Cathedrals

Simon Jenkins, a popular historian whose books have sold widely and earned critical acclaim and awards, uses Europe's great churches to trace the history of the Western world. The book is illustrated throughout with color photographs and presents the cathedral as a central presence in how Europeans have imagined themselves and their past.

Rather than a simple tour of buildings, the book follows the people who made them: the architects who conceived them, the engineers who solved structural problems, the artists who decorated their interiors, and the artisans and laborers who did the work. It also considers the wealthy benefactors and ordinary worshippers who gathered beneath their towers and vaulted roofs, and it does not shy away from the missteps and foolishness that accompanied such ambitious undertakings.

Drawing on his own reflections and experiences, Jenkins explains the history, design and meaning of individual sites. His subjects range from famous landmarks such as St. Paul's and the Duomo in Florence to lesser-known examples he considers well worth seeking out. Europe's cathedrals hold rich artistic treasures and centuries of history, and they draw hundreds or thousands of visitors every year.