Originally aired in 2011, this Nova episode is being rebroadcast on my local PBS station and, presumably others, on Christmas evening. Of interest to most visitors to Europe, if only as an integral part of the skylines, it's worth watching or watching again. The medieval equivalent of landing on the moon: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/a...thic-cathedrals.html
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I like your comparison: it's a feat that we take for granted, but at the time was astonishing. Actually, I'm not sure I really DO take the great cathedrals for granted, as I try to imagine their building without advanced mathematics or heavy lifting equipment.
Thanks for the heads up on that. There are few things I enjoy doing more in Europe than to spend a half day exploring a great cathedral!
If people haven't read it yet, I'd highly recommend Ken Follett's great book, "The Pillars of the Earth", a work of fiction set in Medieval times and focused on the building of these great churches.
The Follet book is a good one and made into a decent miniseries with an excellent cast:
