Skip to content
British Broadcasting Corporation
  • Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Technology
  • Health
  • Culture
  • Arts
  • Travel
  • Earth
  • Audio
  • Video
  • Live

The 10 most beautiful tapestries

12 August 2014
By Jason Farago profile image
Jason FaragoFeatures correspondent
The Apocalypse Tapestry, 1377–1382
The Apocalypse Tapestry, 1377–1382
Ancient art
Museum
Religion

Watch
Blue Quran: A rare 1,000-year-old masterpiece

Blue Quran: A rare 1,000-year-old masterpiece

Art critic Alastair Sooke learns about a masterpiece of the Islamic world at Doha's Museum of Islamic Art.

Art & Design
What do we mean by 'Islamic art'?

What do we mean when we talk about 'Islamic art'?

Art critic Alastair Sooke travels to Doha to discover some of the treasures of the Museum of Islamic Art.

Art & Design
This video has expired

Inside the controversial cult known as the 'Children of God'

This video has expired. 

Religion
This video has expired

The fortress at the heart of 'bloodiest siege in history'

This video has expired. 

Religion
This video has expired

Why did the First Crusade begin?

This video has expired. 

Religion
Getty Images 1174363236

The secret world of Japan's 'Hidden Christians'

Christianity was outlawed in Japan in 1614, but some Christians continued in secret for centuries.

Religion
Still 1

The surprising location of an ancient Christian monastery

This Buddhist temple is also the earliest surviving Christian monastery in China.

Religion
Mega Church 2

The mega church that houses 1 million Christians

How many people can a 1km long church host?

Religion
This video has expired

What you find when you remove a fig leaf

This video has expired. 

Religion
Is this Russian cult leader a fraud?

The Russian cult leader who thinks he is Jesus

A journey to the heart of a mysterious Russian cult whose leader has been accused of fraud and abuse.

Religion
Photo of a nun in a convent by Valeria Luongo

The intimate secret life of nuns

Photographer Valeria Luongo has been documenting the daily life of nuns in Rome since 2015

Religion
The festival of ‘eight million’ gods

The festival of ‘eight million’ gods

Japan celebrates the millions of gods in Japan’s indigenous religion, Shinto.

Religion
Thailand's 'rebel' female monks

Thailand's 'rebel' female monks

Women aren't allowed to be ordained as monks in Thailand – but that didn't stop these women.

Religion
The website helping ex-Muslims flee the Gulf

The website helping ex-Muslims flee the Gulf

A Saudi activist has helped hundreds of ex-Muslims flee – especially women.

Religion
The dancing Rabbi

The dancing Rabbi crossing boundaries

The unique crossover where physical expression meets devotion to the Torah.

Religion
'Am I too gay for God?'

'Am I too gay for God?'

Reverend Jide Macaulay, an openly gay Church of England minister, wants to marry his boyfriend.

Religion
The incredible street artists of Chennai

The incredible street artists of Chennai

Drawing kolam is an important household ritual that has a lot more to it than may first meet the eye.

Religion
The ancient symbol shared by many religions

The ancient symbol shared by many religions

The Khmissa or the Hand of Fatima is as a symbol of protection across the Middle East and North Africa.

Religion
Portable protection from the stress of modern life?

Portable protection from the stress of modern life?

Omamori offer people spiritual assistance as a way to help bear the troubles of daily life.

Religion
Kolkata Synagogue 9

The synagogue cared for by Muslims

In India after World War Two, the city of Kolkata was home to 5,000 Jews.

Religion

More from the BBC
1 day ago
Sarah Mullally carries a crosier at Canterbury Cathedral before delivering her first Easter sermon as archbishop at Canterbury Cathedral

Archbishop prays for Middle East peace in first Easter sermon

Dame Sarah Mullally called for an 'end to the violence and destruction' before a congregation in Canterbury.

1 day ago
2 days ago
Tricia Hillas, she wears a decorated white robe and golf mitre and holds a gold staff while standing in front of a grand wooden chair.

'We can persevere in the face of uncertainty'

Bishop of Sodor and Man calls to reflect on shared unity this Easter despite global "uncertainty".

2 days ago
7 days ago
Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, leads a prayer service to mark Palm Sunday in Jerusalem on March 29, 2026, following the cancellation of the traditional Palm Sunday procession from the Mount of Olives amid restrictions on gathering in large groups and the US-Israeli war on Iran

Latin Patriarch will have access to Jerusalem holy site after police stopped entry

The Israeli PM says Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa had been asked not to enter the church over concerns about Iranian strikes.

7 days ago
29 Mar 2026
Dame Sarah Mullally wears gold ceremonial garments and a mitre, holding a curved staff, with stone buildings visible in the background, as she departs after her installation as the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Women to ring quarter peal for new Archbishop

A 1,344‑change quarter peal will be rung at Canterbury Cathedral to mark the historic appointment.

29 Mar 2026
28 Mar 2026
Father Simon Robinson who has short grey hair in his clerical collar standing inside Truro Cathedral with the altar blurred behind him in the background. He is smiling.

New Bishop of Warrington unveiled

The Very Reverend Simon Robinson says he is "daunted and excited" by his new role.

28 Mar 2026

British Broadcasting Corporation
  • Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Technology
  • Health
  • Culture
  • Arts
  • Travel
  • Earth
  • Audio
  • Video
  • Live
  • Weather
  • BBC Shop
  • BritBox

The BBC is in multiple languages

Read the BBC In your own language

Oduu Afaan Oromootiin
Amharic ዜና በአማርኛ
Arabic عربي
Azeri AZƏRBAYCAN
Bangla বাংলা
Burmese မြန်မာ
Chinese 中文网
Dari دری
French AFRIQUE
Hausa HAUSA
Hindi हिन्दी
Gaelic NAIDHEACHDAN
Gujarati ગુજરાતીમાં સમાચાર
Igbo AKỤKỌ N’IGBO
Indonesian INDONESIA
Japanese 日本語
Kinyarwanda GAHUZA
Kirundi KIRUNDI
Korean 한국어
Kyrgyz Кыргыз
Marathi मराठी
Nepali नेपाली
Noticias para hispanoparlantes
Pashto پښتو
Persian فارسی
Pidgin
Polish PO POLSKU
Portuguese BRASIL
Punjabi ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਖ਼ਬਰਾਂ
Russian НА РУССКОМ
Serbian NA SRPSKOM
Sinhala සිංහල
Somali SOMALI
Swahili HABARI KWA KISWAHILI
Tamil தமிழில் செய்திகள்
Telugu తెలుగు వార్తలు
Thai ข่าวภาษาไทย
Tigrinya ዜና ብትግርኛ
Turkish TÜRKÇE
Ukrainian УКРАЇНСЬКA
Urdu اردو
Uzbek O'ZBEK
Vietnamese TIẾNG VIỆT
Welsh NEWYDDION
Yoruba ÌRÒYÌN NÍ YORÙBÁ
Follow BBC on:
  • Terms of Use
  • Subscription Terms
  • About the BBC
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookies
  • Accessibility Help
  • Contact the BBC
  • Advertise with us
  • Do not share or sell my info
  • BBC.com Help & FAQs
  • Content Index
  • Set Preferred Source

Copyright 2026 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.