Honestly, you can’t swing a dead cat anywhere in Europe and not hit a magnificent cathedral.
And it’s not just the big cities but even small towns and villages that often host beautiful churches as well as a cathedral.
Stretching to the sky, they dwarf the surrounding buildings. They occupy the center of the most important squares. Their architecture is amazing. It is difficult to believe they could build such inspiring edifices at a time when people died of the plague, lived in thatched roof dwellings, all while barely scratching a living out of the hard ground. They are remarkable achievements in design, engineering, sculpture, and devotion.
They attract huge crowds of people every day who stand around the edges to stare, point, gasp, and nod.
The interior is usually even more magnificent than the outside with all of the statues, paintings, stained glass windows, and soaring arches that boggle the mind.
The line to enter these sanctuaries can stretch out the door.
Unfortunately, its only tourists in the line, not worshippers.
Almost no one in Europe actually attends church on a regular basis any longer. Last count, depending on the country, it is somewhere between 10-15% of Europeans are regular church-goers. Some countries are down in the single digits.
In fact, one of the best ways to really see these places up close without a crowd surrounding you is to attend Sunday service.
You won’t have a problem getting a seat.
Do you have reservations?
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