Church Architecture

Cathedral-Basilica of Notre-Dame de Québec
Architect: Jean Baillairgé
1647 (original building) Architecture

The Cathedral-Basilica of Notre-Dame de Québec ("Our Lady of Quebec City"), is the primatial church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Quebec. It is the oldest church in Canada and was the first church in Canada to be elevated to the rank of minor basilica, by Pope Pius IX in 1874.

The first cathedral built on the site was a 17th-century building that was later burnt during the Battle of Quebec during the 7 Years' War. The present structure dates to the late-18th century rebuilding efforts; the facade is a 19th-century neo-classical addition. The church lies in Old Quebec City, the only present-day walled city in the Americas, and it has long been an important pilgrimage destination. The interior was designed by Jean Baillairgé and his son François from 1786 to 1822.

Cefalù Cathedral
1132 - 1240 Architecture

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The Cathedral of Cefalù (Italian: Duomo di Cefalù) is a Roman Catholic basilica in Cefalù, Sicily.

Chartres Cathedral
1194 - -1220 Architecture

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Chartres Cathedral, also known as the Cathedral of Our Lady of Chartres, is a Catholic Cathedral in Chartres, France, about 50 miles southwest of Paris. Mostly constructed between 1194 and 1220, it stands on the site of at least five cathedrals that have occupied the site since the Diocese of Chartres was formed as an episcopal see in the 4th century.

Since at least the 12th century the cathedral has been an important destination for travelers. It attracts large numbers of Christian pilgrims, many of whom come to venerate its famous relic, the Sancta Camisa, said to be the tunic worn by the Virgin Mary at Christ's birth.

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When we think of Christian architecture, we may picture towering cathedrals with intricate stained-glass windows, but the roots of this style are much more humble. The earliest Christian structures were not grand, but rather simple house churches. As Christianity grew, its places of worship grew in size and intricacy.

The transition from early Christian to medieval architecture paralelled societal and religious changes. The Romanesque style, characterized by its rounded arches and massive walls, was followed by the Gothic style with its pointed archs, ribbed vaults, and flying buttresses.

Christian architecture has created some of the world’s most iconic structures. These buildings all share a common thread: they are physical manifestations of the Christian faith.

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