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Best cathedrals to visit worldwide

A cathedral is the church that holds a bishop’s throne, and that one fact explains why so many of them are the largest and richest building in their city. The ones travellers book most are the great Gothic and Renaissance names: Florence, with Brunelleschi’s dome and its timed climb; Milan, where the ticket that matters is the one for the roof terraces; Seville, with the Giralda bell tower included; Wawel in Kraków, the coronation church of Poland; and Notre-Dame de Paris, reopened after the fire. Spain adds the Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba, Toledo, Santiago de Compostela and Palma, and Sicily adds the gold mosaics of Monreale.

Bern Minster

Bern, Switzerland

The minster is free to enter and the tower has its own modest ticket, sold inside the west door.

No online ticket

Bremen Cathedral

Bremen, Germany

The cathedral stands on the market square, next to the town hall and the Roland statue that together carry the UNESCO…

No online ticket

Brussels Cathedral

Brussels, Belgium

The cathedral stands on a slope between the lower and upper towns, five minutes from the central station, and entry to…

No online ticket

Cádiz Cathedral

Cádiz, Spain

One ticket covers the cathedral, the museum and the clock tower, and it is the tower that decides whether the visit is…

No online ticket

Carcassonne Cathedral

Carcassonne, France

Almost everyone who visits Carcassonne goes to the walled citadel on the hill and never learns that the cathedral is…

No online ticket

Casablanca Cathedral

Casablanca, Morocco

This is a former church rather than a working one, and visits are correspondingly informal.

No online ticket

Cathedral of Our Lady

Antwerp, Belgium

The cathedral charges admission and is worth it, largely because of four paintings by Rubens that hang where they were…

No online ticket

Cathedral of Santo Domingo

Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

A modest ticket covers the cathedral and includes an audio guide, which is worth having since the chapels are numerous…

No online ticket

Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral

Cebu City, Philippines

The cathedral sits in the old centre of Cebu City, a few minutes from the cross that marks the landing of the Spanish…

No online ticket

Como Cathedral

Como, Italy

Como's cathedral sits between the old town and the lakefront, a few minutes from the ferry landings and the…

No online ticket