While buildings throughout history have come and gone, societies around the globe have fought hard to preserve and protect historic churches and cathedrals. There are many reasons why people have fought to keep these buildings standing, with the primary being religious significance and others being spectacular architecture and historic art. Many of the most prominent churches and cathedrals in the world are located in Europe, as places of worship on other continents often go by different names and belong to different religions.

One of the most well-known cathedrals in the world is the Sagrada Familia. This cathedral is located in Barcelona and was designed by Spanish/Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí. Construction of this church began in 1882 under the supervision of Francisco de Paula del Villar y Lozano, but the project was soon taken over by Gaudí. He began designing the cathedral in the gothic and art nouveau styles, however it was less than a quarter finished when he died in 1926. To this day, the cathedral is still under construction and it’s expected to be completed in 2026. In 2010, the cathedral was consecrated and declared a minor basilica by Pope Benedict XVI.

Other popular cathedrals include Saint Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow, Notre Dame in Paris, St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome and the Westminster Abbey in London. In honor of all the impressive cathedrals and churches out there, take a peek at 75 of our favorite tattoos depicting these buildings in the gallery below. Then let us know your thoughts on this story in the comments section on social media.