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Labyrinthos Photo Library

Medieval Church & Cathedral Labyrinths - Photos

The adoption of the labyrinth by the Christian faith began during the Roman period. The first known pavement labyrinth with obvious Christian context is found in a basilica in Algeria during the 4th century. At first these Christian labyrinths appeared mainly in manuscripts, but during the 12th century they began to be utilised in churches and cathedrals as architectural features, especially in Italy, and during the 13th century spread to northern France, where the familiar pavement labyrinths were developed. Although the paved labyrinths are well-known, others formed of tiles and carved as inscriptions, etc. are widespread, and an extensive group of pebble mosaic labyrinths are also found in northern Spain. Despite a further flourish of symbolic popularity during the Renaissance, as tastes changed from the 17th century onwards, a number were subsequently removed by renovations, or even deliberately destroyed. Despite these losses, a revival of interest during the late 19th century, restored a few lost examples and added a number of new examples and replicas to the varied selection that survive to this day - see our Gothic Revival Labyrinths photo page.


S. Leonard, Colli a Volturno, Italy 12th or 13th century?	Lucca Cathedral, Italy late 12th or early 13th century	S. Francesco, Alatri, Italy 12th to 14th century

S. Vitale, Ravenna, Italy ca. 1539	S. Sinforosa, Tossicia, Italy 14th or 15th century	S. Benedetto, Conversano, Italy 12th century?

S. Pietro Conflentu, Pontremoli, Italy 12th century?	Hollywood Stone, Lockstown, Ireland early medieval?	Rock of Cashel, Ireland early 12th century?

St. Lawrence, Rathmore, Ireland ca. 1450	St. Hubertus, Sint-Huibrechts Hern, Belgium, medieval	S. Pedro, Murueta, Spain 1604

S. Nicolás, Zaldu, Spain 1792	S. Pedro, Mendexa, Spain late 16th or 17th century?	S. Pedro, Mendexa, Spain late 16th or 17th century?

St. Quentin, France 1495	Bayeux Cathedral, France late-14th century	St. Pierre, Genainville, France 14th century?

St. Quentin, France 1495	Bayeux Cathedral, France late-14th century	Mirepoix Cathedral, France ca. 1530

Chartres Cathedral, France ca. 1215-1220	Chartres Cathedral, France ca. 1215-1220	St. Mary Redcliffe, Bristol, England 1390s
All of the images on this page (and many more besides) are available in high resolution digital formats for licensed reproduction. For details of reproduction fees and permission procedures, send us an e-mail with details of your planned usage and format requirements. We also have pages with graphics of medieval labyrinths, and a page of photos of the 19th century Gothic Revival Labyrinths.