The oldest and most important church in Lisbon is the Catedral Sé Patriarcal in the old town district of Alfama. It is one of the most beautiful sights in the city and a visit should not be missed during a stay in Lisbon. The church is also called Igreja de Santa Maria Maior.

Catedral Se Patriarchal | Main Church of the City of Lisbon

Originally there was a mosque instead of the church. After the conquest of the Castelo de São Jorge by Alfonso the Conqueror, later King of Portugal, after the expulsion of the Moors, he began building work on the church in 1147 in place of the mosque. It is therefore the oldest church in the city. It is also a symbol of Christian reconquest.

The church was built in Romanesque style. However, the Catedral Sé Patriarcal has been modified and expanded several times over the centuries. This was mainly due to the destruction caused by two earthquakes. It fell victim to the earthquakes of the 12th and 18th centuries. But the kings have also made changes to the church over the course of history. Over time, the Gothic style has increasingly come to the fore. Today it is a mix of different architectural styles.

The west facade was built in the Romantic style from 1380. Inside there are elements of romanticism and gothic. The ceiling painting was painted in the Baroque style. The organs also date from this period. Some structural changes were also withdrawn over time. It is visually similar to the Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral, which was built in the same era.

It is the main church of the city of Lisbon and the Cathedral of the Patriarchate of Lisbon.

Catedral Se Patriarchal | Fortress and Church

The two bell towers are characteristic of this era. They were used for defense, similar to a fortress. This crenellated twin tower facade makes a very fortified impression. This was very typical of that time.

Inside you will find a baptismal font, which is said to date from the 12th century. According to tradition, Saint Anthony was baptized here in 1195. There is also an archaeological exhibition and the remains of ancient buildings in the church. The treasury of the cathedral with ecclesiastical jewels and relics of St. Vincent, the patron saint of Lisbon, is also located here.

Visitors per year

Information on the number of visitors is not available.

address

Largo da Sé, 1100-585 Lisbon, Portugal

Opening Hours

Monday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m

Ticket Prices

Admission to the church is generally free. The cloister and the treasury cost one entry.

When masses are taking place, the cathedral is closed to the public.

Tickets

Der Beitrag Catedral Sé Patriarcal erschien zuerst auf City Trips & Sightseeing.

A true masterpiece of the Gothic and one of the most visited attractions in the city of Paris is the Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral. With its characteristic silhouette, it is located in the historic center of Paris on the eastern tip of the Seine island Île de la Cité. Here you can find information about the attraction.

Notre-Dame de Paris Roman Catholic Church – Gothic churches

The Notre-Dame de Paris (“Our Lady of Paris”) cathedral is one of the earliest Gothic churches in France and is the cathedral of the Archdiocese of Paris. Construction began in the middle ages of the 13th century, but was not completed until the 15th century. It was built in four construction phases from 1163 to 1345. It took over 200 years to build. In 1163, under Bishop Maurice de Sully and Louis VII, the construction of the choir and its two galleries began and was finally consecrated in 1182.

The middle third of the nave was created in the second construction phase by 1190. However, there was no closure to the west. It was not until the third construction phase from 1190 to 1225 that the lower floors of the west facade and the front third of the nave were built. The tower floors followed in the fourth construction phase from 1225 to 1250. Then modernizations and extensions took place until the middle of the 14th century.

Architects include Pierre de Montreuil, Jean Baptiste Antoine Lassus, Jean de Chelles, Jean Ravy Raymond du Temple, Pierre de Chelles and Jean le Bouteiller.

Notre Dame architecture

The two natural stone towers are 69 meters high and can also be visited. The climb is worth it, as you get a fantastic view of Paris from there. The interior of the nave is 130 meters long, 48 meters wide and 35 meters high. Its main axis is roughly parallel to the near left bank of the right arm of the Seine.
The church has a capacity of up to 10,000 people.

Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral

The building is also known for the grotesques (also called drolleries), the gargoyles. The mythical creatures can be found in the “Galerie des Chimères”. In addition, visitors admire the colorful church windows and rose windows, the towers and the steeple.

The cathedral naturally has a carillon. It had 20 bells until the French Revolution. Ten bells still hang in the towers today. Among other things, the 13,000 kg “Emmanuelle” bell in the south tower.

Throughout history – during the French Revolution – Notre-Dame was also badly damaged and subsequently rebuilt and restored. Unfortunately, the last damage was not long ago. The cathedral suffered severe damage in a major fire in April 2019. It should be reconstructed true to the original. Until then, Notre-Dame is not accessible to visitors.

Facts: Napoléon Bonaparte was crowned emperor in Notre Dame in 1804. The cathedral is also known from Victor Hugo’s historical novel “The Hunchback of Notre-Dame”, published in 1831.

Address

6 Parvis Notre-Dame – Pl. Jean-Paul II, 75004 Paris, Frankreich

Opening hours

Closed until further notice

Tickets and tours

Der Beitrag Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral erschien zuerst auf City Trips & Sightseeing.

One of the most beautiful churches in Berlin – the Berlin Cathedral – is located on the Lustgarten on Museum Island and rises with its dome that can be seen from afar in the Mitte district of Berlin. It is one of the best Berlin sights. The Protestant church is one of the most important dynastic tombs and houses the Hohenzollern crypt. Here you will find all the important information about the Berlin Cathedral.

Berlin Cathedral

Only 270 steps separate the visitors from a wonderful view over Berlin’s center with the television tower, Spree and Nikolaiviertel. The panoramic view (with a 360 degree view of the dome) from the dome of the Berlin Cathedral is therefore very popular with visitors. The impressive dome – with a proud 33 meters in diameter – is just one of the highlights of the cathedral. Because it also has a lot more to offer. The Baptism and Wedding Church, the Imperial Staircase, the Hohenzollern Crypt, the Cathedral Museum to name just a few. The church interior – lavishly decorated and artfully adorned and with its wonderful decorations, the Berlin Cathedral is one of the most beautiful churches in the city.

If you have the chance, you should definitely attend a concert or church service in the cathedral. Then the historic Sauer organ sounds with its rich sound. It is the largest originally preserved organ from the late Romantic period. And another tip: right next to the magnificent cathedral is the World Heritage Site Museum Island, which is home to many famous museums. It is best to combine the visit.

Berlin Cathedral – History and Facts

In a long history, the cathedral has been renewed and rebuilt several times. The foundation stone was laid in middle age in 1465 with the construction of an upper parish and cathedral church on the Spree island. It was Frederick the Great who had the builder Johann Boumann build a baroque church with a drum dome in 1747. Karl Friedrich Schinkel renovated it 70 years later, inside and out, in a classical style.

Kaiser Wilhelm II also had renovations carried out. But this did not go far enough for him. He decided that the previous appearance of the cathedral was no longer grand enough and had it rebuilt in 1894, the design of the cathedral builder Julius Carl Raschdorff. This took place until 1905.

The Berlin Cathedral was badly damaged by the Second World War. The reconstruction of the church in the GDR only began 30 years later. The outdoor work lasted until 1983. However, the interior work was not completed until 2002.

Architecture of the Berlin Cathedral

The cathedral is built in the neo-renaissance and neo-baroque styles. In the center of the Berlin Cathedral is the dome, which is flanked by four corner towers and rises a good 114 meters above street level. A lantern with a gold cross crowns this monumental dome. Julius Carl Raschdorff built the cathedral in the style of the Italian High Renaissance with baroque influences. The cathedral should be the answer to St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. The cathedral – which stands on an area of ​​7200 m² – was divided into three parts as a central building from the beginning and originally consisted of the sermon church, the baptismal church and the memorial church. The monument church no longer exists today. The cathedral is now a listed building and is the largest Protestant church in Germany in terms of area.

Inside, the cathedral is also magnificent. It includes extensive New Testament and Church Reformation elements, ornamental mosaics, gold and statues. The most important works of art include the marble altar by Stüler and the marble font by Christian Daniel Rauch. In addition, the Baptistery and Wedding Church houses a huge painting of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit by Carl Begas.

Hohenzollern Crypt

With over 90 burials from the end of the 16th century to the beginning of the 20th century, the Hohenzollern Crypt is one of the most important dynastic burial sites in Germany. Almost 100 coffins are in the crypt. Including lavishly designed sarcophagi by Andreas Schlueter for Friedrich I and Queen Sophie Charlotte.

Tickets and tours for the Berlin Cathedral

A visit to the cathedral is included with the Berlin Pass.

opening hours

Monday to Thursday: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., last entry 7 p.m.
Friday: 11 a.m. – 7 p.m., last entry 6 p.m.
Saturday: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., from 4 p.m. only dome round, last admission 7 p.m.
Sunday: 12 p.m. to 8 p.m., last entry: 7 p.m.
No visits during church services or events

Address

Der Beitrag Berlin Cathedral erschien zuerst auf City Trips & Sightseeing.