"against the openwork spires of Germany and France), and tallest spire in the world that remains from the Medieval period that has not been entirely rebuilt. However, it was greatly surpassed in height by the spires of Lincoln and Old St. Paul’s. At Lincoln, between the early 14th century and 1548, the central tower was surmounted by the tallest spire in the world at about but this fell in a storm. Lichfield Cathedral, uniquely in England, has three medieval masonry spires. Although single western towers are common in English parish churches, only one medieval cathedral, Ely, retains a centrally placed"
"The western spires are known as ""Barbara"" and ""Mary"" after Barbara and Mary Walker, spinster sisters, who provided funds for the cathedral's construction from 1873. They owned the surrounding Drumsheugh Estate and lived in Easter Coates House, which survives to the north of the cathedral. They were the granddaughters of Rev. George Walker, the Episcopal Minister of Old Meldrum Church (1734-1781). Their father, William Walker, was Attorney in Exchequer, and Bearer of the White Rod of Scotland. Their mother was Mary Drummond, daughter of George Drummond, six times Lord Provost of Edinburgh and initiator of the New Town. Three-spired cathedrals"
"Spires of Naples The Spires of Naples (""spire"" in Italian: ""guglia""; plural, ""guglie"") are monumental columns in the historic center of the city of Naples, Italy. These ""plague columns"" were built to celebrate the end of, or deliverance from, the plague. The columns may also be termed ""votive"" Marian and Holy Trinity columns, and could also be connected with non-pestilent calamities such as earthquakes or eruptions, or simply manifest faith, atonement, or expiation. The columns are generally named for the religious votive icon at the top. Most remaining columns were built in Catholic countries throughout Europe in the 17th and"
"1876, it was ministered to by the dean, James Montgomery, and two chaplains, and grew rapidly. The nave of the cathedral was opened on 25 January 1879 and from that day, daily services have been held in the cathedral. The twin spires at the west end, known as ""Barbara"" and ""Mary"" after the Walker sisters, were not begun until 1913 and completed in 1917. The architect for these was Charles Marriott Oldrid Scott, Sir George's grandson. The builder was Edwin C. Morgan. The reredos is designed by John Oldrid Scott and sculpted by Mary Grant. St Mary's Cathedral is the"
"academics. Notre-Dame de Paris Notre-Dame de Paris (; ; meaning """"Our Lady of Paris""""), also known as Notre-Dame Cathedral or simply Notre-Dame, is a medieval Catholic cathedral on the Île de la Cité in the fourth arrondissement of Paris, France. The cathedral is widely considered to be one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture. The innovative use of the rib vault and flying buttress, the enormous and colorful rose windows, and the naturalism and abundance of its sculptural decoration all set it apart from earlier Romanesque architecture. The cathedral was begun in 1160 and largely completed by 1260,"
"Notre-Dame de Paris Notre-Dame de Paris (; ; meaning """"Our Lady of Paris""""), also known as Notre-Dame Cathedral or simply Notre-Dame, is a medieval Catholic cathedral on the Île de la Cité in the fourth arrondissement of Paris, France. The cathedral is widely considered to be one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture. The innovative use of the rib vault and flying buttress, the enormous and colorful rose windows, and the naturalism and abundance of its sculptural decoration all set it apart from earlier Romanesque architecture. The cathedral was begun in 1160 and largely completed by 1260, though"
"of the cross is congregation hall called the ""nave"". The two arms of the cross are the ""transepts"". The part containing the altar and the choir is the ""crossing"". The cathedral has a crypt that houses a statue of St. Philomena. The twin spires of the church are in height and they resemble the spires of the Cologne Cathedral and also the spires of the St. Patrick's Church in New York City. The main hall (""nave"") can seat up to 800 people and contains stained glass windows depicting scenes from the birth of Christ, the Last Supper, the Crucifixion, the"
"Valère Basilica The Valère basilica (), also called Valère castle (), is a fortified church situated in Sion in the canton of Valais in Switzerland. It is situated on a hill and faces the Château de Tourbillon, located on the opposite hill. It is a Swiss heritage site of national significance. The Diocese was founded in Octodurum, now called Martigny in the early 4th century. In 589 the bishop, St. Heliodorus, transferred the see to Sion, as Octodurum was frequently endangered by the inundations of the Rhone and the Drance. Very little is known about the early Bishops and the"
"the alternate shafts carrying a stone arch of the high vault. The square bays thus formed are groin vaulted and plastered. Although most of the plasterwork of the 19th century has been removed from wall surfaces, the wide expanse of masonry between the arcade and the clerestory contains a series of colourful murals depicting the ""Life of the Virgin"". The cathedral has recently undergone fundamental restorations, which cost around 26 million Euros. In addition the frescos by Schraudolph, which were removed in the 1950s, were restored and are now displayed in the ""Kaisersaal"" of the cathedral. In April 1981, Speyer"
"their nests on the cathedral's tower. Salisbury Cathedral Salisbury Cathedral, formally known as the Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, is an Anglican cathedral in Salisbury, England, and one of the leading examples of Early English architecture. The main body of the cathedral was completed in 38 years, from 1220 to 1258. Since 1549, the cathedral has had the tallest church spire in the United Kingdom, at . Visitors can take the ""Tower Tour"" where the interior of the hollow spire, with its ancient wooden scaffolding, can be viewed. The cathedral also has the largest cloister and the largest"
"the 12th century the Cathedral Notre Dame de Sion (du Glarier) was built in the town below Valère hill. Glarier Cathedral became the seat of the Diocese of Sion, while the Prince-Bishop of Sion lived in Tourbillon Castle. The name Valère is first mentioned in 1049 as the site of the cathedral chapter in Sion. The first parts of the church were built between 1100 and 1130 in the Romanesque style. The next construction phase began after 1130 and included the semi-circular apse, the walls and windows and a roof. The third phase saw the church expand and the style"
"Lille Cathedral Lille Cathedral, the Basilica of Notre Dame de la Treille (), is a Roman Catholic church and basilica located in Lille, France. It is the cathedral church of the Archdiocese of Lille. An example of Gothic Revival architecture, the cathedral is considered a national monument. The church was built in honor of the Virgin Mary and takes its name from a 12th-century statue of the saint that has miraculous properties ascribed to it. The project of its construction, which was carried out by a commission that brought together representatives of the clergy and lay members of the upper"
"Clermont-Ferrand Cathedral Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption of Clermont-Ferrand (French: ""Cathédrale Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption de Clermont-Ferrand""), commonly known as Clermont-Ferrand Cathedral, is a Gothic cathedral and French national monument located in the town of Clermont-Ferrand in the Auvergne. It is the seat of the Archbishops of Clermont (bishops until 2002). It is built entirely in black lava stone, which makes it highly distinctive, and visible from a great distance. Its twin spires are 96.1 metres tall, and tower above the town's rooftops. It has been listed since 1862 as a ""monument historique"" by the French Ministry of Culture. In the"
"18th centuries. Their heavy ornateness characterizes Baroque architecture. In Naples, by chronological order of date of completion, three main spires can be found, as follows: </div> Spires of Naples The Spires of Naples (""spire"" in Italian: ""guglia""; plural, ""guglie"") are monumental columns in the historic center of the city of Naples, Italy. These ""plague columns"" were built to celebrate the end of, or deliverance from, the plague. The columns may also be termed ""votive"" Marian and Holy Trinity columns, and could also be connected with non-pestilent calamities such as earthquakes or eruptions, or simply manifest faith, atonement, or expiation. The"
"which occupies the entire Dome of the Cathedral, and a mosaic of the Virgin Mary, which covers the curved wall of the Apse. In 2017, mosaics were installed in the Circle under the Dome and in the Pendentives, which connect the Dome to its four supporting pillars. While reflecting biblical themes, the content of the mosaics differs from traditional renderings. In addition to the 13 Apostles, the mosaics in the Circle also contain images of St. Mary Magdalene; a French saint, St. Madeline Sophie Barat, founder of Les Réligieuses du Sacré-Cœur; and two Canadian saints, St. Kateri Tekakwitha and St."
"University Church of St Mary the Virgin The University Church of St Mary the Virgin (St Mary's or SMV for short) is an Oxford church situated on the north side of the High Street. It is the centre from which the University of Oxford grew and its parish consists almost exclusively of university and college buildings. St Mary's possesses an eccentric baroque porch, designed by Nicholas Stone, facing High Street, and a spire which is claimed by some church historians to be one of the most beautiful in England. Radcliffe Square lies to the north and to the east is"
"Salisbury Cathedral Salisbury Cathedral, formally known as the Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, is an Anglican cathedral in Salisbury, England, and one of the leading examples of Early English architecture. The main body of the cathedral was completed in 38 years, from 1220 to 1258. Since 1549, the cathedral has had the tallest church spire in the United Kingdom, at . Visitors can take the ""Tower Tour"" where the interior of the hollow spire, with its ancient wooden scaffolding, can be viewed. The cathedral also has the largest cloister and the largest cathedral close in Britain at ."
"the nave vaults. The semi-columns have Corintianesque capitals with a palmette ornament between the scrolls. There are subtle differences between the capitals in the type of the palmette and the fleuron. Unlike the column shafts, the capitals are still coated with plaster. The original 15th-century architecture was largely preserved by Bernini who only added a strong stone cornice and embellished the arches with pairs of white stucco statues portraying female saints. The first two pairs on the left and the right are medieval monastic founders and reformers, the rest are all early Christian saints and martyrs. Their names are written"
"opening of the new cathedral. The cathedral was featured in the 2009 film ""Nativity!"". The spire of the ruined cathedral forms one of the """"three spires"""" which have dominated the city skyline since the 14th century, the others being those of Christ Church (of which only the spire survives) and Holy Trinity Church (which is still in use). Coventry Cathedral is also notable for being one of the newest cathedrals in the world, having been built following the Second World War bombing of the ancient cathedral by the Luftwaffe. Coventry has since developed an international reputation as one of Europe's"
"cultural institutions, including the cathedral. To help make up funds, Duomo management launched a campaign offering its 135 spires up for ""adoption."" Donors who contribute €100,000 (about $110,505) or more will have a plaque with their name engraved on it placed on the spire. The plan consists of a nave with four side-aisles, crossed by a transept and then followed by choir and apse. The height of the nave is about , the highest Gothic vaults of a complete church (less than the of Beauvais Cathedral, which was never completed). The roof is open to tourists (for a fee), which"
"End. This new cathedral, completed in 1879, was designed in the Gothic Revival style by Sir George Gilbert Scott and its three massive spires reaching and can be seen on the western skyline from Princes Street. The High Kirk of St Giles still stands today on the Royal Mile; while it is commonly referred to as ""St Giles' Cathedral"" this is an honorary title as, being a Presbyterian church, lacks a ""cathedra"" (the throne of a Bishop). It should be noted that another St Mary's Cathedral also exists in Edinburgh, the Roman Catholic Cathedral which is situated on Picardy Place"
"Worcester Cathedral Worcester Cathedral, is an Anglican cathedral in Worcester, England, situated on a bank overlooking the River Severn. It is the seat of the Bishop of Worcester. Its official name is the Cathedral Church of Christ and the Blessed Mary the Virgin of Worcester. The present cathedral church was built between 1084 and 1504, and represents every style of English architecture from Norman to Perpendicular Gothic. It is famous for its Norman crypt and unique chapter house, its unusual Transitional Gothic bays, its fine woodwork and its ""exquisite"" central tower, which is of particularly fine proportions. The cathedral's west"
"Mary of the See Cathedral was built from 1401–1519 after the ""Reconquista"" on the former site of the city's mosque. It is among the largest of all medieval and Gothic cathedrals, in terms of both area and volume. The interior is the longest nave in Spain, and is lavishly decorated, with a large quantity of gold evident. La Giralda is a tower attached to the Cathedral that dates back to the twelfth century. It was originally built as part of a mosque when the Moors ruled in Spain and was later added onto by the Christians. Tourists today can climb"
"windows survive intact, while the architecture has seen only minor changes since the early 13th century. The building's exterior is dominated by heavy flying buttresses which allowed the architects to increase the window size significantly, while the west end is dominated by two contrasting spires – a 105-metre (349 ft) plain pyramid completed around 1160 and a 113-metre (377 ft) early 16th-century Flamboyant spire on top of an older tower. Equally notable are the three great façades, each adorned with hundreds of sculpted figures illustrating key theological themes and narratives. Since at least the 12th century the cathedral has been"
"the Gothic hall at the level of the rose window, where visitors can look over the parvis and see a collection of paintings and sculpture from earlier periods of the Cathedral's history. The ten bells of the Cathedral are located in the south tower. (see Bells below) A water reservoir, covered with a lead roof, is located between the two towers, behind the colonnade and the gallery and in front of the nave and the ""pignon"". It can be used to quickly extinguish a fire. The ""Flèche"" or Spire of the Cathedral is located over the transept and altar. The"
"and garlands of flowers, which itself gives the impression of greater depth. High on the wall there is a quadrangular window. A pluteo in shaped pink marble separates the presbytery from the nave. On the vault of the presbytery there are symbols of the four Evangelists; the latter decorations were probably confected, along with the decoration of the vault of the nave, prior to the altar's decoration. The ceiling of the nave celebrates the Virgin Mary through four shields which represent four different names of Madonna chosen from litany entries. At the center of the vault a dove is placed"
"St Mary's Cathedral, Glasgow The Cathedral Church of St Mary the Virgin (commonly called St Mary's Cathedral) is a cathedral of the Scottish Episcopal Church. It is located on the Great Western Road, in the west end of Glasgow, Scotland. The current building was opened on 9 November 1871 as St Mary's Episcopal Church and was completed in 1893 when the spire was completed. The architect was George Gilbert Scott. It was raised to cathedral status in 1908. The total height of the cathedral is 63 metres. The church structure is protected as a category A listed building. The other"
"and the Lady Chapel is apsidal with very tall windows, giving a rather French impression. Lichfield is the only one of the cathedrals to have retained three spires. Dating from 1074 to 1548, Lincoln Cathedral is one of the largest of England’s cathedrals and it has been claimed by John Ruskin that, architecturally, it is worth any two of the others put together. Edward Freeman described it as “one of the loveliest of human works.” It retains portions of the three massive arches of the Norman west front and much heavily restored sculpture around the central portal. The central tower"
"entire façade beneath the rose window. Above the rose window there is an open arcade, the ""galerie des sonneurs."" Flanking the nave, the two towers were built without close regard to the former design, the south tower being finished in 1366, the north one, reaching higher, in 1406. The western portals of the cathedral are famous for their elaborate sculpture, featuring a gallery of locally-important saints and large eschatological scenes. Statues of saints in the portal of the cathedral have been identified as including the locally venerated Saints Victoricus and Gentian, Saint Domitius, Saint Ulphia, and Saint Fermin. The spire"
"Our Lady of the Pillar Our Lady of the Pillar () is the name given to the Blessed Virgin Mary associated with the claim of Marian apparition to Apostle James the Greater as he was praying by the banks of the Ebro at Caesaraugusta (Zaragoza), Hispania, in AD 40. The celebrated wooden image is enshrined at the Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar in Saragossa (Zaragoza). Pope Callixtus III granted indulgences towards her shrine in 1456. Since 1730, Pope Innocent XIII mandated her veneration throughout the Spanish Empire, and the Virgin Mary invoked under this specific Marian title is"
"cathedral, which stands high, was rebuilt, some 70 years after the original one was blocked from view. The dove in the oculus, with a wingspan of , is “a dramatic reminder of the Holy Spirit’s presence in the life of the church, especially in the celebration of the Eucharist,” according to Father James Murphy who was the Rector of the cathedral during its renovation. Sixteen large rondels, each in diameter, decorate the new dome, portraying Eucharistic scenes from Scripture. An octagonal marble baptismal font with a decorative mosaic is at the entrance to the cathedral. Two side chapels — the"
"University of Worcester. These ceremonies are presided over by the vice chancellor of the university, and take place over four days in November. Worcester Cathedral Worcester Cathedral, is an Anglican cathedral in Worcester, England, situated on a bank overlooking the River Severn. It is the seat of the Bishop of Worcester. Its official name is the Cathedral Church of Christ and the Blessed Mary the Virgin of Worcester. The present cathedral church was built between 1084 and 1504, and represents every style of English architecture from Norman to Perpendicular Gothic. It is famous for its Norman crypt and unique chapter"
"Cathedral of Our Lady of the Annunciation, Jerusalem The Cathedral of the Annunciation of the Virgin, also called Greek Catholic Melkite Cathedral of the Annunciation of the Virgin or simply Church of Our Lady of the Annunciation, is a Melkite Greek Catholic cathedral located in the Christian Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem. It is dedicated to Our Lady of the Annunciation. It serves as the headquarters of the Melkite Catholic Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East (""Archieparchia Hierosolymitana Melchitarum""), whose patriarch since 1772 is responsible for the Jerusalem Melkites by the encyclical ""Orientalium dignitas"" of Pope Leo"