Cologne Cathedral (Dom), Cologne

I will refer throughout to the subject of this review as Cologne Cathedral, that being the familiar English term for it. If you wish to carry out further research you will also need to know the German title: "Kolner Dom". Two of my great interests in life are architecture and history; seldom do they merge better and in more spectacular style than in the great churches and cathedrals. Over the years I have enjoyed visiting virtually all of the cathedrals in England - many in Poland during the last seven years too. Since my late teens there had been one cathedral above all others that I had ... more

Background: Cologne Cathedral is a masterpiece of high Gothic architecture. Construction began in 1248, but due to a lack of funds and various disagreements concerning the work, the cathedral was only completed in 1880. The cathedral is renowned as one of Germany's prinicpal landmarks and has long been Colognes number 1 tourist attraction, featuring heavily in the city's unofficial logo. The Cathedral is the second largest Gothic structure in the world and is beloved by architects and artists alike- the scale is so vast that standing beneath the towers is breathtaking, particularly considering ... more