KOLN'S DOM (COLOGNE'S CATHEDRAL)

Building on this Neo-Gothic Dom began in 1248. The front section (from the organ to the front) was finished in 1322. Building then stopped and didn't resume until 1842 and was finished in 1880. It survived WWII basically structurally intact. All the stained glass – 3 football fields worth - and art treasures were taken to shelters and survived the bombing that destroyed 95% of Koln.

The cathedral was certainly impressive, on a couple of levels. It is huge and magnificent. The exterior is also filthy – it had to have originally been almost white and is now so covered in grime as to appear black. It looks as though they have cleaned sections – that probably just makes it seem worse.

Anyway – there are so many statues carved into the exterior, it is overwhelming. Inside, the cathedral is quite dark and rather dreary. It. Is. Huge. Most of the apses are closed off – that is understandable, given the number of people that traipse through, but it did detract from spirit of the place for me.

We couldn't use a flash in here (or the other churches we visited), so we were experimenting with how to take the pictures and didn't get a lot of great ones, but they hopefully give an idea of the place and I think we get better as we go.

Three football fields worth of stained glass, some dating from Medieval times. Most of it is painted glass, but some windows are actually colored glass.






The ceiling here is 140 feet high!
















The organ and choir loft.










This 'swallow's nest' organ was installed in the last decade as part of a celebration of the cathedral. So as not undermine the integrity of the cathedral, it is not attached to the wall, but 'hangs' on huge cables.









This (blurry) reliquary is said to contain the bones of the magi (the 3 wise men.)

























We paid 2 Euros each to climb 509 steps to the top of one of the spires where we could look out on the city. Great view.










The mighty Rhine River passing through Koln.











Proof that we did indeed make it to the top.













The stairs were almost entirely narrow steps in a narrow spiral staircase – I felt like I was being wound up! Coming down almost made me nauseous. Five hundred and nine steps – I am not a fan of stairs! (And, NO, I didn't count them – it was in the book.) Stairs are a theme through this trip. Thank you, trainer Holli, for all the step-ups we have done :)






This is a 'human art' statue in the plaza outside the cathedral. All the other 'performers' were painted silver/gray, but this one is completely black. (Yes, this is a live person.)