The Goths were two East Germanic tribes known as the Visigoths and Ostrogoths who caused the fall of the Roman Empire and the emergence of Medieval Europe. Gothic architecture was the style which evolved from the Roman style architecture and emerged in France in the 12th century lasting until the 16th century. Originally, the Gothic architecture was known as Opus Freancigenum, or the French work, and the term ‘Gothic’ was applied to this style of architecture during the last stages of the Renaissance. Considering the beauty of this architectural style, the term ‘Gothic,’ formerly considered synonymous to ‘barbaric,’ doesn’t seem to go with it, however. Considering the authority associated with a cathedral, it seems to be compatible to some extent. A cathedral, derived from the Latin root ‘cathedra’ meaning ‘seat,’ is a church having the seat of a bishop. Cathederals were the highest and most visible landmarks in old times just like the skyscrapers are in modern times. Having a common Latin cross  plan, the Gothic cathedrals differ in the use of building materials depending upon their locations.

1. Cathedral of Saint Mary

Named in Spanish as ‘Catedral de Santa María de la Sede,’ the famous Cathedral of Saint Mary of the See is also known as Seville Cathedral. It  is the largest Gothic Cathedral in the world. Initially, it was built over an ancient mosque, but it was badly damaged in the 1356 earthquake. Its construction was then started in 1402, and after its completion in 1506, it surpassed  Hagia Sophia as the then largest cathedral in the world and attained the position of being the largest Gothic cathedral in the world, a position  formerly held for more than a thousand years by Hagia Sophia. Its dome collapsed twice; in 1511 for the first time, and in 1888 for the second time. It  is the burial place of Christopher Columbus and has 14 doors. UNESCO registered it as a World Heritage Site in 1987.

2. Cologne Cathedral

Officially named in German as Hohe Domkirche St. Petrus, meaning High Cathedral of St. Peter, it is better known as Cologne Cathedral. It is a Roman Catholic Church located in Cologne, Germany. Archbishop Konrad Von Hochstaden laid its foundation stone in August, 1248. After many interruptions, it was completed according to the original Latin cross plan in 1880. It is a world famous Gothic architecture measuring 144.5 meters in length and 86.5 meters in width with 157-meter tall towers. It is on the list of World Heritage Sites and a great tourist attraction. It is the most visited site in Germany and  averages more than 20,000 people visiting it every day.

3. Cathedral of St. John the Divine

Officially named as Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine in the City and Diocese of New York, it is the fourth largest Christian Church in the World. Its inner area is 11,200 square meters, and the inside height of the nave is 37.8 meters. Bishop Henry Potter laid its cornerstone on December 27, 1892, on St. John’s Day. He struck the cornerstone three times saying ‘Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid which is Jesus Christ.’ The cathedral was designed in 1888, and its construction started in 1892, but it has undergone repairs and restoration quite a few times and is still incomplete. On this account, it is sometimes nicknamed as ‘St. John the Unfinished.’

4. Wells Cathedral

Officially named as Cathedral of St. Andrew in Wells, the Wells Cathedral is situated in Wells, Somerset, England. It is one of the earliest English Gothic style cathedrals. Its construction started in 1180 and was completed in 1239. The cathedral is the seat of the Bishop of Bath and Wells. The archaeological finds from the site during the 1980 excavations indicate that the first church in Wells was established by King Ine of Wessex in 705. The cathedral has an old library. It has the heaviest ring of 10 bells, and the 10th bell, known as Harewell, weighs 2.858 kgs. The façade has many sculptures of saints and kings. The cathedral has some of the oldest Medieval stained glass windows, and its two windows date back to 1310 and 1320.

5. Amiens Cathedral

The Amiens Cathedral was officially named in French as ‘Cathédrale Notre-Dame d’Amiens.’ It is located at a distance of about 120 km from Paris in the Picardy region of France. It is a Roman Catholic cathedral and is the seat of the Bishop of Amiens. It is the the tallest cathedral in France with the greatest internal volume compared with all the other cathedrals in France. It was built during 1220 to 1270. It was declared as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1981. Most of the original, stained glasswork has been destroyed, yet the remaining original, stained glass windows are indicative of the high quality material used, the workmanship and artistic beauty.

6. Notre Dame Cathedral

Notre-Dame de Reims, meaning, ‘Our Lady of Reims,’ is a Roman Catholic cathedral located in Reims, a city in the Champagne-Ardennes region of France. Reims is at a distance of about 80 miles from Paris. The city was founded by Gauls as a major city in the Roman Empire and is presently best known for its magnificent cathedral, a place of the coronation of former French Kings, and currently a place of worship for believers. It  is also a place of great tourist attraction. It was visited by more than half a million people in 2006. It was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1991. It is 1 of the 3 great cathedrals collectively known as High Gothic Cathedrals built in the 13th century. The other two are Charters and Amiens Cathedrals. From inside, the cathedral is 455 feet long, 98 feet wide and 125 feet high.

7. Aachen Cathedral

The Aachen Cathedral, known as the Royal Church of Saint Mary at Aachen, was the place, where 30 kings and 12 queens were crowned from 936 to the year 1531. The cathedral is located in Aachen. The cathedral was built under the personal supervision of King Charlemagne who, after his death, was buried in it. King Otto got Charlemagne’s vault opened in the year 1000. It was reopened in 1185 by Emperor Frederick Barbarossa. In 1165, the cathedral was valued for containing 4 great relics including: St .Mary’s cloak, Christ’s wrapping clothes, Christ’s loincloth, and St. John the Baptist’s beheading cloth. Since 1349, the relics are displayed every 7 years, as displayed the last time in 2007. The cathedral is on the list of the UNESCO World Heritage.

8. St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Armagh

Located in the Armagh province of Northern Ireland, the Church of Ireland was founded by St. Patrick in AD 445. It was originally built on a hill called Druim Saileach. The church was soon surrounded by a monastic community. The cathedral has faced destruction 17 times. Archbishop Lord John George Beresford restored it during 1834 to 1840. Great care was taken during the restoration as reflected in the main decoration of the two western pillars. Notable burials in the cathedral include: Marcus Gervais Beresford, Charles Frederick D’Arcy, St. Ethnea who was baptized by St. Patrick, and Brian Boru High King of Ireland

9. Sao Paulo Cathedral

Named in Portuguese as ‘Catedral da Sé de São Paulo,’ the Sao Paulo See Metropolitan Cathedral is the Roman Catholic Cathedral of Sao Paulo, Brazil. The Current Archbishop is His Eminence, Cardinal Odilo Pedro Scherer. Construction of the cathedral started in 1913 and ended in 1967. Although it has a Renaissance-styled dome, yet it is considered the 4th century’s largest, neo-gothic cathedral in the world. The cathedral is 111 meters long, 46 meters wide, and its dome height is 30 meters, while the spire is 92 meters high.

10. The Milan Cathedral

Known in Italian as ‘Duomo di Milano,’ the Milan cathedral is located in Milan, Italy. It is the seat of the Archbishop of Milan, Cardinal Angelo Scola. Dedicated to Saint Mary Nascent, the cathedral took six centuries to complete. It is the largest cathedral in Italy and the fourth largest in the world. Its construction was started by Archbishop Antonio Saluzzo in 1386 and was completed by Napoleon Bonaparte on May 20, 1805 when he was going to be crowned as King of Italy. Although he promised that all the expenses in connection with the completion of the façade shall be born by France, the promise was never fulfilled. In recognition of the assurance given by Napoleon Bonaparte, his statue was placed on one of the spires.

Conclusion:

The Gothic cathedrals are characterized by magnificent facades impressing the worshippers even before stepping into them. Pointed arches of different kinds including; Flamboyant arches with flame-like tips look like they are pointing towards the heavens and, invariably, direct the thoughts of receptive minds, hearts and souls towards the Highest Being. The Latin Cross Plan and stained glass windows allow light to the interior and are also the distinguishing features of the Gothic style. Upright, pointed arches, lights, and the height of the Gothic cathedrals are very suggestive of divinity.