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After the collapse of the Roman Empire, nearly all architectural development came to an end in Europe. Construction after this time was determined by practical need and chiefly limited to houses of worship. Churches of this time were small, undemanding structures and it wasn’t until the 8th century that the influence of the Byzantine Empire brought back some creativity. Subsequent to Byzantine came Carolingian architecture in the 9th and 10th centuries. This finally brings us to the time period of Romanesque Architecture, 11th and 12th centuries, where we find the Basilica of San Marco in Venice, Italy, and the Durham Cathedral in Durham, England. In this essay, similarities and differences between these two regionally contrasting buildings will be presented. In these two cathedrals, we find similarities all around. First, each were built with the intention of housing an important religious figure. San Marco was built to deify the body of St. Marco, which had been transferred from Egypt, while Durham had been built to house the 7th cent. Bishop of Lindisfarne, St. Cuthbert