Cologne

Cologne (Köln in German; pop. 986,000, metropolitan area of around 2 million inhabitants) is Germany's fourth-largest city. It is one of the oldest cities in Germany, having been founded by the Romans in the year 38 BCE.

The sight we spent time in and you will see in the pictures is the Cathedral known in German as the Kölner Dom. This marvel of Gothic architecture took over 600 years to complete. The construction began in 1248 on the site of older buildings, including a Roman-era church, and a Carolingian cathedral. Most of the edifice was built by 1473, apart from the towers. Some work proceeded intermittently until 1560, then all work stopped until the 19th century due to lack of funds. Driven by a romantic enthusiasm for the Middle Ages, the Prussian Court decided to complete the cathedral in 1842. At enormous expenses (over US$ 1 billion in today's money), the completion of Germany's largest cathedral was eventually celebrated under the patronage of Kaiser Wilhelm I.

The Treasury of the Cathedral (Domschatzkamer) is exceptional. The masterpiece is the 12th-century Shrine of the Three Kings, said to contain the bones of the Magi. Parts of the shrine were designed by the famous medieval goldsmith, Nicholas of Verdun. It is acclaimed as one of the best example of Mosan art, and is said to be the largest reliquary in the western world. Near the sacristy is the 10th-century Gero-Kreuz is the oldest large crucifix north of the Alps.

The cathedral suffered fourteen hits by aerial bombs during World War II but did not collapse, and everything was repaired by the end of 1956. It has been listed as a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO since 1996. It is the seat of the Archbishop of Cologne, founded in 88 C.E.