Top 10 religious buildings in the

The hotel price comparison site www.trivago.co.uk has investigated the current most popular religious buildings in the United Kingdom.

London, 11th May 2009. The United Kingdom has a long religious history which is made evident in the amount of ancient religious buildings that are visited by thousands of tourists from around the world every year. These are the current most popular religious buildings on www.trivago.co.uk .

1. , Kent

Canterbury Cathedral is the top religious building in the United Kingdom and is the seat of the of Canterbury. The gothic style building has a 75 metre high tower and has been a UNESCO world heritage site since 1988. The murder of Archbishop Thomas Becket in 1170 has made the cathedral popular to many pilgrims, who visit Becket’s shrine. There is also a monastery and further ruins of older buildings, as well as a small museum.

2. St. Magnus Cathedral, Orkney Islands

Construction started in 1137 on the magnificent St. Magnus Cathedral in the city centre of Kirkwall, the capital of the Orkney Islands. Built for the of Orkney, the cathedral has a prominent position in Kirkwall and today it is a parish church of the Church of Scotland that can be visited daily (not however during the services). A unique feature of the cathedral is the dungeon, known as Marwick’s Hole.

3. , Durham

Durham Cathedral is of and has been a place of prayer and pilgrimage for over 900 years. Its construction began 1093 by William St. Carileph and although his design was completed in 1135 there have since been many additions. The cathedral contains the shrines of St. Cuthbert, the saintly seventh-century bishop of Lindisfarne and also the remains of Venerable Bede the chronicler of Cuthbert's life and one of the first English historians.

4. Cathedral, Chichester

Chichester Cathedral is located in the small city of Chichester in West . For over 900 years the cathedral has welcomed people through its door and is well known for its modern art collection mostly from the 1900s which includes Tex a window painting by Marc Chagall, by John Piper and paintings by . There are also many items from the 11 th century, such as Lazarus reliefs and paintings by Lambert Barnard.

Press Contact: Sian William s Tel: +44 (0) 2030025995 E-Mail: [email protected]

5. Westminster Abbey, London

Westminster Abbey is located in the heart of London next to Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament. The Abbey is the traditional place for the coronation of British monarchs and where they are laid to rest. The Abbey which is over 700 years old welcomes more than one million visitors every year. Concerts, choirs, and workshops are given throughout the year as well as special exhibitions.

6. , Lincoln

Located in the centre of Lincoln in the East of England, Lincoln Cathedral is one of the largest cathedrals in the United Kingdom. Its origins can be traced back to before the Battle of Hastings in 1066. The cathedral collapsed in 1185 when an earthquake shook the building and reconstruction was completed in 1310. The majority of the present day cathedral dates from the 13th century when the cathedral was rebuilt in a new gothic style.

7. , Salisbury

Salisbury Cathedral was built in the 13th Century and has the highest in the United Kingdom at 123 metres. More than half a million visitors visit Salisbury Cathedral every year. It houses one of only four original copies of the Magna Carta, as well as the oldest working clock in Europe. The cathedral is set in extensive grounds within a walled 'Close' or town within the city. In 2008 Salisbury Cathedral celebrated its 750 th anniversary and a new statue of Ezra was installed on the West Front.

8. St. Andrews Cathedral, Fife

Now mostly a ruin, the site of St. Andrews Cathedral still contains the remains of what was the largest church in Scotland. The Cathedral of St. Andrew in St. Andrews, Fife has its origins in the priory of Canons Regular founded during the twelfth century. There is a museum which houses a collection of early and later medieval sculpture and other relics found on the site, as well as a possibility to climb the St Rule's Tower which is a major local landmark and provides views of the surrounding area.

9. , York

York Minster has been standing since medieval times having been built between the 12th and 15th centuries and is one of the largest gothic Cathedrals in Europe alongside Cologne Cathedral. It is well placed in the centre of York itself and the Central Tower of the Minster offers views across the city. The couth transept contains the famous Rose window and the north transept houses the Five Sisters Window.

10. St. Paul’s Cathedral, London

The dome of St. Paul's Cathedral at the top of Ludgate Hill is a feature of London's skyline. Although there has been a church here for nearly 1500 years, it was the rebuilding by Sir.

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Christopher Wren after the Great Fire of London in 1666 that gives us what we see today. Unlike many English cathedrals St. Paul's is neo-classical, crowned by a dome, the second largest in the world. Visitors can climb to the top of the dome for a view across London.

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The top 10 religious building ranking is based on the most popular search requests in April 2009 on www.trivago.com as well as the best rated religious buildings on trivago. trivago has more than 100,000 reviews for tourist attractions around the world, available on one site.

The full list of top religious buildings in the United Kingdom on trivago can be found here: http://www.trivago.co.uk/united-kingdom-31464/attractions/church--cathedral--monastery/f_178=1

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Photos of the Top 10 Religious Buildings (freedom to use in reference to trivago):

1. Canterbury Cathedral http://img.trivago.com/uploadimages/38/51/3851521_l.jpeg

2. St. Magnus Cathedral http://img.trivago.com/uploadimages/40/33/403361_l.jpeg

3. Durham Cathedral http://img.trivago.com/uploadimages/50/93/5093652_l.jpeg

4. Chichester Cathedral http://img.trivago.com/uploadimages/49/83/4983528_l.jpeg

5. Westminster Abbey http://imgpe.trivago.com/uploadimages/49/41/4941748_l.jpeg

6. Lincoln Cathedral http://img.trivago.com/uploadimages/49/49/4949726_l.jpeg

Press Contact: Sian William s Tel: +44 (0) 2030025995 E-Mail: [email protected]

7. Salisbury Cathedral http://imgpe.trivago.com/uploadimages/43/48/4348586_l.jpeg

8. St. Andrews Cathedral http://imgpe.trivago.com/uploadimages/47/71/4771821_l.jpeg

9. York Minster http://img.trivago.com/uploadimages/50/71/5071759_l.jpeg

10. St. Paul’s Cathedral http://img.trivago.com/uploadimages/49/02/4902584_l.jpeg

Press Contact: Sian William s Tel: +44 (0) 2030025995 E-Mail: [email protected]