Cathedral of Clermont-Ferrand, France - Arthur Bulin

"Facade cathedrale clermont-ferrand" by Fabien1309 - Own work. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0-fr via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Facade_cathedrale_clermont-ferrand.jpg#mediaviewer/File:Facade_cathedrale_clermont-ferrand.jpg

"Clermont Ferrand Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption 250" by A.Angelo - Own work. Licensed under Public domain via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Clermont_Ferrand_Notre-Dame-de-l%27Assomption_250.jpg#mediaviewer/File:Clermont_Ferrand_Notre-Dame-de-l%27Assomption_250.jpg

"Cathedrale-clermont-vue-de-jaude" by Fabien1309 - Own work. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0-fr via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cathedrale-clermont-vue-de-jaude.jpg#mediaviewer/File:Cathedrale-clermont-vue-de-jaude.jpg

The Black Cathedral of Clermont-Ferrand France is something I got the chance to experience two years ago. What sets this Cathedral apart from so many others is the unique building material. The entire structure is made up of black lava-stone which is abundant in the region. This building left an impression on me, not just as thoughts, but as connotations. The tall spires can be seen from great distances and as you approach and look up it looks as if it tapers off to infinity. Inside the large fluted pillars and dark stone made me feel as if I had walked into a giant cavern. The cathedral was just a short walk out of the city’s main plaza making it not just a religious center but also a center for social activity. But the biggest impact of the building for me is just the look. The seeming infinite height stretching to the sky above tends to leave me in awe when I recall it. And while it sounds cheesy this building inspires me to reach as high as I can and keep reaching till I can touch my goal.