Cologne Cathedral: A Long And Winding Construction Road

The Cologne Cathedral took so long to build due to a multitude of reasons, including financial difficulties, war, and a loss of interest in Gothic architecture. Construction began in 1248 and was halted around 1560, leaving the cathedral unfinished for almost 300 years. During this time, the building and its crane became an involuntary landmark of the city. It was used by French revolutionary troops as a horse stable during the 18th century. With the Romantic period came a renewed interest in the Middle Ages and Gothic architecture, and construction on the cathedral resumed in the 1840s. The cathedral was finally completed in 1880, 632 years after the cornerstone was first laid.

Loss of interest in Gothic architecture

The construction of the Cologne Cathedral began in 1248 but was halted in the years around 1560, unfinished. The Gothic style was not as popular in the 16th century, as it was the age of the Renaissance and the Reformation. The loss of interest in Gothic architecture, along with a decrease in the number of pilgrims, resulted in a lack of funds to continue building the cathedral.

The inhabitants of Cologne gradually lost interest in the cathedral project. The Gothic style, which had been modern and contemporary when construction started, fell out of fashion. The Renaissance and the Reformation brought changes in architectural tastes, and the grandeur of the Gothic style was no longer as appealing. This shift in aesthetic preferences led to a decline in financial support for the cathedral's construction.

The decline in pilgrimage also contributed to the funding shortage. Pilgrims were a significant source of income for the cathedral, and with fewer pilgrims visiting, there were fewer donations and financial contributions. This financial strain made it challenging to continue the construction project.

The loss of interest in Gothic architecture had a direct impact on the construction of the Cologne Cathedral. With less financial support and a shift in architectural preferences, the project came to a halt. It would not be until centuries later, when there was a revival of interest in the Gothic style during the Romantic period, that efforts to complete the cathedral would resume.

During the 18th century, the unfinished cathedral stood as a ruin in the centre of the city. It was even used by French revolutionary troops as a horse stable, further highlighting the lack of regard for the Gothic structure during this period. It wasn't until the 19th century that there was a renewed appreciation for the Gothic style, and the construction of the cathedral was finally completed in 1880.

Lack of funding

Construction of the Cologne Cathedral began in 1248 but was halted in the years around 1560 due to a lack of funding. The Gothic style had fallen out of fashion, and there were fewer pilgrims, which meant there was less money to continue building the cathedral. For the next three centuries, the Cologne Cathedral stood incomplete in the centre of the city.

During this time, attempts to restart construction took place, but with little success. It wasn't until the 1840s that there was a successful push by the public and the Protestant Prussian Court to finish the cathedral. The Central-Dombauverein, founded in 1842, raised two-thirds of the enormous costs, while the Prussian state supplied the remaining third. The state saw this as a way to improve its relations with its Catholic subjects.

Work resumed in 1842, and the cathedral was finally completed in 1880, 632 years after construction had begun.

Political issues

The construction of the Cologne Cathedral was influenced by various political factors that impacted its timeline. One significant aspect was the relationship between the burghers and the bishop. In many European cities, including Lübeck, there was often opposition and rivalry between these two groups, which could prolong construction projects. This dynamic played out similarly in Cologne, with the two sides vying for power and influence over the cathedral's design and completion.

Additionally, the funding for the cathedral's construction was closely tied to political and religious support. In the 16th century, the cathedral's construction slowed due to a decrease in pilgrims, which resulted in less money to continue the building work. This was further exacerbated by the shift in architectural preferences away from the Gothic style. The Renaissance and Reformation movements led to fractures between the Church and the bourgeoisie, further reducing financial support for the project.

The completion of the cathedral was eventually achieved through a combination of civic effort and state funding. In the 19th century, the Romantic enthusiasm for the Middle Ages, along with the discovery of the original plan for the façade, spurred interest in finishing the cathedral. The Central-Dombauverein, a civic organisation, raised two-thirds of the enormous costs, while the Prussian state, seeking to improve relations with its Catholic subjects, contributed the remaining third. This collaboration between the citizens and the government reflected a unified effort to symbolise German nationhood and unity.

300-year gap in construction

Construction of the Cologne Cathedral began in 1248, but it was halted in 1560 due to a lack of funding. The Gothic style had fallen out of fashion, and there were fewer pilgrims, resulting in less money to continue building the cathedral. For the next 300 years, the cathedral stood incomplete in the centre of the city, with its medieval construction crane becoming an involuntary landmark.

During this time, there were attempts to restart construction, but they were largely unsuccessful. It wasn't until the 1840s that there was a successful push by the public and the Protestant Prussian Court to finish the cathedral. Funding was raised, and construction finally resumed in 1842, with the first new foundation stone laid by King Frederick William IV. The completion of the cathedral was seen as a way to improve relations with the large number of Catholic subjects and as a project to symbolise German nationhood.

The 19th-century Romantic enthusiasm for the Middle Ages also played a role in rekindling interest in the project. Architects and artists believed that medieval and Gothic designs were interesting again, and the original plans and blueprints were followed when construction restarted. The use of more modern construction techniques, including iron roof girders, helped complete the project.

The Cologne Cathedral was finally completed in 1880, 632 years after the cornerstone was laid. Instead of concealing this fact, the people of Cologne proudly celebrated it, declaring it a memorial to the largest German cathedral, happily completed after six centuries.

Maintenance and restoration

The Cologne Cathedral is a medieval building constructed with a variety of rock types. Due to the varying characteristics of these rocks, they weather at different rates, with the Schlaitdorf sandstone used from 1842 onwards for the transept façades and the upper parts of the nave and transept showing the most intensive weathering. The cathedral's filigree buttresses and arches are exposed to the elements from all sides and are attacked by water, the sulphur content of the air, and bird droppings. Acid rain, particularly from the 1960s onwards, has also severely damaged the stone, turning it black.

The cathedral's master builder, Barbara Schock-Werner, has stated that the building requires constant maintenance and renovation. The Dombauhütte, the workshop established to build and maintain the cathedral, employs skilled stonemasons for this purpose. Half of the repair and maintenance costs are covered by the Dombauverein, a civic organisation founded in 1842.

The cathedral's iron anchors and dowels are also beginning to rust and will need to be replaced with steel parts to prevent them from cracking the stone. Regular renovation work is also required due to earthquake damage. For example, during the 1992 Roermond earthquake, the 400 kg finial on the eastern pinnacle of the southern transept gable broke off, smashed through the roof, and damaged the roof truss.

In 2021, a remote-controlled drone was used to capture 200,000 high-resolution photos of the cathedral's façade, which were then assembled into a digital 3D model. This model provides an accurate representation of the cathedral, allowing for the precise documentation of its current condition and the identification of areas requiring conservation and restoration.

The Cologne Cathedral is constantly undergoing restoration work to preserve its structure and appearance. The cathedral master builders have been replacing the weathered sandstone with Londorf basalt lava, which is considered more weather-resistant, although it differs in colour from the original stone. Since the 1990s, efforts have been made to use stones that more closely match the original sandstone. Various methods for preserving the stones have been tested, but a convincing solution has not yet been found.

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