Cathédrale Notre-Dame-de-Strasbourg

The Cathédrale Notre-Dame-de-Strasbourg is identifiable by its single, towering spire of pink sandstone that reaches four hundred sixty-six feet into the air. For over two centuries, this spire made it the tallest building in the world. Its architect, Erwin von Steinbach, worked on the facade for decades, but his daughter Sabina is often credited with carving the statues that populate its portals. When a lightning strike once threatened the structure, the townspeople saved it by hauling water in buckets from the river.