Catholic cathedral
Bishop's grand church
A Catholic cathedral is the principal church of a diocese, where a bishop has his official seat—the cathedra, a throne symbolizing teaching authority.
Cathedrals serve as centers of diocesan worship and administration, often architecturally grand: Notre-Dame is perhaps the world's most famous Catholic cathedral.
Not every large or ornate Catholic church is a cathedral; the designation depends on the bishop's presence, not size.
- basilicaColonnaded church with apse
- spireTapering architectural peak
- naveChurch's main interior
- rose windowCircular tracery-filled window
- altarSacred ritual table
bishop · mass · stained glass · high altar · gothic · flying buttress · bell tower · church bells · sanctuary · holy water · votive candles · pews · crucifix · dome · pope · diocese · incense · choir
Catholic cathedralProtestant church
Non-Catholic Christian congregation
mosque · synagogue · Hindu temple · Buddhist temple · Orthodox cathedral
Catholic cathedralhome altar
Private space for worship
prayer closet · house church · storefront church · private chapel · wayside shrine
Catholic cathedralshopping mall
Large indoor retail center
nightclub · casino · factory · strip club · convention center