World Heritage Photos

Cologne Cathedral is the largest cathedral in Germany and was once the tallest building in the world. The cathedral is the seat of the Archbishop of Cologne. Cologne Cathedral was built from 1248 to 1880. Including interruptions, construction took 632 years! It was built largely according to its medieval plans and drawings, but using modern construction methods. Cologne Cathedral was modelled on the cathedrals of Amiens and Chartres in France. The completion of the cathedral was celebrated as a national event in 1880 and was attended by Emperor Wilhelm I. The cathedral is a renowned monument of Gothic architecture. It houses the 24-tonne St. Peter's Bell, the Sankt Petrus Glocke, once the largest free-swinging bell in the world. The Sankt Petrus Glocke (known (known locally as Dicker Pitter) was cast in 1923; this enormous bell hangs in the belfry of the south tower. Cologne Cathedral houses the relics of the Three Kings. Their shrine was created around 1200 and is the largest and most important reliquary in the Western World. The relics of the Three Kings have made Cologne Cathedral famous. The cathedral is a major Christian pilgrimage site in Germany, alongside the cathedrals of Aachen and Trier. These cathedrals are situated on the Route of Santiago de Compostela. Although the cathedral was hit by fourteen aerial bombs during the Second World War, it did not collapse. Its twin spires are said to have served as a navigational landmark for Allied aircraft. Most restoration work on the cathedral was completed by 1956. Several elements are often under repair, as restoration is an ongoing process. Cologne Cathedral gained the status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996.

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   Cologne Cathedral was built between 1248 and 1880. With interruptions, it took 632 years! It is the largest cathedral in Germany and was once the tallest building in the world. The cathedral was built to house the relics of the Three Kings, also known as the Three Magi. The cathedral is the most visited tourist destination in Germany. Cologne Cathedral gained status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996.

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   Cologne Cathedral: The towers are 157 metres high. Cologne Cathedral was completed in 1880, 632 years after construction began. Cologne Cathedral was built mostly according to medieval plans and drawings, but using modern construction methods. The completion of the cathedral was celebrated as a national event; it was attended by Emperor Wilhelm I, the Kaiser. 

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   Cologne Cathedral: The statues of the Main Portal (central portal) on the west façade. The other portals on this façade are the Saint Peter's Portal and the Portal of the Three Kings, also known as the Portal of the Magi. The immense west front is the largest church façade in the world. All its portals are richly decorated with sculptures. Cologne Cathedral has a total of twelve doors. The cathedral is the seat of the Archbishop of Cologne.

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   The 1,350-square-metre coloured inlaid mosaic floor of Cologne Cathedral is regarded as the largest piece of art in the cathedral; it was completed at the end of the 19th century and depicts the history of the Archdiocese of Cologne, the Christian world and the cosmos. The total area of this immense building measures 8,000 square metres. The cathedral is one of the largest Gothic churches north of the Alps; it has room for more than 20,000 people. 

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   Cologne Cathedral: The Shrine of the Three Kings holds three skulls wearing golden crowns; the skulls are believed to belong to the Three Magi (the Three Kings). The shrine is a masterpiece of medieval goldwork; created around 1200, it is considered the largest reliquary from this period worldwide. The shrine remains the most important religious reliquary in the Western World. The relics of the Three Magi have made the cathedral a major Christian pilgrimage site for centuries.

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   Cologne Cathedral: The 14th Station of the Cross depicts Jesus being laid in the tomb. Cologne Cathedral is situated along the Pilgrimage Route of Santiago de Compostela. The Shrine of the Three Kings (also known as the Magi) has attracted Christian pilgrims for centuries. These relics of the Three Kings were donated to the cathedral in 1164 by the Holy Roman Emperor, Frederick Barbarossa. In the same year, they were brought from Milan to Cologne by its Archbishop.

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   Cologne Cathedral: The 14th-century Clara Altar is located in one of the chapels of the cathedral. It consists of a large number of wooden panels separated by wood carvings in the Gothic style. The panels depict scenes from the life of Christ the Saviour. The altar was originally painted for a 14th-century Franciscan nunnery in Cologne. After the demolition of the monastery in 1811, the Clara Altar was moved to Cologne Cathedral.

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   Cologne Cathedral: The Jewelled Madonna (the Schmuckmadonna) is a small statue; it depicts the Virgin Mary. The statue is adorned with many votive gifts pinned to the white silk robe of the Madonna. This miracle-working Jewelled Madonna dates from the 17th century. To this day, this Baroque statue continues to attract the attention of many pilgrims. The statue is situated in the north transept of the cathedral.

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   Cologne Cathedral: The 10th-century crucifix of Archbishop Gero is known as the Gero Cross (German: Gero-Kreuz). This cross is the oldest surviving monumental sculpture of the crucified Christ north of the Alps. The cross is widely considered a masterpiece of Ottonian Romanesque art; it was created in a style far ahead of its time. To this day, the Gero Cross is one of the major pilgrim stops in Cologne Cathedral. The cross is situated in St. Stephen's Chapel.

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    A pinnacle of Cologne Cathedral. Cologne Cathedral survived the Second World War; although hit by fourteen aerial bombs, it did not collapse. The spires of the cathedral are said to have been used as a navigational landmark by Allied aircraft raiding deeper into Germany during the conflict. While most of the restoration work on the Gothic Cologne Cathedral was completed in 1956, several elements of the cathedral, such as a pinnacle, are often under repair.

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    One of the spires of Cologne Cathedral houses St. Peter's Bell (known locally as Dicker Pitter or Sankt Petrus Glocke). Cast in 1923, it is the largest bell in the cathedral. St. Peter's Bell weighs 24,000 kg and was the largest free-swinging bell in the world until 2016. The original clapper weighed about 600 kg and was 3.20 metres long; it broke in 2011 and has since been replaced by a lighter one. The chiming of the cathedral's eleven bells can be heard throughout Cologne.

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    Cologne Cathedral: The main portal and the statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The cathedral houses numerous treasures. The relics of the Three Kings were donated to Cologne Cathedral in 1164. The oldest stained-glass window dates back to the 13th century. A modern stained-glass window, created by Gerhard Richter in 2007, now replaces one that was destroyed during the Second World War. Cologne Cathedral was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1996.

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    Cologne Cathedral: The sculpted Portal of the Three Kings, also known as the Portal of the Magi. The tympanum depicts the Appearance of the Son of God to the peoples of the world. In 1945, at the end of the Second World War, American troops used the cathedral for target practice. These acts of vandalism damaged the original heads of the statues on the doorposts; they were replaced between 1958 and 1960. 

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    Cologne Cathedral: The Main Portal is adorned with the statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary; the large statues on the doorposts depict biblical figures, such as John the Baptist, Moses, Noah, and the Magi. Cologne Cathedral was modelled on the cathedrals of Chartres and Amiens in France. Religious art, liturgical vestments, and medieval goldsmiths' works are housed in the Cathedral Treasury.

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    Cologne Cathedral had no towers for more than 350 years; it was not until 1880 that the they were constructed. The towers were built in the Gothic style, according to the original plans from 1248. The South Tower houses the famous Saint Peter's Bell. In 1880, the completion of Cologne Cathedral was celebrated; the event was attended by the German Emperor Wilhelm I, the first emperor of Germany.