Cologne Cathedral is located in Cologne, the warmest Rhine ferry city in Germany with a history of more than two thousand years. It is an extraordinary Gothic architectural landmark, giving new life to the transformed old city. To light up one of the most magnificent Gothic churches of its kind, walk through Roncalliplatz in Cologne or Trankgasse on the other side. Its twin spires are obvious from a distance, and its old ruins complement the all-encompassing river view.But the closer it gets to it, it gets crowded because Cologne Cathedral is the most visited landmark in the area Germany.
Recently, the 515-foot-tall Cologne Cathedral is the world’s tallest twin-spire church (otherwise third) and the largest Gothic cathedral in Northern Europe. Its two huge spires provide the church with the widest façade that any church can have. In addition, this famous example of German Catholicism is the seat of the Archbishop of Cologne and the chairman of the Archdiocese of Cologne. Every corner of Cologne Cathedral exudes magnificent Gothic architecture, which has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996.
When you enter Cologne Cathedral, its internal structure seems dramatic. The design of Cologne Cathedral is almost similar to that of Amiens Cathedral, with a Latin cross-shaped layout, which is a typical Gothic cathedral. It has two walkways on both sides, supporting one of the highest Gothic vaults in the world, and its external power is exerted by flying buttresses. Much like French architecture, the eastern cloister of the second aisle is integrated with a choir, and the choir has a surrounding aisle spreading out on seven chapels. Internally, compared with 19th century architecture, the feudal choir is less standardized.
The frame shows the French combination of tall arcades, the triforium gallery illuminated by tight windows, and the delicate grill combined with tall skylights. There are many 19th century stained glass windows in the central part of the church building. Most of them retain the legendary symbolic glass in the lower part. Bayernfenster, the combination of five south-facing windows, is a gift from Ludwig I of Bavaria, and it strongly depicts the German style of that era. The choir retains several of its original accessories, including carved stalls and a huge stone statue of St. Christopher, gazing down at the entrance of the early 19th century cathedral.
The entire building complex is connected with tall shafts, which extend from the floor to the bottom of the square vaults. This cruciform church protrudes at right angles from the nave and is a contemporary 19th century bronze altar designed by Elmar Hillebrand. The central aisle of Cologne Cathedral points to the choir. Behind the altar is a 13th-century choir stall, but its 104 seats make it one of the most prominent ancient choir stalls in Germany. A distinctive feature of these choir stalls is that they include reserved seats for the emperor and the pope. The screen pictures of the choir are from 1340 and represent 21 historical scenes.
In the painting are more traditional landing sculptures of Mary, Jesus and the Twelve Apostles. In the middle is the high altar dedicated to the apostle St. Paul. After the high altar is the Temple of the Master, which embodies the Trinity. This special arrangement of medieval artisan art weighs 300 kilograms and is 1.53 meters high. It was built under the order of Archbishop Philip to preserve the relics of the Magi or the Three Wise Men, otherwise it would be called the “Three Wise Men”. In addition to the remains of the Magi, the temple also contains the remains of respected martyrs like Felix.
The installation of Cologne Cathedral began in 1248, but was not completed around 1560. The work restarted in the 18th century, and the building “finally” completed its original plan in 1880. Although still incomplete in antiquity, the Cologne Cathedral eventually grew up as a masterpiece of outstanding value and convincingly proved the depth and tenacity of the European Christian faith. Here, you can also explore the Cologne Cathedral Museum, which houses an impressive collection of ancient articles. After visiting the chapel from the inside, leave the church through the same door you entered and turn left.
Another interesting fact about Cologne Cathedral is that it was built on the same site as the Roman temple of Mercurius Augustus in 818 BC. Before the construction of the Cologne Cathedral began, the site was retained by several structures. Make this church the tallest double spire church in Germany. Someone told me that the spiral staircase is made up of 533 stone steps, which can take you to a height of 330 feet with a magnificent view of the Rhine. The Cologne Cathedral is open every day from 10 am to 6 pm, and the entrance fee is 4 euros. On Thursdays, you can use the public guide at 3pm. The neighboring Ludwig Museum exhibits works of art from the 20th century, including Roman antiquities and masterpieces by Picasso.
