Cologne Cathedral

Cologne Cathedral is a Gothic cathedral in Cologne, Germany, built to house the Shrine of the Three Kings. Construction began in 1248 and the cathedral was completed in 1880.

Shrine of the Three Kings: A reliquary in Cologne Cathedral traditionally associated with the biblical Three Kings. The cathedral was built to house this shrine and its relics.
Relics of the Magi: Relics traditionally identified as the remains of the biblical Magi and preserved at Cologne Cathedral. Their arrival in Cologne in 1164 made the city a major pilgrimage destination.
Ernst Friedrich Zwirner: A German architect who directed construction of Cologne Cathedral from 1842 until his death in 1861. He led the nineteenth-century revival of construction from surviving medieval plans.
Cologne: A major city on the Rhine in western Germany and the largest city in North Rhine-Westphalia. The cathedral dominates the city’s historic center and public image.
Gothic architecture: A medieval architectural style marked by pointed arches, ribbed vaults, and extensive use of stained glass. Its forms define the cathedral’s soaring interior and twin-tower façade.
Rainald of Dassel: A medieval German archbishop and imperial official who brought the relics of the Magi to Cologne in 1164. His transfer of the relics prompted a monumental new shrine and church.
Sulpiz Boisserée: A German art historian and collector who campaigned for completing Cologne Cathedral in the nineteenth century. His advocacy and publication of medieval designs helped build support for completion.
World Heritage Site: A place recognized by UNESCO for outstanding cultural or natural significance. UNESCO designated Cologne Cathedral a World Heritage Site in 1996.
Flying buttress: An exterior arch that transfers the outward thrust of a vaulted roof to a supporting buttress. These supports helped make the cathedral’s high walls and large windows possible.
Pilgrimage: A journey to a sacred place undertaken for religious devotion or spiritual purpose. Pilgrims drawn to the Magi’s relics helped justify Cologne Cathedral’s scale.

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