Cathedrals

A cathedral is a very large and important church. Cathedrals are famous for their beautiful designs, colorful stained glass windows, and soaring ceilings. Many were built hundreds of years ago in Europe. Some cathedrals took over a hundred years to finish because they were so big and detailed.

How Cathedrals Were Built

Building a cathedral was a huge project. Workers cut stone blocks by hand and lifted them into place. They used wooden scaffolding to reach the high walls and ceilings. Flying buttresses, which are stone supports on the outside, helped hold up the heavy walls. Many workers spent their whole lives building just one cathedral.

Stained Glass and Art

Cathedrals are filled with amazing art. Stained glass windows tell stories using pictures made from colored glass. Sculptors carved figures of people and animals into the stone walls. The tall ceilings often have painted designs that look like a starry sky or garden of flowers.

Fun Facts

• The ceiling of some cathedrals is over 100 feet high. That is taller than a 10-story building!
• Stained glass windows in old cathedrals were like picture books for people who could not read.
• Gargoyles on cathedrals are not just decorations. They are actually waterspouts that drain rain off the roof.

Did You Know?

The Milan Cathedral in Italy has about 3,400 statues on and inside it. That is more statues than any other building in the world!