Even if you have never visited the city of Cologne in Germany, you have probably seen a photo of the iconic Kölner Dom (Cologne Cathedral). The impressive Gothic masterpiece is one of Germany’s most visited attractions and one of its most famous landmarks but, the real history and fascinating facts are what is found in the inside! For some reason, it is no wonder to me why it took 600 years to build this work of art. It’s no secret that I love European churches and this one is definitely at the top of favorites.
The reason for building this cathedral was simple: It was designed to be the final resting place for the Three Magi (some refer to the Three Wise Men) and their relics. The Cathedral has been a place of Christian pilgrimage since 1164 to not only honor the Three Wise Men but their relics as well. More on the Magi relics later.
During WWII, 93% of the city of Cologne was destroyed by bombings, which destroyed parts of church but the enormous twin spires (still some of the largest church spires in the world) went unscathed. One theory for this was Divine Intervention. Another theory is that the spires were used as a recognizable navigational landmark by Allied aircraft. I like to think it was a little of both.
Our first day in Cologne, we had lunch at Café Reichard which was a nice outdoor bistro located directly across the cathedral. This gave me time to soak up and enjoy the spectacular view of the building’s façade (which is the largest church façade in the world) as a teaser of what was to come the following day. I was so engrossed with the church’s beauty, I can’t even remember what I ate. However, I do remember whatever I ate was good and the view was just the cherry on top.
I will tell you right now, the Cathedral is not a place to see quickly on your own. Do yourself a favor and go on the guided tour, you won’t regret it. Only registered guides are permitted to conduct tours inside the cathedral, but this is easy to arrange because the Cologne Tourist Office is just down the street. Two tours are offered in English per day. We were lucky to only have six in our group. While you are at the tourist office, you can also check on boat cruises, the hop on and off buses, and other tours/attractions offered in the city (more about that in a future blog post).
You will meet your guide inside by a clearly posted sign, given your headset, and be on your way. 600 years of history is a lot to take in, but every turn and corner seems to illustrate a half century or so. The architecture throughout is harmonious but the guide will point of subtle differences that show the trends of the time periods.
Beautiful tapestries by Peter Paul Rubens are only on display six weeks out of the years around the Eucharist and we were fortunate to visit during this time. They were being rolled in on carts we were told very similar to the way they would have been brought in hundreds of years ago.
Beautiful stained-glass panels from various time periods adorn the cathedral and are scattered about. As with many churches, these were used to illustrate stories to the masses (as they could not read). The oldest glass dates from 1260 and the newest from 2007 – this one replaced the original stained glass window which was shattered during the war.
I found the mosaic tile-work on the floor interesting, but our guide explained that these are not tiles but are actually wood sticks set in the ground. That’s right, like long matchsticks put vertically in the ground! Isn’t that amazing?
Remember the Three Kings? You will find the Magi reliquary in the inner sanctuary. You can only have access inside with a guide in this area which was definitely a must see (I told you earlier that having a guide pays off)! The very large gilded triple sarcophagus is the largest shrine in Europe and took 30 years to build. The detail and craftsmanship are literally fit for a king – or even better, for three of them.
At the end of our tour, we spent some time in a chapel off to the side, which gave us time to study the Romanesque Gero Cross. At first glance, this crucifix looks like many others in older European churches but is actually the oldest monumental crucifix in the world and dates back to 969!
I have seen so many beautiful photos on Instagram of outside the Cologne Cathedral and several have commented they didn’t spend much time inside because it wasn’t as impressive to them. I have to disagree – BOTH are impressive, but it certainly helps to have a guide tell you WHY some things are important and therefore impressive. I must admit, I would have found it remarkable without a guide but it was extraordinary with one!
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