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Cologne Cathedral: An Inspiring Masterpiece

Join us as we explore some of the wonders of the Cologne Cathedral, a Gothic masterpiece more than 600 years in the making.

Explore the wonders of Germany’s Cologne Cathedral, a Gothic masterpiece more than 600 years in the making. The cathedral is the inspiration for a story in the March-April 2016 edition of Angels on Earth. Rosemarie McManus tells of a comforting dream she had in which her deceased mother appeared to her from the upper reaches of the cathedral, which the two had visited together one Easter Sunday just before the start of World War II.

Guideposts: The exterior of the Cologne Cathedral

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The Cologne Cathedral is the seat of the Archbishop of Cologne and of the administration of the Archdiocese of Cologne. Its foundation stone was laid in place on August 15, 1248, by Archbishop Konrad von Hochstaden.


Guideposts: The main door of the Cologne Cathedral

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The cathedral is the largest Gothic church in Northern Europe. It was conceived to house the relics of the Three Kings, acquired in 1164 by Rainald of Dassel, the Archbishop of Cologne.

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Guideposts: Statues of the saints found on the facade of the Cologne Cathedral

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The eastern arm of the cathedral was completed in 1322; it was sealed off by a temporary wall so the cathedral could be put into use while work on the construction of the rest of the cathedral continued.


Guideposts: Majestic stained glass windows in the Cologne Cathedral

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Except for sporadic work on the nave in the 15th and 16th centuries, all work on the cathedral was halted in 1473. In the 19th century, the original plans for the facade were discovered and efforts to complete the construction began, with the support of the Protestant Prussian court.


Guideposts: Soaring arches over the Cologne Cathedral's towering windows of stained glass

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On August 14, 1880, the cathedral was finally completed, 632 years after construction had begun.

Guideposts: The inspiring space that is the interior of the Cologne Cathedral

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During World War II, the cathedral, though damaged by Allied bombing, remained standing, even though much of the surrounding city was flattened. Repairs to the damage the cathedral had suffered were completed in 1956.

The exterior of the Cologne Cathedral

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In 1996, the cathedral was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List of culturally important sites. Today, the cathedral is among Germany’s most popular landmarks, visited by an average of 20,000 people per day. Visitors can climb the 509 stone steps of the spiral staircase to a platform 322 feet above the ground that affords them a scenic view over the Rhine.

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Guideposts: The "swallow's nest" organ, built in 1998 to celebrate the Cologne Cathedral's 750 years.

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Listen to music performed by Prof. Clemens Ganz on the cathedral’s “Swallow’s Nest” organ, built in 1998 to celebrate the cathedral’s 750 years.

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