November and December 2017. During my solo trip to Taiwan – the vacation which was a catalyst to start Trip By Trip – I met Ugo. Fast forward to August 2025. Ugo is touring Europe and we decided to meet up. Showing him Antwerp was an option, but fitting the metropolis into his itinerary was hard, as Antwerp doesn’t have a great train connection with Berlin, his next stop. So, we decided on converging in Cologne in North Rhine-Westphalia for a weekend.
Often, when I travel with Danny, Thanh or Oriol, we will skip big cathedrals. Or just go in, but not pat to see the treasury, the crypt, the sacristy or climb the tower, the bell tower or the belfry. Because “we’ve done this so many times”, “there all the same” and “it would take too much time”.
But did we? And are they?
As Ugo is Taiwanese and his not blasé when it comes to gothic churches, so this time I did pay the extra to visit the treasury, the sacristy and climb the bell tower.
Which church am I talking about? The Cologne Cathedral, right next to the Main Railway Station. Actually it’s the other way round.
The Cologne Cathedral
Cologne Cathedral or Kölner Dom is officially named Hohe Domkirche zu Köln, the High Cathedral Church at Cologne. It’s a Roman-Catholic cathedral in Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia. It serves as the seat of the Archbishop of Cologne and the administration of the Archdiocese of Cologne.
The building is a major monument of German Catholicism and Gothic architecture and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996.
With an average of six million visitors annually, it is the most visited landmark in Germany.
At 157 metres (515 feet), the cathedral is the tallest twin-spired church in the world, the second tallest church in Europe after Ulm Minster, and the third tallest church in the world.
History
Construction began in 1248 with the intention of creating a monumental shrine for the relics of the Three Kings, the Magi, and a fitting place of worship for the Holy Roman Emperor. Work stopped around 1560, leaving the structure unfinished, and was not resumed until the 19th century.
The project gained momentum from 1842 onwards, supported by civic fundraising and the Prussian State, and the cathedral was finally completed in 1880 in accordance with its original medieval design. At the time of completion, its façade was the largest of any church in the world, and the structure became a national symbol.
The site has been occupied by Christian buildings since late antiquity. The first bishop of Cologne, Maternus, was appointed around 313. In the 6th century, the Merovingian kings built an episcopal church on the location, which served as a burial site for members of the royal family. Archaeological remains of this period survive beneath the present choir. A baptistery from the 5th century stood to the east of the site, its piscina now considered the oldest surviving evidence of Christian worship in Cologne.
In the Carolingian period, Hildebold Cathedral was constructed and consecrated in 870. At 95 metres in length, it was among the largest Carolingian churches. Its architecture deliberately echoed Old St Peter’s Basilica in Rome, underscoring Cologne’s claim as a religious centre of the Holy Roman Empire.
The cathedral housed important relics, including the staff and chains of Saint Peter. In 1164, Archbishop Rainald of Dassel brought the relics of the Three Wise Men from Milan, establishing Cologne as one of Europe’s principal pilgrimage destinations.
Between 1190 and 1225, the Shrine of the Three Kings was created to house these relics, becoming one of the masterpieces of medieval goldsmithing.
The foundation stone of the Gothic cathedral was laid on 15 August 1248 by Archbishop Konrad von Hochstaden. The eastern arm was completed under Master Gerhard and consecrated in 1322, but work slowed and eventually ceased in 1473.
The incomplete structure, crowned with a crane on its south tower, dominated Cologne’s skyline for centuries. In 1842, inspired by Romantic interest in the Middle Ages and the rediscovery of medieval plans, construction resumed. The cathedral was finished in 1880, 632 years after its commencement, and briefly held the title of the tallest building in the world.
World War II
During World War II, the cathedral suffered fourteen direct hits from aerial bombs but remained standing amidst the ruins of the city. Restoration work began soon after the war, overseen by architect Willy Weyres, and the cathedral reopened in 1956.
Later repairs included controversial alterations, such as the Art Deco redesign of the central tower cladding. Archaeological excavations beneath the cathedral, begun in 1946 and concluded in 1997, revealed important details of its earlier structures.
The cathedral continues to undergo restoration and maintenance, with scaffolding almost permanently in place. Weather, pollution and the properties of the stone demand constant repair.
Acid rain in the 20th century caused significant damage, leading to extensive replacement of stonework. Modern conservation techniques are now aided by digital 3D modelling, created through high-resolution drone photography.
Design
Architecturally, Cologne Cathedral follows the design of French Gothic cathedrals, particularly Amiens, with a Latin Cross ground plan, soaring vaults and extensive flying buttresses. Its choir, consecrated in 1322, retains much of its medieval character, including original stalls and misericords.
Externally, the openwork spires are characteristic of German Gothic design.
The cathedral houses important treasures, most notably the Shrine of the Three Kings. Other works include the Gero Crucifix, dating from around 960 and the oldest surviving large crucifix north of the Alps, and the Mailänder Madonna, carved around 1290. The high altar, installed in 1322, is of black marble with figures in white marble relief.
Cologne Cathedral has two pipe organs and eleven bells, including St. Petersglocke, cast in 1922, which at 24 tonnes was long the largest free-swinging bell in the world. The bells ring only on major feast days.
21s century
In the 21st century, Cologne Cathedral has continued to function both as a place of worship and as a cultural landmark. It hosted Pope Benedict XVI during World Youth Day in 2005 and has been the subject of ongoing debates about the presence of antisemitic imagery in its medieval furnishings. In 2023, an international art competition was launched to introduce new works that would reflect on Jewish–Christian relations, and in 2025 Andrea Büttner was selected to create a mural in the Chapel of St. Mary.
As a World Heritage Site, the cathedral remains one of the most important pilgrimage destinations in northern Europe and a major tourist attraction.
Visitors can ascend 533 steps to a platform 100 metres above ground, which offers views across Cologne and the Rhine. Despite its continuous maintenance, Cologne Cathedral endures as both a religious centre and one of the defining monuments of Gothic architecture.
A visit
As I wrote, we did ‘everything’. For Ugo, this is new. Climbing the tower is quite an ascent, but it’s worth it. You get great views and you see the inside of the spire.
So maybe, next time you get to visit a Gothic cathedral, do the extras.
Amazing!
It really is!
I saw Cologne Cathedral many, many years ago and would love to see it again, for a better appreciation than my teenage self had. Maggie
Germany is a fun destination, also in spring or autumn.