ETYM Late Lat. cathedralis (sc. ecclesia): cf. French cathédrale. Related to Cathedra.
1. Any large and important church.
2. The principal Christian church building of a bishop's diocese.
Principal Christian church of a bishop or archbishop, containing his throne, which is usually situated on the south side of the choir. A cathedral is governed by a dean and chapter.
Formerly, cathedrals were distinguished as either monastic or secular, the clergy of the latter not being members of a regular monastic order. Because of their importance, cathedrals were for many centuries the main focus of artistic and architectural endeavor. Their artworks include stained glass, frescoes, mosaics, carvings in wood and stone, paintings (such as altarpieces), ironwork, and textiles. Most cathedrals were built during the Middle Ages and reflect the many styles of Romanesque and Gothic architecture. There are cathedrals in most of the important cities of the world. + prikaži više