Cologne Cathedral

Cologne Cathedral is a Roman Catholic church in Cologne, Germany. It is the seat of the Archbishop of Cologne and the administration of the Archdiocese of Cologne. It is a renowned monument of German Catholicism and Gothic architecture and is a World Heritage Site. It is Germany's most visited landmark, attracting an average of 20,000 people a day.

Construction of Cologne Cathedral commenced in 1248 and was halted in 1473, leaving it unfinished. Work restarted in the 19th century and was completed, to the original plan, in 1880. It is 144.5 metres (474 ft) long, 86.5 m (284 ft) wide and its towers are approximately 157 m (515 ft) tall.The cathedral is the largest Gothic church in Northern Europe and has the second-tallest spires and largest façade of any church in the world. The choir has the largest height to width ratio, 3.6:1, of any medieval church.

Cologne's medieval builders had planned a grand structure to house the reliquary of the Three Kings and fit its role as a place of worship for the Holy Roman Emperor. Despite having been left incomplete during the medieval period, Cologne Cathedral eventually became unified as "a masterpiece of exceptional intrinsic value" and "a powerful testimony to the strength and persistence of Christian belief in medieval and modern Europe".

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Some facts about Cologne Cathedral:

• Cologne Cathedral was the tallest structure in the world for a four year period, from the year 1880 until the year 1884. This distinction was earned because of the height of the spires on the cathedral.
• Even today many people choose travel Germany related to view this structure. The cathedral still holds the honor of being the tallest building of Gothic architecture found anywhere in the entire world.
• One of the most interesting historical facts about the Cologne Cathedral is that it took more than six centuries for the structure to be completed. Construction was started during the thirteenth century, and it was six hundred and thirty two years until the structure was finished.
• This structure ranks as the number one out of all the things to do in Cologne, and this has been true for centuries. Visitors from all over the world visit the city just to see this attraction.
• The present cathedral structure is the third structure built on this location. During the fourth century a Roman temple was erected, and in the year 818 a second religious structure was placed here. When this church burned down in 1248, the present cathedral structure was started on the same spot.
• Many tourists choose a Cologne accommodation that is conveniently located near the cathedral, which holds the Sarchphagus of the Magi. This sarcophagus is believed to hold the remains of the Three Wise Men, and is the biggest reliquary anywhere in western civilization.
• The current Cologne Cathedral was originally intended as a place for the relics of the Magi. These relics were presented to Rainald von Dassel, who was the Archbishop of Cologne, by the Roman Emperor Fredrick Barbarossa in the year 1164.
• Rhine River cruises offer an excellent way to view the cathedral, which was reconstructed after being hit 14 times during World War II by bombs. None of these hits caused any serious damage though, and the reconstruction was finished in the year 1956.
• The Cologne Cathedral includes the Gero Cross, which dates back to the year 970 and is the oldest crucifix of this size anywhere north of the Alps region.
• There are a number of cheap hotels in Cologne that make a vacation here possible even on a small budget. The cathedral is a must see while here, and the choir of this structure was consecrated in the year 1322. The history and artwork in the cathedral is amazing.

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Reference:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cologne_Cathedral

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Posted in: Germany