My civilization is based on the cult of Man through individuals. For centuries, it has sought to show Man, just as it would have taught people to distinguish a cathedral from its stones. It preached ...

“Where there is no vision, the people perish.” — Proverbs 29:18. This quote is found near the beginning of “Building Cathedrals: The Power of Purpose,” the new book Greg Coker wrote with three ...

Why did Christians start building cathedrals reaching to the sky 1000 years ago? Was it to demonstrate earthly power, or an attempt to be close to God? The resulting architecture still fascinates us ...

Atlas Obscura on Slate is a new travel blog. Like us on Facebook, Tumblr, or follow us on Twitter @atlasobscura. It is, at its simplest, an ex-monk's act of faith. After eight years in a Trappist ...