COLOGNE CATHEDRAL

It can be seen from almost every point in and around the city centre: Cologne's magnificent cathedral hangs above the roofs and chimneys of the city. It is not only used as a point of orientation, it is also a source of pride for the people of Cologne. The gigantic tower of the cathedral has dominated the city's panorama since its completion in 1880. Today, the cathedral is still the second tallest building in Cologne after the telecommunications tower. The cathedral is 145 m long and the transverse nave 86 m long. In comparison, a football field is "only" 100 metres by 70 metres. The total area of the cathedral is nearly 8,000 square metres and can accommodate more than 20,000 people.

The construction

The foundation stone of the Gothic cathedral was laid on August 15, 1248, on the occasion of the celebration of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. The old cathedral was no longer large enough to house the remains of the three wise men, which Archbishop Rainald von Dassel brought back to the city in 1164, after the conquest of Milan. These relics have made the cathedral one of the most important pilgrimage destinations in Europe. At the beginning of the 16th century, the construction was stopped, partly due to lack of money, partly due to lack of interest. At this stage, the choir, the lower part of the south tower with its bell tower, the long nave and the transverse nave were completed to the lower arches. The north tower was almost totally non-existent. For more than 300 years, the city's panorama was dominated by a huge construction crane near the still incomplete south tower. At the turn of the 19th century, supporters of the German Romantic movement aroused public interest in the completion of the cathedral through their enthusiasm for the Middle Ages. The continuation, and completion, of the building was a matter of national interest to the Germans. In 1842, King Friedrich Wilhelm IV laid the foundation stone for further construction work. The cathedral was completed in 1880, in accordance with the plan of the Middle Ages, in a record time of only 38 years. Cologne Cathedral, although badly damaged, survived the Second World War despite prolonged bombardment. Nowadays, the greatest threats to the cathedral are weather and environmental influences. More than 80 stonemasons, glaziers, roofers and other specialists are constantly working on the maintenance and restoration of the building.

The interior

The mass of stone seems to rise almost weightlessly to the 43 m high canopy style arches. The narrow main nave leading to the choir is accompanied by two side aisles. In the north side nave, light shines through five spectacular glass bays, the result of the last years of painting on Cologne glass (1507-1509). In 2007, a completely new lighting concept was created in the south nave of the cathedral by Gerhard Richter, an artist residing in Cologne, keeping the codes of the master builders of the Middle Ages.

In the background is the large choir with the ambulatory choir, one of the most beautiful sanctuaries in the Western world. The 104 stalls make it the largest in Germany. The paintings of the choir were added around 1340. Above, you will see the older sculptures on the pillars of the choir of Jesus, Mary and the 12 apostles. In addition to the adoration of the Magi, the complete circle of bay windows on the upper floor of the central nave represents 48 additional royal figures. Behind the high altar, the sanctuary of the three kings rises. The relics of Gaspard, Melchior and Balthazar, the patron saints of the city of Cologne, lie here alongside the relics of Saints Felix and Nabor and St Gregory of Spoleto. This impressive medieval gold craftsmanship surpasses all other sanctuaries in the Western world in terms of size and grandeur. On the way to the ambulatory choir, you pass under the organ loft. Gero's crucifix hangs in the chapel and is the largest remaining sculpture of the crucified Christ on this side of the Alps. The oldest window of the cathedral (dating from about 1260) is still in its original position in the Axis Chapel (Chapel of the Three Kings). It shows scenes from the New and Old Testaments in two parallel rows. Another great work of art can be found in the choir of the Chapel of Mary. It is a triptych painted by Stefan Lochner for the chapel of the Town Hall, which represents the saints of the city, namely the three holy kings, Saint Ursula and Saint Geron and their martyred companions.

The treasure of the cathedral

In the medieval sacristan crypt, the cathedral treasure houses a rich collection of church treasures from the 4th century. The treasure's works of art are made of gold, silver, bronze and ivory and include holy relics, liturgical objects, textiles, archbishop's badges, medieval sculptures and Franconian tombs.

The South Tower

The platform of the south tower of Cologne Cathedral offers an impressive view from a height of about 100 m. To enjoy the view of the city and the Rhine, you must first climb the 533 steps. When the weather permits, it is possible to see as far as the Siebengebirge hills. The ascent of the steps leads visitors beyond the bell. Among the eight bells of the cathedral, the Saint-Pierre bell is the largest church bell in the world, weighing 24 tons.

There are several ways to discover the cathedral: from the square, in daylight, you will be struck by the dark and wide facade whose towers seem to really want to touch the sky. Or in the evening, when you arrive in Cologne, at the end of the station. It is difficult to describe the strangeness that emerges from the monument at the time, due both to its almost incongruous location and to the effect caused by the green reflections on the black stone. The jewel of Cologne is undoubtedly its cathedral. 157 m high, it is now classified as a cultural heritage of humanity. Cologne Cathedral is still today a witness to the strength and persistence of the Christian faith in Europe.