Chartres Cathedral, France

Cathedral of Our Lady of Chartres commonly referred as Chartres Cathedral is a Roman Catholic Cathedral located in Chartres, France. The construction of the cathedral began on the Romanesque foundations of an earlier church in 1145 but was severely damaged by a fire in 1194. It was rebuilt and reconstructed between 1194 and 1220 and dedicated in the presence of King Louis IX in 1260.

The Gothic cathedral was built after the plan of an anonymous architect in a shape of a cross. The spacious nave is 36 meters(118,8 feet) high and 28 meters long (92,4 feet). The plain pyramid spire (which survived the fire of 1194) is 105 meters (349 feet) high, while Flamboyant spire from the early 16th century is 113 meter (377 feet) high. Cathedral's stained glass windows date from 13th century. Chartres Cathedral stained glass windows remained almost untouched over the next centuries and represent one of the most complete collections of medieval stained glass in the world.

Chartres Cathedral is one of finest examples of Gothic architecture in France and is almost completely preserved in its original appearance. It was inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage sites in 1979.

Seville Cathedral, Spain

Seville Cathedral or Cathedral of Saint Mary of the See is a Roman Catholic Cathedral located on Plaza Virgen de los Reyes of Seville in Spain. The third largest Roman Catholic Cathedral in the world and the largest Medieval Gothic religious building was built on the site of a former mosque between 1402 and 1506.

The design of the magnificent cathedral wanted to demonstrate the power and wealth of Seville after the Reconquista. Almost all signs of the former mosque are gone except for the Giralda (originally a minaret) which was converted into a bell tower and the Moorish entrance court. Seville Cathedral houses valuable artworks by Goya, Murillo and Zurbarán, 15th century stained-glass windows, religious jewelry items, the largest altar in the world which features 45 scenes from the life of Christ and the remains of Christopher Columbus which were transfered to Seville from the Havana Cathedral after the Cuban revolution in 1902 although some historians believe that wrong relics have been brought in Seville and that remains of Christopher Columbus are actually in the Columbus Lighthouse in Santo Domingo in Dominican Republic.

Together with the Citadel and General Archive of the Indies, Seville Cathedral was inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage sites in 1987.

Notre-Dame Cathedral, Luxembourg

Notre-Dame Cathedral is a Roman Catholic Cathedral located in Luxembourg City, Luxembourg. The cathedral was originally built as a church of the former Jesuit College between 1613 and 1621 when it was also consecrated by Georg von Helffenstein, Auxiliary Bishop of Trier.

The Jesuit Order was dissolved in 1774 and the church was under state control until 1778 when the Habsburg Empress Maria-Theresa gave it to the City of Luxembourg. Before it was named Notre-Dame in 1844 the church was also known as the Church of St Nicholas and St Theresa and the St Peter's Church. It was erected to the status of a cathedral by Pope Pius IX in 1870.

The cathedral was built in late Gothic style with Renaissance elements and decoration. Notre-Dame Cathedral was extended to its present magnitude between 1935 and 1938. Since the 18th century the cathedral houses the image of Our Lady Comforter of the Afflicted which is the patron saint of both the city and the country.

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