MAIN Travel Special Interest Travel Cathedral Tours

You don't have to be a believer to truly understand the reason behind Europe's great cathedrals.

Awe-inspiring in their size and scope, they were for centuries at the very center of medieval life,

Today, the sacred and the profane can be read from a cathedral — in everything from the gargoyles that peer down from its dizzying heights, to their monumental stained glass windows that light the interior.

For travelers from relatively young countries like America and Australia, a grand tour of the great cathedrals - unlike other historic sites - truly enlivens an important span of history when deep spirituality became the center of the medieval universe.

As wonderous to the modern age of steel and glass skyscrapers, the Gothic cathedral was the glory of the Middle Ages, an era usually regarded as a time of less-than-grand achievements. However, the revolutionary idea of building higher and more slender buildings, (which also allowed more windows to light the interior) was just as dazzling an engineering feat then as it is now.

More about cathedral travel tours around the Web:

Around the Web, learn more about the great cathedrals and how they were built, take in more of their history and meaning, along with more practical information on where, when and how to visit them the next time you're pilgrimaging through Europe ...

Sacred Destinations - An extensive directory of travel opportunities to cathedrals, churches, mosques, temples, graves, tombs & relics worldwide browseable by location or religious affiliation, including tour packages, maps & photos.

The Complete Guide to Cathedral Cities in the UK - The UK newspaper The Independent offers holiday highlights of the countries top cathedrals including visitor information, related Web sites.

Gothic Medieval Cathedrals - Resources and links to official Web sites for virtual tours of American, English, French and Spanish Gothic cathedrals.

Europe's Can't Miss Cathedrals - Forbes Magazine travel review with photo gallery.

The Layout of European Churches and Cathedrals - A guide to reading the construction of medieval Gothic cathedrals and their various parts with related photos and resources.

The End of Europe's Middle Ages - Visual Arts - Excellent background information and related photos on the rise of Gothic in France and throughout Europe.

Cathedrals - Great Buildings Online - A survey of top cathedrals with construction details, photo galleries and related resources.