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Cathedral
HISTORY & CULTURESbeginner
Definition
A cathedral is the principal church of a bishop's diocese — the building containing the cathedra (bishop's throne). Historically, cathedrals were the largest, most technologically ambitious buildings of their era. They served as civic monuments, centres of pilgrimage, and repositories of artistic achievement.
Example
Cologne Cathedral in Germany (begun 1248, completed 1880) took over 600 years to build. Its twin spires, at 157m, made it the world's tallest building from 1880 to 1884.