Cologne Cathedral

Why the Cologne Cathedral in Germany is special
The Cologne Cathedral's sheer interior and exterior size and its skyscraping twin spires astound all but the jaded traveler.

Cologne Cathedral tips and insights
Construction
Work began in 1248, but the cathedral was not completed until 1880, a span of 632 years.

Twin spires
They are the star attraction of the Cologne Cathedral in Germany. They rise as high as a modern 50-story building.

View of Cologne
You can climb up one of the towers for a panoramic view of Cologne, but be forewarned that the spiral staircase is steep and narrow - and has 509 steps.

Top two interior attractions

• Magi
  The Cologne Cathedral houses a gilded and bejeweled sarcophagus that reputedly holds remains of the Magi, the Three Kings of Nativity fame.
• Gero cross
  The colossal 1000-year-old Gero cross inside is striking.

Soot
Unfortunately, the Cologne Cathedral exterior is seriously blemished with black soot, a byproduct of extensive coal burning in homes and factories in previous centuries in this part of Germany.

Location in Germany