Cologne Cathedral(Click for larger view)

Cologne Cathedral (German: Kölner Dom, officially Hohe Domkirche St.

Petrus, English: High Cathedral of St. Peter) is a Roman Catholic

church in Cologne, Germany. It is the seat of the Archbishop of

Cologne and the administration of the Archdiocese of Cologne. It is a

renowned monument of German Catholicism and Gothic architecture and is

a World Heritage Site. It is Germany's most visited landmark,

attracting an average of 20,000 people a day.

Construction of Cologne Cathedral commenced in 1248 and was halted in

1473, leaving it unfinished. Work restarted in the 19th century and

was completed, to the original plan, in 1880. It is 144.5 metres (474

ft) long, 86.5 m (284 ft) wide and its towers are approximately 157 m

(515 ft) tall. The cathedral is the largest Gothic church in Northern

Europe and has the second-tallest spires and largest façade of any

church in the world. The choir has the largest height to width ratio,

3.6:1, of any medieval church.

Cologne's medieval builders had planned a grand structure to house the

reliquary of the Three Kings and fit its role as a place of worship

for the Holy Roman Emperor. Despite having been left incomplete during

the medieval period, Cologne Cathedral eventually became unified as "a

masterpiece of exceptional intrinsic value" and "a powerful testimony

to the strength and persistence of Christian belief in medieval and

modern Europe".

Thanks for comments.

For whatever reason, the image is smaller rather than larger when I click on it. Either way, a nice capture. with no lens distortion. Thanks also for the historical detail.

Well, it is larger for me when I click on it, so I guess that is good!! I know I have a lot of catching up to do with your Portfolio Sadegh. I was looking through it last week and didn't realize you had been posting so much. This is another great example of the beautiful Cathedrals you have posted for us all to see. The lighting accentuates the Church and the street (they appear to be made of GOLD). My thanks to your also for the History of this architectural wonder.

Hoping all is well for your and yours, Gail

Wonderful work, Sadegh ... beautifully lighted !! You chose a magical moment to capture it. The floor wet by the rain and the sky enhance the Cathedral monument. I´m trying to improve my photography in night conditions and the technical details of your picture help me a lot. Congrats & regards

Thank you all for your comments it's greatly appreciated.

Best regards

A beautiful shot! Lighting, reflection and perspective are nicely rendered.

Thank you very much Lester for your comment.

And it is now immortalized in a great photograph by a talented artist.  Beautifully composed and executed, Sadegh.

Excellent   work! (6)