings are landmarks and tourist attractions, and some are so gorgeously and intricately constructed that we have to wonder at the imagination and skill of the engineers and craftsmen who created them. Read on to take a look at some of these soaring beauties from around the world.
