Cologne Cathedral is the largest Gothic Catholic church in Germany. Listed as a World Heritage Site since 1996, it has been one of Germany's most popular tourist attractions.
Gothic architecture, which emerged in France around the late 12th century, is generally believed to be the first true Gothic church in France was the church of Saint-Denis (1137-1281) on the outskirts of Paris, where many French kings are buried. The towering pointed arches, receding peaks, tracery, and rosette windows in Notre-Dame are also typical of the Gothic style. Architects in many European countries have a soft spot for this style of architecture. Cologne Cathedral is also a fine example of Gothic architecture.
Cologne Cathedral has a long history of construction, spanning more than six centuries. The current Cologne Cathedral was built in 1242 and completed in 1880, seven centuries later. Cologne Cathedral was once the tallest building in the world and remains one of the most outstanding achievements in the history of human architecture.
What to see and how to see Cologne Cathedral?
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1. The bell of Cologne Cathedral.
The earliest bell weighing 34 tons, it is a bell of b tuning cast in 1418 in honor of the Three Holy Kings, which was previously placed on the bell tower connected to the main church, and was moved to the south bell tower in 1437. Eleven years later, the largest clock in Europe at the time, a Jumbo bell weighing about 10 tons in G tone, was installed on the bell tower. The two-bell ensemble is a G major chord. In 1449, another 4A beautiful clock weighing 3 tons in A-tone. In this way, Cologne Cathedral became the first church to use a bell ensemble to play a wonderful ** instead of a monotonous chord of strings. Whenever the prayers are prayed, the bells ring in unison, and the sound is loud, echoing on the banks of the Caiyin River.
When you climb the 533 steps to the South Tower overlooking the Cologne skyline, you can see the cathedral's famous St. Peter's Bell, which weighs 24 tons, making it the largest bell of its kind in the world. It can also be heard during special public holidays such as Christmas and New Year.
Climb the bell tower for a beautiful view of the Rhine and the entire city of Cologne.
2. The main entrance of the building, Peter's Gate and the Gate of the Three Kings.
On the left and right sides of the main entrance of the building are statues of biblical figures, which form the main body of the door with arches and arch friezes and arch friezes.
The statue of the Virgin Mary and the statue of the Child Jesus in the middle of the main entrance both wear a crown and hold a scepter.
Peter's Gate is the entrance to St. Peter's Chapel, with statues of apostolic figures on the left and right sides. Inside the church there are Gothic figurines.
The Gate of the Three Kings, with statues of Old Testament characters on the left and right sides.
3. Small minarets, flying arch buttresses, semicircular arches.
The most striking feature of the building is the numerous small minarets, which are located at the top of the pillars in a spiral shape and are beautifully carved.
The buttresses of the flying arches support the complex structure and unimaginable height of the Cologne Cathedral, and the flying arches support the weight of almost the entire church.
Semicircular arches are found throughout the building, which are used to transfer the weight of the vault to the flying arches.
4. Choir.
The large oak choir seats were built between 1308 and 1311 and are the largest choir seats ever produced in Germany.
The choir's pillars are carved with early Gothic statues of Jesus, the Virgin Mary, and 12 saints, all taller than life, dressed in ornate robes.
Above these statues are angels playing music in unison to celebrate the coronation of the Virgin Mary in heaven, the same sculptures that can be seen in a chapelle of the Blessed Sacrament in Paris, built in 1248.
There are also several stone reliefs in Cologne Cathedral depicting the story of the Virgin Mary and Jesus. The 12 main pillars in the cathedral represent the 12 devotees of Jesus.
5. The altar of the Three Holy Kings of the East.
The magnificent altarpiece was designed by Stephen Lochner around 1445 and was built to enshrine the Three Holy Kings of the East, the saints of Cologne Cathedral. The altar is carved with the coronation of the Virgin Mary and is flanked by 12 saints.
The golden coffin of the Three Holy Kings of the East is the largest in the West. This medieval shrine, which is composed of gemstones and gemstones, is considered one of the masterpieces of medieval goldsmithing art.
The side of the golden coffin is carved with images of prophets and believers, the worship of the three kings, and the baptism. On the back of the coffin is carved a portrait of Ronaldo Vanderssee, Bishop of Cologne Cathedral (1159-1167). In 1164, the German emperor Leonard, Archbishop of Cologne, brought the remains of the Three Holy Kings of the East to Cologne Cathedral from the Milan Cathedral in Italy. The huge Romanesque gold niche was made by Nicholas from Verdun, France, between 1181 and 1220. Since then, Cologne Cathedral has been the main pilgrimage centre.
Now every year on January 6, the golden coffin is opened to ensure that the crown is placed on the head of the Three Holy Kings.
6. Treasure room.
The treasure room is housed in a small 13th-century capstone chamber in the church, which houses a number of works of art, including a splendid shrine made around 1630.
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