1.
cathedral; great cathedral
A large, important church that serves as the seat of a bishop, or more broadly, any grand and historically significant church building.
パリの大聖堂を訪れた。
I visited the cathedral in Paris.
ゴシック様式の大聖堂は壮大だった。
The Gothic-style cathedral was magnificent.
この大聖堂は中世に建てられ、世界遺産に登録されている。
This cathedral was built in the Middle Ages and is registered as a World Heritage Site.
Composed of 大 (great) + 聖堂 (sacred hall/church). Refers specifically to large, historically significant churches, particularly European cathedrals.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- ゴシック大聖堂: Gothic cathedral
- 大聖堂を訪れる: to visit a cathedral
- 大聖堂の内部: the interior of a cathedral
- 大聖堂の尖塔: a cathedral spire
RELATED TERMS:
- 聖堂: church, chapel — a smaller or more general sacred building
- 礼拝堂: chapel, prayer hall — a smaller place of worship
- 教会: church — the most common general term for a Christian church
CULTURAL NOTE:
Japan has no medieval cathedrals of its own, so this word is primarily encountered when discussing European architecture, travel, history, and literature. Famous examples often referenced in Japanese media include ノートルダム大聖堂 (Notre-Dame Cathedral) and ケルン大聖堂 (Cologne Cathedral).