Kölner Dom (Cologne Cathedral)

Cologne Cathedral (Kölner Dom) rises beside the Hauptbahnhof at Domkloster 4 in the Altstadt-Nord district of Cologne, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Construction of the Gothic building began in 1248 and was finally completed in 1880, and its twin spires reach roughly 157 metres, making it one of the tallest cathedrals in the world. UNESCO inscribed it as a World Heritage Site in 1996. The cathedral survived the Allied bombing of Cologne in the Second World War, although the surrounding city was heavily destroyed, and it remains the city's defining landmark. Inside, visitors walk along a soaring nave lined with stained glass. The Shrine of the Three Kings, a gilded medieval reliquary behind the high altar, is the best-known object, and the Gero Cross, a carved crucifix dating from around 970, is among the oldest large-scale sculptures of its type north of the Alps. The Richter window in the south transept, a colourful pixel-like composition installed in 2007, contrasts with the medieval glass. The tower climb of about 533 steps leads to a viewing platform above the city and the Rhine, and the separate treasury holds liturgical objects and vestments. The interior visit normally takes one to two hours, with extra time for the tower. The best photographs of the facade are taken from Roncalliplatz, from the Hohenzollernbrücke, and from the Deutz bank opposite. Crowds are heaviest from late morning to mid-afternoon, on weekends, and during the Christmas market season in December, while weekday mornings at opening are calmest. The cathedral remains a working church, so quiet behaviour is expected, and sightseeing is limited during services and on Sundays.