Exploring Cologne's Cathedral: A Visitor's Experience

Yes, you can go inside the Cologne Cathedral. In fact, it is Germany's most visited landmark, attracting around 20,000 visitors per day. Entry to the cathedral is free, but there is a charge to climb the tower and see the treasury. The cathedral is open daily from 6 am to 8 pm, but access for tourists is limited to 10 am to 5 pm on weekdays and 1 pm to 4 pm on Sundays.

Cologne Cathedral's long construction

Construction of the Cologne Cathedral began in 1248, but it was not completed until 632 years later, in 1880. This Gothic masterpiece was built in several stages, with work continuing over seven centuries. The long construction period can be attributed to various interruptions, including war and financial difficulties.

The first master builder of the cathedral was Master Gerhard, who worked on the planning and ground plan. The design was based on the northern French model and the Gothic style, the most modern architectural style of the time. The foundation stone was laid by Archbishop Konrad von Hochstaden in 1248.

Despite the challenges, work on the cathedral continued in the following decades. In the 14th century, construction of the choir was completed, and the foundation for the south tower was laid in 1360. Two bells, Pretiosa and Speciosa, were cast in 1448/49 and are still part of the cathedral's bell set. In the later 15th century, construction progressed on the transept, the side aisles, and the north tower.

However, in the 16th century, work on the cathedral came to a halt due to the Reformation and the Thirty Years' War. It would not resume until the 19th century when Prussia annexed the Rhineland, and Cologne became part of the Prussian state. This break in construction lasted over 300 years.

Under the direction of architect Ernst Friedrich Zwirner, extensive restoration work began in 1842, and reconstruction of the north tower, which had collapsed in the 18th century, was initiated. The interior of the cathedral was consecrated in 1848, and the entire structure was finally completed in 1880. At that time, with a height of 157 metres, it was the tallest building in the world.

Even after its completion, the work on the cathedral is ongoing. The continuous maintenance and renovation ensure the preservation of this iconic structure.

The cathedral's interior

The interior of Cologne Cathedral is as impressive as its towering exterior. The central nave is in the shape of a Latin cross, measuring 45 metres wide by 144 metres in length. The aisles leading to the transepts contain altarpieces from the 14th and 16th centuries. The choir features a huge slab of black limestone, believed to be the largest in any Christian church, along with 14th-century statues, choir stalls and painted screens. The Cathedral's Lady Chapel houses a triptych entitled 'The Adoration of the Magi', created by Stefan Lochner in the mid-15th century.

Cologne Cathedral contains over 20,000 square feet of stained glass windows, crafted over nearly 800 years. The oldest is the 13th-century 'Bible Window', believed to be the earliest stained glass in Germany. Other notable windows include the 16th-century 'Window of the Nativity' and 'Window of St Peter and the Tree of Jesse', as well as the 21st-century 'Richter Window', designed by Gerhard Richter to replace windows destroyed in World War II.

The cathedral also boasts the Shrine of the Three Kings, a gilded sarcophagus dating back to the 13th century, which is said to contain the bones of the Biblical Magi. The cathedral's treasury is the largest in Germany, featuring relics, liturgical vestments, manuscripts, chalices, insignia and artworks.

The cathedral's exterior

The exterior of Cologne Cathedral is a sight to behold. The largest façade of any church in the world, it features a host of architectural statues, steep gables, blind tracery, and a unifying series of spires. The twin spires, which give the cathedral its iconic silhouette, stand at 157 metres (515 feet) tall, making it the tallest twin-spired church in the world. The exterior is also known for its extravagant use of tracery, flying buttresses, stone sculpture, pinnacles, and lofty porticos.

The cathedral's west front, or western façade, is the largest in the world. The three portals of the west façade are the Magi Portal, the Main Portal, and St. Peter's Portal. The theme of the centre portal is the age before redemption, featuring statues of the four great prophets: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel. Reliefs on the door jambs depict scenes from the Fall of Man to the Nativity, while the tympanum above shows the Worship of the Golden Calf.

The exterior is designed in the Rayonnant Gothic style, with some elements of Flamboyant Gothic architecture. The plan of the cathedral is in the shape of a Latin cross, with two aisles on either side supporting one of the highest Gothic vaults ever constructed. The outward thrust of the vault is supported by flying buttresses in the French manner.

The cathedral's two huge towers were completed in 1880, 632 years after construction began. The towers, along with the rest of the exterior, are built from various types of rock, including Schlaitdorf sandstone, Londorf basalt lava, and grey basalt lava. The sandstone, in particular, has required constant renewal due to weathering.

The cathedral's stained glass windows

The Cologne Cathedral boasts over 20,000 square feet of stunning stained glass windows, crafted over nearly eight centuries. The Bible Window, believed to be the earliest stained-glass window in Germany, dates back to the 13th century and is located in the choir chapel. The Window of the Nativity and the Window of St. Peter and the Tree of Jesse date back to 1507 and 1509, respectively. The clerestory windows in the choir have 10,170 ft. of glass surface and contain the largest series of stained glass windows from the 14th century in Europe. Ninety-five per cent of the glass is original.

Several windows in the north nave aisle and choir chapels are among those made originally for the cathedral. The north transept and sacristy feature medieval glass from several secularised Cologne parish and monastic churches, incorporated during the 19th century. The south transept features the abstract Richter-Fenster (“Richter Window”), designed by Gerhard Richter in 2007 to replace windows destroyed in World War II.

The cathedral's history

Cologne Cathedral, officially Hohe Domkirche Sankt Petrus (Cathedral Church of Saint Peter), is a renowned monument of German Catholicism and Gothic architecture. It is Germany's most visited landmark, attracting an average of 6 million people a year.

The site of Cologne Cathedral has been occupied by Christian churches since the 4th century. An older cathedral on the site was destroyed by fire in 1248, and construction of the present cathedral began immediately after. The new cathedral was designed in the Gothic style, emulating French church architecture. The foundation stone was laid in 1248 by Archbishop Konrad von Hochstaden, and the choir was consecrated in 1322. However, construction continued for centuries, with work stopping and starting due to war, financial difficulties, and the Reformation. In the 18th century, French Revolutionary troops occupied Cologne and used the cathedral as a stable and hay barn.

In the 19th century, with a Romantic enthusiasm for the Middle Ages, and spurred by the discovery of the original plan for the façade, the Protestant Prussian Court committed to completing the cathedral. The Central-Dombauverein, founded in 1842, raised two-thirds of the enormous costs, with the Prussian state supplying the rest. Work resumed in 1842, following the original medieval plan but using modern construction techniques. The nave was completed, and the towers were added. The completion of Germany's largest cathedral was celebrated as a national event in 1880, 632 years after construction had begun.

Cologne Cathedral suffered 14 hits by aerial bombs during World War II and was badly damaged. However, it remained standing in an otherwise flattened city. Repairs were completed in 1956, and in 1996 the cathedral was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The cathedral's twin spires are 157 meters (515 feet) tall, making it the tallest twin-spired church in the world. It is the second tallest church in Europe and the third tallest in the world. The interior is the world's third-largest and features a huge slab of black limestone, believed to be the largest in any Christian church. The cathedral also contains over 20,000 square feet of stained glass windows created over nearly eight centuries.

The most celebrated work of art in the cathedral is the Shrine of the Three Kings, which is traditionally believed to hold the remains of the Three Wise Men. The shrine is a masterpiece of medieval goldwork, begun by the goldsmith Nicholas of Verdun in 1182 and completed in about 1220.

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