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 metres long, 86 m wide and its towers are approximately 157 m tall. The
cathedral is the largest Gothic church in Northern Europe and has the second-tallest
spires Its two huge spires give it the largest façade of any church in the world.
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".
As a World Heritage Site, and with its convenient position on tourist routes, Cologne Cathedral
is a major tourist attraction, the visitors including many who travel there as a Christian
pilgrimage. Visitors can climb 509 stone steps of the spiral staircase to a viewing platform
about 98 m above the ground. The platform gives a scenic view over the Rhine. Touring
the Cathedral is forbidden during Mass. Entry into the cathedral is free but you will be
asked for a donation.