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Dom tower tour1/9/2024 Other highlights of the cathedral that are quite common in Gothic structures include flying buttresses and spitting gargoyles. Standing at a height of 157 metres tall (rather unusually, the Northern tower is 7 cm taller than the Southern one), Cologne Cathedral has no shortage of hidden gems worth discovering, as well as some of the most important pieces of Biblical artwork in Europe, the nave’s ceiling reaches a height of 142 foot high. After all, the Cathedral is the largest Gothic Church in Northern Europe, is the highest twin-spired church in the world, and is the second tallest church in Europe. Highlights of Kölner DomĬologne Cathedral boasts many records, ‘firsts,’ and is typically near the top of many European visitors’ bucket lists. Maintenance work on the building is ongoing to this day, with some 80 people employed to oversee its survival for future generations. And with more modern technologies, the cathedral was completed in the period from 1842 to 1880, making it the tallest twin spired church in the world.ĭuring the 1950s, the cathedral was renovated following heavy bombing during WWII (the cathedral was bombed no fewer than 14 times). The North tower was pretty much nonexistent and the South tower was overshadowed by a building crane.Īll this changed during the 19th-century, with the resurgence of romantic enthusiasm for the Middle Ages. You see, in 1473, work on the cathedral was halted for a variety of reasons, but largely due to a lack of funding.įor several centuries (four to be precise), the cathedral remained unfinished and was used as was. What started as a Gothic project was modified and changed over the seven centuries of its construction. In the beginning, work progressed rather quickly and it was said that it was due to a bet that the architect had made with the devil! It’s said that the bargain included his souls and those of his family in exchange for rapid completion of the project.Īs the story goes, the architect’s wife put a stop to the plan and this is why the cathedral ended up taking so long to complete. The first stone was laid on the Feast of the Assumption of Mary on the 15th August 1248. Soon enough, the decision was taken to build a new cathedral on the site, i.e. However, it was soon decided that the building was not grand enough to house the relics of the biblical Magi and so (perhaps rather conveniently), the church burned down during demolition work in 1248. Prior to the current cathedral, the church before had been constructed during the 9th-century and the site itself was one of the first places where Christian worship was practised in the city. There has been a Christian church on site since around the 4th-century. In fact, though construction of the ecclesiastical building began all the way back in 1248, the two towers were not completed until 1880. All this changed in the 12th-century, when Archbishop Rainald von Dassel brought back a certain relic from his travels in Italy.Īs is the case with so many cathedrals, basilicas, and large churches throughout Europe, Cologne Cathedral was constructed over many centuries. Prior to the construction of the Gothic building, Cologne was somewhat of a quiet settlement, which didn’t make a great mark on the map. Worth noting is that the ‘Instagram famous’ shot of the candy coloured houses of the fish market does not feature the Cathedral but one of the smaller Romanesque churches dotted across the city. Purchase any souvenir from the city (even waffles at the Cologne Christmas Market) and the outline of the cathedral will likely feature. 100 craftsmen and women are currently permanently employed to restore the cathedral and keep it looking incredible for the generations to come. Today, Kölner Dom is the symbol of the city and can be spied from pretty much every vantage point across Cologne. Indeed, situated just beside Köln’s main train station, Cologne Cathedral is the first landmark you’re able to spy from the airport train which whisks hundreds of passengers an hour between the German city and the rest of the country and beyond.Īs my friend put it, it’s akin to stepping off the train in Paris and quite literally having the Eiffel Tower in front of you (this is sadly not a possibility from any main Parisian train station)! Enjoyed reading this guide to Cologne Cathedral? Pin this article now, read it again later:.Do you have to pay to visit Cologne Cathedral?. FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) about Cologne Cathedral.
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