Der Kölner Dom

The Kölner Dom, or the Cologne Cathedral, in English, is the largest Gothic church in Europe. It was first built in 1248 but wasn't finished until 1880. It is home to the Shrine of the Three Kings which houses relics believed to be of the Three Wise Kings.
The Catherdral is certainly impressive. On arrival, we were all stunned by the immense size and the breath-taking architecture.
We learnt about its fascinating and turbulent history before becoming one of 20,000 others who visit it each day.
Inside, the cathedral was even more beautiful, if that was possible. The walls were lit by hundreds of gorgeous stained glass windows, including a controversial modern edition by Gerhard Richter.
The shrine itself was huge, certainly worthy of such a grand home as the Kölner Dom.
Our second part of the trip was up the spires for one of the best possible views of the city, at the cost of 553 stone spiral stairs.
We all loved the Kölner Dom but were absolutely exhausted by the time we'd reached the top!


Emma Chandler