11. Cologne Cathedral
UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996
Cologne Cathedral (on which work began in 1248) is one of the world‘s great churches,
exemplifying the High Gothic cathedral style in the purest and most perfect way. The size of
Cologne cathedral is presaged by the mighty pair of spires which have dominated the city
and its surroundings like no other architectural work ever since they were completed in
1880. When work was finally completed in the 19th century, the cathedral was the biggest
building in the world. The design of the west façade defied all convention: the biggest
church façade in the world, it had a surface area of 7,000 square metres and was flanked by
two mighty spires each 156 metres high.
The cathedral contains a wealth of important art works: the colourful stained glass windows
that flood the cathedral with their mysterious light, the Gero cross (around 970 A.D.), the
oldest large sculpture in the Western world, the shrine housing the relics of the Three Kings
(1180-1225), an exceptional example of the regional goldsmiths’ art and the altar of the city
patrons (around 1450) by Stephan Lochner, the masterpiece of the Cologne school of artists.
UNESCO special
Price per person sharing a double room: from €65.45
Available: throughout the year
• One night with breakfast
• Cologne Tourist Card
• Information pack
• Souvenir
Optional extra: from €29.00 per person: romantic dinner with music aboard a Rhine cruise
ship
To book, call:
Events
Once a month from September to June, performances by well-known guest choirs or the
cathedral‘s own choirs are staged in front of the Sarcophagus of the Epiphany, in the
intimate setting between the choir stalls.