I've known Cologne Cathedral all my life and yet I'm fascinated every time I stand in front of this huge mountain of stone... We can be so thankful that despite the 14 bomb hits, this magnificent building was not destroyed. For a few years now, the brick seal on the north tower has been replaced by a new Gothic façade... Nevertheless, the cathedral still has some war damage that can only be repaired in many years. Thanks to its roof truss made of iron and steel (instead of wood), the roof survived the war to some extent and did not burn down... The interior and the huge stained glass windows are simply stunning and breathtaking, making it a jewel of Gothic architecture. A building that belongs not only to Germany, but to the whole world.
Thank you for sharing your personal connection with Cologne Cathedral! It’s always incredible to hear from someone who has experienced the majestic presence of this "mountain of stone" firsthand. Cologne Cathedral truly is a world heritage, belonging not just to Germany but to everyone who appreciates history and art. Thanks for watching and supporting MegaBuilds, and for your insightful comment!
I live in Cologne and see this huge cathedral everyday on my way to work. Sometimes the massive bell rings and you see people stop with anything they do, just to appreciate the sound from the top of this medival megabuild
A great documentary, well narrated, excellent photography. Am very fortunate to have visited many wonderful cathedrals in Europe. But Cologne is my favorite, due to its sheer size and architect, stain glass windows beautiful. even though finished in the 1800's very little building equipment still not invented, huge cranes etc., was an magnificent achievement for the era. As for the stone work discolored, all ancient or old buildings do discolor in time, as to their charm. Many thanks to MegaBuilds for all of your great shows. Greetings from OZ !! 😇☝🦘🌏
Thank you so much for your kind words and for sharing your experience! We're thrilled to hear that Cologne Cathedral holds a special place in your heart. You're absolutely right about the achievements of its construction; building such a magnificent structure without modern equipment is a testament to the ingenuity and dedication of those involved. Cheers!
It is a pity that the beautiful cream coloured stonework of the exterior has been so discolored by pollution. I read that power washing would damage the sandstone so that option is not possible, and other cleaning methods are expensive and time consuming. Notre Dame de Paris on the other hand looks stunning in its pristine glory.
You're absolutely right that pollution is a challenge for the Cathedral. The centuries have left their mark, and unfortunately, cleaning the soft sandstone is tricky. The focus is on preserving the stone itself for the future. While it might not ever look pristine, there's a certain beauty in the way the Cathedral reflects the city's history. If you're interested in learning more about the preservation efforts, here's an interesting article: www.dw.com/en/european-day-of-restoration-protecting-the-cologne-cathedral/a-63444422
very well done! the only thing I think could be nice if the video clips and images are more related to what is being said at the moment, for example in the very end you showed the church that was there before cologne cathedral but didnt show it when it was talked about, nice documentary anyways ( :
Can I say that it's not fair to compare this church to the other gothic cathedrals in Europe? It's in large part a XIX building, with iron and cocrete. It was finished just 10 years before the Eiffel tower was completed. Real gothic cathedral were built without crane, in real stone, with medieval techniques. It was completely different. A town like Chartres almost got in bankrupt during middle-age to built their cathedral, while Cologne spent a fraction of the wealth available in post industrial germany. We should consider that a modern building, by many criteria, for sure not a gothic one (1100 - 1300 a.d. are the time limits of the Gothic art).
There have been cranes on the top of the tower. They were manufactured with wood and operated by a man in a treadmill below, pulleys also existed back then. On top they had wooden mechanics and gears to make the crane turn or to lift or lower the boom. The crane on top of Cologne cathedral has been standing there on top for 100ds of years until work resumed and the thing was finished. As the cranes were included in illustrations of 100ds of years old. And to help you understand more about building cathedrals, the same has been done to many cathedrals, most of them were built with the help of a wooden craneboom on top of the towers. Or, and with a hoisting system, with pulleys on a beam inside the tower and the nave. They were not as primitive as we think. Building cranes have been around for 1000nds of years.
The Gothic period in Germany lasted from 1250 to 1500 (the Gothic cathedral in Munich was built from 1468-1494). Cologne Cathedral was faithfully completed according to the original plans of the first architect. And it was completed using the same materials (without concrete!) and craftsmanship as in the Middle Ages. Incidentally, Notre Dame in Paris was also heavily modified in the 19th century, and today it is also being rebuilt using modern techniques, isn't it? And they would be happy today if Notre Dame had also been fitted with an iron roof truss in the 19th century ... Many other cathedrals were completed and/or rebuilt after wars or fires, and Rouen even has a cast-iron spire dating from 1877, which was even the highest building on earth for three years until Cologne Cathedral was finished in 1880. So please don't open this can of worms, because then you'll soon have no "authentic" buildings left ...
I've known Cologne Cathedral all my life and yet I'm fascinated every time I stand in front of this huge mountain of stone... We can be so thankful that despite the 14 bomb hits, this magnificent building was not destroyed. For a few years now, the brick seal on the north tower has been replaced by a new Gothic façade... Nevertheless, the cathedral still has some war damage that can only be repaired in many years. Thanks to its roof truss made of iron and steel (instead of wood), the roof survived the war to some extent and did not burn down... The interior and the huge stained glass windows are simply stunning and breathtaking, making it a jewel of Gothic architecture. A building that belongs not only to Germany, but to the whole world.
Thank you for sharing your personal connection with Cologne Cathedral! It’s always incredible to hear from someone who has experienced the majestic presence of this "mountain of stone" firsthand. Cologne Cathedral truly is a world heritage, belonging not just to Germany but to everyone who appreciates history and art. Thanks for watching and supporting MegaBuilds, and for your insightful comment!
Well done! I visited this cathedral two years ago. Simply stunning!
It really is!
I live in Cologne and see this huge cathedral everyday on my way to work. Sometimes the massive bell rings and you see people stop with anything they do, just to appreciate the sound from the top of this medival megabuild
Thanks for bringing a piece of Cologne's daily charm to all of us!!
A great documentary, well narrated, excellent photography. Am very fortunate to have visited many wonderful cathedrals in Europe. But Cologne is my favorite, due to its sheer size and architect, stain glass windows beautiful. even though finished in the 1800's very little building equipment still not invented, huge cranes etc., was an magnificent achievement for the era. As for the stone work discolored, all ancient or old buildings do discolor in time, as to their charm. Many thanks to MegaBuilds for all of your great shows. Greetings from OZ !! 😇☝🦘🌏
Thank you so much for your kind words and for sharing your experience! We're thrilled to hear that Cologne Cathedral holds a special place in your heart. You're absolutely right about the achievements of its construction; building such a magnificent structure without modern equipment is a testament to the ingenuity and dedication of those involved. Cheers!
Very interesting. Thank you for doing this video.
It is a pity that the beautiful cream coloured stonework of the exterior has been so discolored by pollution. I read that power washing would damage the sandstone so that option is not possible, and other cleaning methods are expensive and time consuming. Notre Dame de Paris on the other hand looks stunning in its pristine glory.
You're absolutely right that pollution is a challenge for the Cathedral. The centuries have left their mark, and unfortunately, cleaning the soft sandstone is tricky. The focus is on preserving the stone itself for the future. While it might not ever look pristine, there's a certain beauty in the way the Cathedral reflects the city's history. If you're interested in learning more about the preservation efforts, here's an interesting article: www.dw.com/en/european-day-of-restoration-protecting-the-cologne-cathedral/a-63444422
Pictures don’t match text.
very well done! the only thing I think could be nice if the video clips and images are more related to what is being said at the moment, for example in the very end you showed the church that was there before cologne cathedral but didnt show it when it was talked about, nice documentary anyways ( :
Thanks for the note and we are glad that you liked it!
Can I say that it's not fair to compare this church to the other gothic cathedrals in Europe? It's in large part a XIX building, with iron and cocrete. It was finished just 10 years before the Eiffel tower was completed. Real gothic cathedral were built without crane, in real stone, with medieval techniques. It was completely different. A town like Chartres almost got in bankrupt during middle-age to built their cathedral, while Cologne spent a fraction of the wealth available in post industrial germany. We should consider that a modern building, by many criteria, for sure not a gothic one (1100 - 1300 a.d. are the time limits of the Gothic art).
There have been cranes on the top of the tower. They were manufactured with wood and operated by a man in a treadmill below, pulleys also existed back then. On top they had wooden mechanics and gears to make the crane turn or to lift or lower the boom. The crane on top of Cologne cathedral has been standing there on top for 100ds of years until work resumed and the thing was finished. As the cranes were included in illustrations of 100ds of years old. And to help you understand more about building cathedrals, the same has been done to many cathedrals, most of them were built with the help of a wooden craneboom on top of the towers. Or, and with a hoisting system, with pulleys on a beam inside the tower and the nave.
They were not as primitive as we think. Building cranes have been around for 1000nds of years.
The Gothic period in Germany lasted from 1250 to 1500 (the Gothic cathedral in Munich was built from 1468-1494). Cologne Cathedral was faithfully completed according to the original plans of the first architect. And it was completed using the same materials (without concrete!) and craftsmanship as in the Middle Ages. Incidentally, Notre Dame in Paris was also heavily modified in the 19th century, and today it is also being rebuilt using modern techniques, isn't it? And they would be happy today if Notre Dame had also been fitted with an iron roof truss in the 19th century ... Many other cathedrals were completed and/or rebuilt after wars or fires, and Rouen even has a cast-iron spire dating from 1877, which was even the highest building on earth for three years until Cologne Cathedral was finished in 1880. So please don't open this can of worms, because then you'll soon have no "authentic" buildings left ...
and ten they put a rail road station next to it
This is a very interesting documentary, however it would be better without the background music which is too loud.
Thank you for your comment and suggestion. We appreciate it.
Needs to be cleaned. :) I think the Hagia Sophia is more impressive. Thank you and have a great day.
Koln
Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium, actually.