In the Middle Ages the main purpose of the cathedral was religion. There were other services carried out out in a cathedral such as: crowning, christenings, weddings, and funerals. Some people were actually buried in the cathedral.

Some of the cathedrals took up to 100 years to build. Some parts of the cathedral are very important and some are just extras.

The monks lived in monasteries which were sometimes attached to the cathedral's by secret passages.