Ely Cathedral, Anglican cathedral in Ely, England
Ely Cathedral is an Anglican cathedral in Ely, England, rising above the flat fenland of Cambridgeshire with a central octagonal tower and lantern. The church combines Romanesque and English Gothic elements and forms an extensive building with several chapels, a long nave, and richly decorated vaults.
The cathedral was built from 1083 on the site of an earlier abbey founded by St Etheldreda and received its status as a bishop's church in 1109. The octagonal lantern tower was built in 1342 after the collapse of the Norman crossing tower and introduced a new form to English church architecture.
The Stained Glass Museum in the south triforium displays a national collection of glass panels spanning from the 13th century to the present day. Visitors can trace the evolution of glassmaking in England and see different techniques and motifs from several periods.
The cathedral sits in the center of Ely and can be reached on foot from the railway station, with the tall tower serving as a landmark. Visitors will find several entrances, and the grounds include a cloister and adjoining gardens that are part of the visit.
The wooden lantern tower from 1342 weighs around 400 tons and rests on eight massive oak posts joined without metal fastenings. This construction is considered one of the largest examples of medieval carpentry in Europe and remains an extraordinary technical achievement to this day.
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