Germany and the Cologne Cathedral

Over the years I have been to Germany several times.  Some of the larger cities we have traveled to are Munich, Berlin, Frankfurt and Dresden.  We really enjoy the "old world cities" that are rich in history and architecture.  Another thing we enjoy is German food, especially the bratwurst and the schnitzel.  When walking around the cities we often stop at street vendors and get a bratwurst link and some bread and munch out.  For dinner we try to get schnitzel with some type of fried potatoes.


I do like Germany, all my life I have felt a kinship to Germany and have really enjoyed my trips there.  One city I always wanted to travel to is Cologne, the Cologne Cathedral is what draws me there. It is an incredible structure, architecturally beautiful.

In my travels I would guess I have visited close to 65-70 churches. Most churches have some area where you can light a candle for loved ones.  I always try to light a few candles for the people who hold a special place in my heart as well as others who are in my thoughts and prayers.

The inside of the Cologne Cathedral is plain when compared to St. Pauls  or Westminster Abby in London but I think it's simplicity is what makes it feel warm and comfortable. When you walk into some churches you are overwhelmed with a sense of reverence, you can tell you are in a holy place.  In other churches, like La Sagrada Familia  it's beautiful but it does not feel like a church.





Another thing I like about the Cologne Cathedral are the "Flying Buttreses" incorporated into the design. It's a very common part of the design on this cathedral and others like Notre Dame.  There are many different gargoyles and chimeras decorating the cathedral and they are very interesting.

While not everybody would agree, here is a link to what somebody considers the 10 Most Famous Churches in the world.  I have been to seven of the ten and I consider the Cologne Cathedral to be nicer than some on the list.







It was a quick trip but a good one.  We also saw some Roman ruins scattered throughout the city.  Cologne was close to the furthermost extent of the Roman Empire and there are a lot of artifacts and ruins to be seen, most of which were found after WWII when they were reconstructing the city.

I have always heard the German trains always run on time and are the most reliable form of transportation in Europe...well...I'm not sure I believe it after this weekend.  Our train to Cologne was delayed 30 minutes and the train back to Amsterdam was 2 hours late causing us to miss our train to Rotterdam.  When we could get a train to Rotterdam it was an Intercity train that made many stops and not the Express we had booked, that added an additional 35 minutes to our trip.  When we got to the Hotel we were both whupped...I slept like a rock.

TJ in Holland