The World's Great Cathedrals

Baroque Churches. Should you ever find yourself in the only predominantly Catholic country in Asia, a visit to one of its historic churches ought to be included in your itinerary. The World Heritage lists four baroque churches built during Hispanic times, between the 16th and 18th century, located in the capital Manila, the province of Iloilo and two in the Ilocos region up north. The Paoay Church (photo) in Ilocos Norte offers a picturesque backdrop to make you want to walk down the aisle in this historic architecture. Nuestra Señora de la Asuncion Church down south in Ilocos Sur also ought to be a heritage stop. Because unlike most churches located in the center of town, the Nuestra Señora de la Asuncion Church isn’t located in the center of town. Instead, it is on top of a hill, and you’ll have to climb a flight of 82 steps to get to it. The climb is worth it though—not only for the quad workout, but also to see the church’s unique architectural structure, reminiscent of a stonewall fortress used by early Spanish settlements.

Christian pilgrims at Church of the Holy Sepulcher during the Good Friday procession in 2011 in Jerusalem, Israel. In Jerusalem Christian pilgrims took part in processions along the route that Jesus is believed to have taken in his last days as he carried the cross.

An old church in Baku, Azerbaijan.

St Mary's Church, Madurai

Also known as St Mary's Cathedral, this church was built in 1840 and blends European and continental styles of architecture. Located in Madurai near the Tirumala Nayak Mahal on old Koyavar Palayam Road, it was originally dedicated to Vyakula Matha, a representation of the Virgin Mary. The new church was constructed in 1916 after the Madurai Diocese was created in 1938, St. Mary's Church was raised to the status of a pro-Cathedral and the Bishop's throne was installed. The church was elevated to the status of Cathedral on 1969. The notable feature of the church is the two tall elegant bell towers constructed in Roman style which is at a height of 42 meters.

Photo by Karthikeyan Chinnathambi

The journey up the walls takes me to new heights as Avila shows me her true colours. Huddled below are several pink, white and red houses looking petite as the walls wrap them in their folds. There are several routes and I begin at the Puerta Del Carmen, or the Gate of Carmen, that takes its name from a Carmelite convent attached to the walls. Looking down we see palaces and cathedrals dot the landscape. The Cathedral, built in medieval times, is a Gothic monument. It was also a fortress, where the apse is a turret, and forms a part of the city walls.

ITALY: The Cathedral of Brescia is seen at sunset in downtown Brescia.

An overview of Saint Peter's basilica at the Vatican, from the Tiber river, at dusk in Rome, Italy. Every year around 15 milions of tourists are estimated to visit Rome.

People gather before services on a glorious fall day at the National Cathedral in Washington, DC.

A view of Lincoln Cathedral from the castle, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, England.

A general view of The Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary or Truro cathedral, Truro, Cornwall, United Kingdom.

St. Louis Cathedral in St. Louis, Missouri, United States.

Der Dom von Limburg an der Lahn. Photographie. Um 1990. The Cathedral of Limburg at the Lahn. Photograph. Around 1990.

The Leaning Tower of Pisa and the Cathedral of Santa Maria in Pisa, Italy

Saint Minas is the cathedral of Heraklion in Heraklion, Greece.

The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Often called Port-au-Prince Cathedral, and built between 1884 and 1914, the cathedral was destroyed in the earthquake that hit Haiti on January 12, 2010.

A 1965 file photo of Uspenski Cathedral, an Orthodox Church in Helsinki, Finland.

The Cathedral of Santiago De Compostela in Santiago De Compostela, Spain.

A view of The Duomo (Cathedral) of Ravello in Ravello, Italy. Ravello is a town and commune situated above the Amalfi Coast. The town has served historically as a destination for artists, musicians, and writers.

Like many buildings in downtown Morelia, Mexico, the Cathedral is built of pink stone. Its construction began in 1660.

Cathedral of The Holy Stephan in Passau, Germany.

St Mary's Basilica in Krakow, Poland.

A general view of the Dunkeld and the cathedral, Perth and Kinross, Scotland, July 1997. The cathedral was built from around 1260 and was completed around 1501.

Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago, Illinois, United States.

The ruins of St Andrews Cathedral, which dominated religious Scotland from its construction in the 12th century until the Protestant Reformation in 1560

Christmas decoration in front of cathedral in Bolivar square, in the old part of the city. Bogota, formerly called Santa Fe de Bogota, is the capital city of Colombia, as well as the most populous city in the country, with an estimated 7,304,384 inhabitants as of 2009.

ƒBERLIN - OCTOBER 21: The French Cathedral (R), concert hall (C) and the German Cathedral (L) of the Gendarmenmarkt are illuminated during the 'Festival of Lights' on October 21, 2007 in Berlin, Germany. During the 'Festival of Lights' many of Berlins important buildings and landmarks are illuminated in colorful lights from 16 to 28 October 2007. (Photo by Andreas Rentz/Getty Images)

The Saint Mary Major of Marseille Cathedral in Algiers, Algeria, was built in the second half of the 19th century in a Roman-Byzantine style.

The recently restored and renovated Naval Cathedral of Saint Nicholas in Kronstadt near St Petersburg, Russia.

View of the Basilica of Our Lady of The Immaculate Conception, also known as the Saigon Notre-Dame Basilica in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

The Sacré-Coeœur Basilica in Montmartre, Paris, France, pictured in 1960.

A general view of St Mark's Cathedral in Venice, Italy.

A general view of Truro's gothic revival cathedral which was designed by architect John Loughborough Pearson and completed in 1910 in Truro, Cornwall, United Kingdom.

Saint Joseph Cathedral in Hanoi, Vietnam.

Santo Angel Custodio Church in Havana, Cuba.

Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Boston, Massachusetts.

A view of the cathedral in Santiago de Cuba, Cuba.

A Roman Catholic nun prays at the Metropolitan Cathedral in Buenos Aires.

View of San Petronio Basilica in Bologna, Italy.

St. Vitus cathedral in Prague. Czech Republic.

Cathedral of Brixen, South Tyrol, Italy.

Snow covers some of thousands of padlocks clipped by lovers onto the railings of Pont de l'Arceveche bridge along the River Seine near Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.

A view of the Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi, Italy. Assisi is a small Umbrian town in central Italy, located 12 miles east of Perugia at an elevation of 1,300 feet . Assisi is best known as the birthplace of St. Francis of Assisi founder of the Franciscan order, and one of the most popular Catholic saints in history.

The Cathedral of Christ The Savior in Moscow, Russia. Its the biggest Church in Russia, rebuilt 1994.

The historic, 132-year-old St. James Catholic Church in Chicago, Illinois, United States.

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, look on as balloons are released outside Hereford Cathedral as part of the Diamond Jubille celebrations this year.

A general view of Vank cathedral in Jolfa, Isfahan, Iran. Jolfa is the Armenian and Christian quarter of Isfahan established in 1603 during the reign of Shah Abbas I Safavid and is located on the south bank of the Zayandeh River and is linked to the Muslim part of Isfahan by Sio-se-pol bridge.

A view of Baltimore's Basilica of the Assumption, the United States' first cathedral. The historic Baltimore Basilica, built from 1806-1821, was the first great metropolitan Cathedral constructed in America after the adoption of the Constitution. America's first cathedral is officially known as the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Sanctuary of the Madonna di San Luca in Bologna, Italy.

The Arctic Cathedra built in 1965 by architect Jan Inge Hovig, in Tromso, Norway

The open-air tribune at Domplatz in front of the Salzburg Cathedral in Salzburg, Austria. Dedicated to St Rupert and St Vergilius, the cathedral dates back to the 17th century.

A general view of St Machar's cathedral, sometimes referred to as Aberdeen Cathedral , Aberdeen, Scotland, March 1977. There has been a church in this spot since circa 580 AD.

Scottish Rite Cathedral in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States.

A view of the cathedral of Vigevano in Vigevano, Italy. Vigevano is a town in the province of Pavia, Lombardy. It is at the center of a district called Lomellina, a great rice-growing agricultural centre.

The city of Lucca in Tuscany, Italy with the Duomo di Lucca in the centre.

A general view of the exterior of neo-classical St Mel's cathedral, Longford, County Longford, Ireland.

Visitors enter the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The Roman Catholic church was built between 1869 and 1886.

St Peter's Cathedral in North Adelaide in Adelaide, Australia.

A general view of Canterbury Cathedral in Canterbury, England.

The Cathedral of Monaco in Monaco.

The Basilica de San Francisco el Grande in Madrid, Spain.

San Michele in Bosco in Bologna, Italy in 2011.

Chinese newlyweds take photos outside St. Michael's Cathedral in Qingdao, China. This Catholic church was designed by German architect Arthur Bialucha.

The exterior of Norwich cathedral, whose construction began in 1096 and finished by 1145. It was among the largest major churches in Europe.

A general view of Durham Cathedral in Durham, England. The City of Durham was added to the World Heritage List by UNESCO in 1986 for its outstanding universal significance. Durham Cathedral and Durham Castle are among two of the finest examples of Norman architecture in Europe.

Poland's largest Roman Catholic Church and one of the largest in the world, the Basilica of Our Lady of Lichen, in Lichen Stary, near Konin, central Poland. Poland is one of the most devoutly Catholic countries in Europe and is the birthplace of the previous pope, the very popular John Paul II.

The 'Lights of Christmas' are featured at St Mary's Cathedral in Sydney, Australia.

Traditional onion-dome Roman Catholic Church at Berchtesgaden in Bavaria, Germany.

St Canice's Cathedral in Kilkenny, County Kilkenny, Ireland. The round tower dates back to the 9th century.

Tourist children play in a fountain in front of the Berliner Dom (Berlin Cathedral) in Berlin, Germany.

Palm trees fringe the famous Se Cathedral built in a Portuguese-Gothic style in Velha Goa, Goa, India

The Santuario de Chimayo is a Roman Catholic church in Chimayo, New Mexico, built by Spanish missionaries in 1816. The shrine, a National Historic Landmark, is famous as a contemporary pilgrimage site where many visitors take a small amount of "holy dirt" in hopes of a miraculous cure for themselves or a loved one.

A general view of Wells Cathedral, Somerset, Wells Cathedral. It is the seat of the Bishop of Bath and Wells and was built between 1175 and 1490.

The cathedral at Wawel Castle stands illuminated at twilight in Krakow, Poland. Krakow is among the most popular travel destinations in Eastern Europe.

A general view of the Cathedral of St. Andrews in St Andrews, Scotland.

The bell tower of the Arezzo Cathedral. Arezzo is a city and comune in Central Italy, capital of the province of the same name, located in Tuscany in Arezzo, Italy.

A general view of the ruins of Fortrose Cathedral, which was constructed primarily in sandstone, in the Highlands, Scotland.

A general view of the Duomo Cathedral in Milan, Italy.

St Peter's Cathedral in Adelaide forms an impeccable backdrop to the Second Test Match between Australia and South Africa at Adelaide Oval in Adelaide, Australia.

A family walking by St Davids Cathedral, Pembrokeshire, Wales.

Amiens Cathedral, or the Cathedral of Our Lady of Amiens, in Amiens, northern France. It was built in the 13th century and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

St Mary's Cathedral, also known as Dome Church, is located on Toompea Hill in Tallinn, Estonia. Originally established by Danes in the 13th century, it is the oldest church in Tallinn and mainland Estonia.

A view of the tower of 'Palazzo dei Priori' and the Cathedral in Volterra, Italy.

The cathedral in Cartagena, Colombia dates to 1575.

The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, DC.

Beauvais Cathedral, or the Cathedral of Saint Peter of Beauvais, in Beauvais, northern France. Its construction began in the 13th century.

Cathedral Of The Holy Angels Church in Gary, Indiana, United States.

A giant Christmas pyramid spins at the illuminated Christmas market near the cathedral in Erfurt, Germany.

Cathedral in Tromsoya, Tromso, Arctic Circle in Northern Norway.

The Manila Cathedral is seen in Manila, Philippines.

Our Lady Of Pilar Basilica at the La Recoleta Cemetery in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Exterior view of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in Manhattan, New York. It is the world's largest gothic cathedral.

View of the west end of the York Minster cathedral in York, England. The ancient walled city was founded by the Romans in 71 AD. It is known for its rich history, remaining medieval churches, and the York Minster, the largest gothic cathedral in Northern Europe.

A general view of Gloucester Cathedral in Gloucester, England.

Antoni Gaudi's Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain.

A general view of the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Moscow, Russia.

Tourists in front of the Saint Mark Basilica in Saint Mark Square in Venice, Italy.

View from the square Guadalajara of the Cathedral of the city of Guadalajara in Guadalajara, Mexico.

Snow covers Baptistery and Piazza dell'Arengo and Cathedral of St. Emidio in Ascoli Piceno, Italy.

Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis, in St. Louis, Missouri, United States.