Cologne Cathedral/ Kölner Dom, Cologne

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The cathedral is the home of the Cologne Bishopric; this institution dates from the 4th century. The first documented Bishop is Maternus and there is note of him as far back as 313 AD.

I have been reading the guide of the Cathedral, and as with most medieval cathedrals across Europe, their construction is not a quick or easy job to carried out and complete.

It seems that the present cathedral sits on the remains of a structure which had been consecrated in 870 AD. This building was 95m (312 feet) long.

In 1164, the Archbishop (Rainald von Dassel) transferred "the bones of the three Magi" from Milan to this original cathedral. Von Dassel died in 1167, his successor was Phillip von Heinsberg, and it is thought the work was commenced on the cathedral we see today on his instruction. The last piece of construction work ceased in 1560,

However, there were things and amendments needed and in 1846 Friedrich Wilhelm IV of Prussia laid a ground stone, and work recommenced. By 1880, the last finial was placed at the top of the south tower; to mark the importance of this work; Kaiser Wilhelm I was present.

The cathedral is really the landmark of Cologne. You can see it from almost everywhere in Cologne. Just when you walk out of the trainstation you're infront of the cathedral. Its also possible to climb the stairs to the top to have a magnifent view over the city of Cologne.

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This is Germany's largest and most visited church. On completion in the 1800s, its towers were the highest in the world.

The exterior is astonishing and eye-grabbing from all angles, but once inside the grand scale of the building works against it. Such a huge space is difficult to fill effectively with art or other features, yet for all the floor space it quickly gets cramped with visitors. It didn't aid first impressions that because of Holy Week the chapels were off limits, where many of the more interesting shrines and stained glass can be found.

Admission to the treasury cost 4 euros in April 2004 (or 3 euros with your WelcomeCard) to see relics, vestments and other frivolous worldly goods which should be sold off to feed the hungry.

You can climb the tower and go into the treasury for a fee (2 euros, or 1 euro with your WelcomeCard). The cathedral is open 6am-7.30pm every day, though there are frequest morning services, especially on Sunday, when access is restricted.

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The original medieval designs for Cologne Cathedral were awesome in their ambition. So much so that it took over 600 years for it to be finally completed. But when it was, the building became the tallest in the world. Even today it is one of the world's largest churches with the largest facade of any on the planet. The cathedral is so vast and so old that it is under permanent repair.

It is one of the most stunning, most beautiful, most famous landmarks in all of Germany, and at 20,000 people a day it is the most visited. The twin spires, striking upwards from the riverfront, are an iconic part of Cologne's cityscape. If you visit only one place in Germany, this should probably be the one to see. It is vast, epic, and unforgettable; a testament to architectural genius and unflagging determination.

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Photos:
1. Sanctus Petrus
2. A set of stained glass windows
3. Windows at the east end of the Cathedral

The Cologne Cathedral has dozens of stained glass windows that were created over a period of nearly 750 years.

They say the earliest window dates from the 13th century. The newest was made in 2007. Most of the windows are still (or again) in their original positions in the cathedral.

During the Second World War the Cathedral was hit by fourteen bombs, which caused damage to some parts of the building (particularly the north side, apparently), but as a whole the Cathedral remained more or less intact despite the wartime bombings.

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Photos:
1. Cologne Cathedral
2. Inside the Cathedral
3. Towers of the cathedral

Tourists sometimes get upset when they come out of the station and find that there is scaffolding around some parts of the Cathedral. But this is nothing unusual, because a huge and delicate building like this is always a construction site, and always has been ever since the cornerstone was laid in the year 1248.

Recently I was talking with a guy who has lived in Cologne for nearly seventy years and walks past the Cathedral more or less daily, and he confirmed that he has never see it without at least a little bit of renovation work going on somewhere in or on the building.

They do try keep the scaffolding to a minimum, however, and only repair a small section at any one time, so you can still get a good overall impression of the building. And you can crop the scaffolding out of your photos if you insist.

I've seen the Dom twice. Once in 1950 when the rest of the city was in rubble around it, and once in 1964 after a long plane trip. The Cathedral is visible from almost everywhere.

under construction

As historical landmark, this massive cathedral towers over the city of Cologne. Its construction took place from the 13th through 19th centuries and is a wonderful example of Gothic architecture. Fortunately, the Cathedral remained largely undamaged after World War II.