This award-winning game of competition and rivalry is a masterpiece of medieval strategy. But how can a simple bunch of blocks and buildings be so engrossing? Well, like all the classics Cathedral is easy to learn but difficult to master, a combination that makes it seriously addictive.
Cathedral Classic: the Cathedral piece In a nutshell Cathedral challenges two players to place as many buildings as possible within the walls of a medieval city. There are two sets (light and dark) of hardwood buildings of various sizes. To begin the game, one player places the cathedral block on the grid of the walled city/playing board. The two players then vie for the remaining land. Your goal is to place your own buildings while thwarting your opponent’s land-grabbing plans.
If a player can completely surround one of his/her opponent’s buildings, that building is removed from the board and the space is gobbled up by a different building. The game ends up resembling a puzzle that must be thoughtfully pieced together. The winner is the player whose unplaced buildings would occupy the least amount of space in the city.
From Firebox.com