Cologne Cathedral
Cologne Cathedral*
UNESCO World Heritage Site
State Party
Germany
Type
Cultural
Criteria
i, ii, iv
Reference
292
Region**
Europe and North America
Inscription history
Inscription
1996 (20th Session)
Endangered
2004-2006
* Name as inscribed on World Heritage List.
** Region as classified by UNESCO.
Cologne Cathedral (German: Kölner Dom,
officially Hohe Domkirche St. Peter und
Maria) is the seat of the Archbishop of Co-
logne, Cardinal Joachim Meisner, and is un-
der the administration of the archdiocese of
Cologne. It is renowned as a monument of
Christianity, of German Catholicism in partic-
ular, of Gothic architecture, and of the faith
and perseverance of the people of the city in
which it stands. It is dedicated to Saint Peter
and the Blessed Virgin Mary.
The cathedral is a World Heritage Site, be-
ing one of the best-known architectural
monuments in Germany, and Cologne’s most
famous landmark, described by UNESCO as
an "exceptional work of human creative geni-
us".[1] Cologne Cathedral
is one of the
world’s largest churches, being the largest
Gothic church in Northern Europe. For four
years, 1880-84, it was the tallest structure in
the world, until the completion of the Wash-
ington Monument. It has the second-tallest
church spires, only surpassed by the single
spire of Ulm Cathedral, completed ten years
later in 1890. Because of its enormous twin
spires, it also presents the largest façade of
any church in the world.
The choir of Cologne Cathedral, measured
between the piers, also holds the distinction
of having the largest height to width ratio of
any Medieval church, 3.6:1, exceeding even
Beauvais Cathedral which has a slightly high-
er vault.[2]
Construction of the Gothic church began
in 1248 and took, with interruptions, until
1880 to complete – a period of over six hun-
dred years. It is 144.5 metres long, 86.5 m
wide and its two towers are 157 m tall.[3]
Cologne Cathedral, despite having been
left incomplete during the medieval period,
eventually became unified as "a masterpiece
of ex