Description of the attraction
Cologne Cathedral is located in the heart of this city, right next to the main station. Two pointed spiers of the cathedral have already become a kind of "visiting card" of Cologne. The cathedral itself, with a maximum height of 157 meters, is the third tallest religious building in the world. Its construction, which began in 1248, dragged on for several centuries - the cathedral was officially completed in 1880, but according to legend, its construction will never end, otherwise the end of the world promised by the devil will happen.
Cologne Cathedral is dedicated to St. Peter and is considered a masterpiece of Gothic architecture. In the very center of its nave is the main shrine of the whole of Cologne - the golden casket, where the relics of the three wise men are kept. For a tourist visit in the cathedral, its treasury is open, where the most valuable and ancient items of church utensils, monastic robes and much more are presented. You can also climb to the top of one of its towers - however, for this you have to climb 509 steps along a spiral staircase.
Construction history
The first sacred buildings on the site of the Cologne Cathedral appeared in the 6th century. Their foundation is presented in the crypt of the cathedral, where constant archaeological work is being carried out. Also preserved are the remains of one of the chapels from the Carolingian era, which can be seen in the courtyard. The full construction of the new cathedral began in 1248. At the same time, two important factors coincided - firstly, there was still no cathedral in Cologne, which greatly affected the prestige of this city, and secondly, back in 1168, Cologne received from Emperor Frederick Barbarossa the most important Christian relic - sacred the relics of the three wise men.
The new cathedral was built on the example of French cathedrals. In order for more light to pass inside the cathedral, graceful pilasters were erected, and the high vaults were supported by a complex system consisting of powerful buttresses and pointed arches topped with a golden cross. After 70 years, the choir was completed, around which there is a gallery with many small individual chapels. In the center of the choir is the main altar, made of black marble. From the 14th to the 15th century, the construction of the southern tower was carried out, but it remained unfinished. At that time, its height did not exceed 60 meters. As for the north nave of the cathedral, which began in the 16th century, it was only a frame of the building.
In this form, the building existed for several centuries, moreover, during the Great French Revolution, a fodder warehouse was located here for some time. Only in 1842, not without the financial support of the Prussian king Friedrich Wilhelm IV, work finally began to complete this protracted construction, during which the outstanding architects of that time Karl Friedrich Schinkel and Ernst Friedrich Zwirner took part. The last stone of the cathedral was laid in 1880, 632 years after the start of construction. It is worth noting that two powerful towers were erected according to drawings as early as 1300 with amazing accuracy and therefore retained their authentic medieval look. Various neo-Gothic decorative elements were also added, including stained glass windows. However, much had to be restored after the Second World War. Interestingly, by some miracle, the cathedral survived the prolonged bombing raids that destroyed almost all of Cologne. It is believed that the pilots used it as a geographical landmark. Restoration work in the cathedral is being carried out now.
The interior of the cathedral: values, relics, burials
The main value of the cathedral is a golden chest with the relics of the three wise men, located in the very heart of the building. It was made back in 1220 and is adorned with precious stones and cameos. Interestingly, the chest itself depicts the mysterious fourth sorcerer - the king of Germany Otto IV of Braunschweig, who ranked himself among the doubt of the three kings. The cathedral also houses an elegant carved sculpture of the Mother of God with the Child, called the Milan Madonna. It was made in 1290 and painted again in the 19th century. An even more ancient Christian value is the Gero cross, which is a two-meter oak crucifix. It dates back to the 10th century and at that time was considered the largest crucifix in all of Europe. The very image of Christ is placed in a splendid Baroque altar made in 1683.
Many ancient burials dating back to the X-XII centuries were transferred to the new cathedral. Among them, it is especially worth noting the tombstone of Archbishop Gero, decorated with red and green porphyry, as well as white marble. Of interest is the sarcophagus of Philip of Heinsberg, decorated with pointed crowns - this is due to the fact that this archbishop participated together with ordinary inhabitants of Cologne in the construction of the city defensive wall. The tombstone of Archbishop Konrad, who laid the first stone of the modern cathedral, is adequately decorated - an exquisite bronze statue was erected in his honor. However, the cathedral also features later tombstones, including, for example, an amazing Baroque marble sculpture depicting Archbishop Engelbert, guided by an angel.
Cologne Cathedral Treasury
The treasury of the Cologne Cathedral is located underground in the northern part of the building. Its walls represent the medieval foundations of the cathedral, and some details of the masonry have survived from the ancient Roman fortifications. Subsequently, this ancient room was divided into floors, while the upper one was specially covered with a glass ceiling, so that visitors could raise their heads and once again admire the wonderful view of the cathedral. A separate room is reserved for a kiosk where you can buy a variety of souvenirs, including blessed crosses and rosary beads.
The Treasury of the Cologne Cathedral contains various rare objects of religious art, church utensils, as well as monastic robes and even sacred relics. The most ancient are the monstrance of St. Peter and his staff, decorated with a knob from the 4th century, as well as unique archaeological finds from the Merovingian era. And only a few centuries later, the first ceremonial wands of the Cologne archbishops and their other symbols of power were performed.
Even in the museum of the cathedral, the original, still wooden casket with the relics of the three wise men has been preserved. Much attention is paid to medieval Gothic art and ancient manuscripts, another section is reserved for the collection of luxurious robes of archbishops and other representatives of the church. Among these exhibits, the rich vestments of the 18th century stand out. In addition, the Treasury contains gilded church utensils, silver cups and decorative art items from the 19th and 20th centuries.
On a note
- Location: Domkloster 4
- Nearest underground stations: "Dom / Hauptbahnhof"
- Official website: www.koelner-dom.de
- Opening hours: open daily from 06.00 to 21.00 from May to October and until 19.30 from November to April, excluding religious services.
- Tickets: admission to the cathedral is free, the treasury is 6 euros, the observation deck on the tower is 4 euros.
Reviews
| All reviews 5 Irina Levanovskaya 2015-23-02 2:49:57 PM
Cologne Cathedral I have never seen anything more beautiful in my life. I looked at the cathedral with such admiration and at the same time a lack of understanding of how such a thing could be built, but inside, everything is simply mesmerizing. Of course, she donated a little for the reconstruction of the cathedral. Such beauty should live forever.
