While in Cologne for the chocolate festival, and looking for the Christmas market (which we were about 2 days too early for), we ventured over to the Gothic cathedral. We were too late to take in all of it, but here are some pictures of what we did see and a brief history of the cathedral. It amazes me how old these places are and just how "young" and "new" everything in the United States is.
Cologne Cathedral was begun in 1248 and took 632 years to complete. The uniformity of the architecture is due to the fact that none of the generations of builders who worked on it ever strayed from the original master plan. "Everyone who began and continued this building project over centuries was aware that they would never see completion. This fact alone shows that they did not build only for themselves, but, inspired by faith, for future generations and for the honour of God."
313/314: Christianity came to Cologne. Evidence to support a meeting place at the sight of this Gothic cathedral.
6th century: Archaeological evidence to support that there was a first choice on this site.
800-870: The "Old Cathedral" was built and consecrated. This cathedral immediately predates the present cathedral.
The so-called "Altarpiece of the City's Patron Saints"
Created c. 1445 and has been in the Lady Chapel since 1810.
Tomb of Archbishop Friedrich von Saarwerden (1414)
Altarpiece of St. Agilolph, from Antwerp, c 1520
1164: "The decision to build a new cathedral is preceded by the transfer of the relics of the Magi to Cologne in 1164. Archbishop Rainald von Dassel received them from Emperor Friedrich I (called "Barbarossa", i.e. "Redbeard") in return for his support during the siege of Milan. The veneration of the Magi goes back to those 'wise men from the East' who are mentioned in the Gospel according to St. Matthew (Mt 2, 1-12)."
The replica of the shrine that holds the relics of the Magi.
This is as close as we were able to get to the actual shrine.
Since 1948 it has been displayed behind the High Altar. It is made of oakwood and embellished with precious stones, filigree and enamel fillings, and gold and silver plated statues depicting the entire salvation story from the beginning of the Old Testament to the future return of Christ.
The crossing's altar. The pulpit dates from 1544.
1225: Planning begins for a new church that is to be used for a bishop's and pilgrims' church and the eastern parts of the "Old Cathedral" are demolished.
August 15, 1248: Archbishop Konrad von Hochstaden lays the foundation stone of the Gothic cathedral.
1260: The groundfloor of the choir is completed and the first altars are consecrated.
September 27, 1322: The choir is solemnly consecrated and the Shrine of the Magi is temporarily set up in the axis chapel.
1360: Work begins on the south steeple's walls. It was completed to 190 feet tall early in the 15th century.
1520: Building comes to a standstill. The choir, ground floor of the nave, and parts of the transept are usable, and the two lower stories of the south steeple are completed.
1794: Troops of the French Revolution invaded Cologne, and the Archdiocese of Cologne was abolished. The cathedral is temporarily used as fodder storage and a prisoner of war camp.
1801: The church is used as a parish church until 1821 when it was again elevated to the status of a bishop's church with the reinstatement of the Archdiocese of Cologne.
1842-1880: Prussian King Friedrich Wilhelm IV laid the foundation stone for the resumed construction in 1842. The final stone was inserted in the finial on the south steeple in 1880 in the presence of Emperor Wilhelm I.
1939-1945: Parts of the cathedral was severely damaged by bombs during WWII, but the majority of it was able to withstand the shockwaves and vibrations. "At the end of the war it sticks out of a massive field of destruction, seemingly undamaged."
