Cologne Cathedral, Germany

The Catholic Church owns the Cologne Cathedral in Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia. The Archbishop of Cologne and the administration of the Archdiocese of Cologne are based there. It was designated a World Heritage Site in 1996 and is a well-known example of Gothic architecture and German Catholicism.With an average of 6 million visitors annually, it is Germany's most visited landmark. The cathedral, which stands at 157 meters (515 feet), is the world's highest twin-spired church, the second-tallest church in Europe after Ulm Minster, and the third-tallest church globally.In 1248, work on the Cologne Cathedral started, but it was abandoned around 1560. Around 1814, attempts were made to finish the construction, but it wasn't until the 1840s that the project received adequate funding. In 1880, the building was finished according to its original medieval design. The cathedral has the largest façade of any church in the world thanks to the towers supporting its two enormous spires.

In order to accommodate the reliquary of the Three Kings and be suitable for its function as a place of worship for the Holy Roman Emperor, Cologne's medieval builders had designed a magnificent building.The Old Cathedral was constructed on Cologne Cathedral Hill during the Carolingian era and dedicated in 870. In honor of Bishop Hildebold, who was a close counselor to Charlemagne and passed away in 818, the cathedral is today called Hildebold Cathedral. How much the bishop contributed to the structure is unknown, though. Charlemagne also lavishly financed the new construction, which he most likely started.Originally, the bishop's house was next to the cathedral.