04-01-2023 A Day in Cologne, Germany

A very chilly and rainy day greeted Deb and me as we woke on April Fool's morning on the Rhine

After a good night's sleep, we woke early in preparation for the day ahead. In spite of the rain, Deb and I were both excited to be visiting a new country.  Other than passing through airports in Munich and Frankfurt, I have never been in Germany and this was Deb's first trip visiting Europe.

Can you see the excitement in Deb's eyes?

Deb took this photo of a German RV park along the river for us to share with Mo

We dressed for the day in warm sweaters and scarves in preparation for the chilly weather to come

Breakfast in the dining room was again pleasant, with a lovely buffet with many choices, including custom omelets, delightful breads and pastries, and fresh juices.  

There had been some discussion the previous day about the possibility of disembarking the ship at the town of Zons where a bus excursion continued toward Cologne in order to give folks more time in the city.  Because of the rain, that option was canceled, and our excursion to the city of Cologne departed downriver from the actual city by 9:30 AM.  Schedules on a river trip are always in a bit of flux depending on river conditions and last-minute adjustments.

Gersemi docked a few miles from Cologne.  She would continue traveling along the river while we were bussed to the city for our excursion.

Cologne, Germany is an interesting mix of old and new.  The modern plazas and the Hohe Strasse, a pedestrian-only shopping district are interspersed with ancient ruins of Roman heritage that are scattered about the city.  The most spectacular place to visit in the city, however, is the city's 14th-century cathedral, a stunning example of Gothic artistry and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  

During World War II, it was spared Allied bombs because the cathedral's imposing twin spires were visible for miles, serving as a landmark for pilots attempting to ascertain their location in a city bombed beyond recognition.

The bus was roomy and comfortable, and Deb and I enjoyed viewing the countryside even in the rain. The landscape we traveled was rural, with parks and gardens, and a few houses along the way. It is interesting how even a simple landscape can feel fascinating when visiting a country for the first time.  Even the street signs are a point of interest.

The trip to the central part of the city was about half an hour.  There isn't room in the city for bus parking and our driver had to leave us in a central location.  The streets were busy and very narrow, and there wasn't much room for the driver to maneuver.   I am always amazed at the skill of these tour bus drivers as they navigate the big, complex, messy cities of the world.  

We exited the bus and on this tour, I brought my walker, and the helpful bus driver handed it to me from the lower storage bins in the pouring rain. It wasn't difficult getting around the cobbled streets and curbs as we walked quickly from the bus exit toward the cathedral.  

We passed some very interesting-looking shops and restaurants, with no time to dawdle.  For some reason, our tour guide seemed to think we would rather listen to stories as we stood in the rain about fairy tale origins than have a moment to buy a really good pastry.

The Gothic Cathedral in Cologne is one of the most famous landmarks in Germany, and is visited more than any other site in the country.  Cologne is well known for its beer halls and restaurants, but if there is only a limited amount of time to spend in the city, a visit to the cathedral is a must. 

Once we arrived in the great courtyard of the cathedral, the rain started in earnest.  Even with umbrellas and coats, the rain whipped around us and the wind howled, making it hard to hear the guide tell us about the "Stolpersteine" placed right into the pavement.  

When Jewish cemeteries were destroyed throughout Nazi Germany, the gravestones were often repurposed as sidewalk paving stones.  The desecration of the memory of the dead was implicitly intended, as people had to walk on the gravestones and tread on the inscriptions. 

The intent of the art project is to keep alive the memory, reminding people that these atrocities would easily happen again.  Some German cities do not accept the setting of "Stolpersteine" because of criticism that there is a lack of defense against potential desecration.  It was hard to hear her words, and only after I did a bit of research did I understand just what she was attempting to teach us in the pouring rain.

It is nearly impossible to get a photo of the entire cathedral without terrible distortion.  Even LightRoom can't deal with straightening it out.

There has been a Christian church on the site of the Cathedral since around the 4th century.  The church that existed prior to the current cathedral was constructed during the 9th Century and was one of the first places where Christian worship was practiced in the city of Cologne.  

Yes, that is me in the pouring rain trying to get a phone shot of the cathedral

Prior to the development of the Gothic Style of cathedral construction, churches were built in the Romanesque style.  These older cathedrals were solid, meant to invoke strength against evil.  Gothic style was meant to soar to the heavens and bring the light of Christ to the world.  The Cathedral at Cologne was my first experience with a Gothic Cathedral.

At first, the discoloration of the sandstone is disconcerting, but we learned later that the lacy carvings of the steeples are much too fragile to withstand extensive cleaning.

Archbishop Konrad von Hochstaden laid the foundation stone for the construction of the new cathedral in 1248.  The choir with its high altar and the largest choir stalls in the Christian world at the time was consecrated in 1322.  The nave was then built up to the height of the side aisles and covered with an unadorned roof.  The south tower on the western side reached a height of 184 feet in 1446 and housed the Pretiosa and Speciosa bells, and still is being used today to call to prayer.

Deborah in the rain waiting for our guide

The German Protestant Reformation, traditionally dated to October 31, 1517, rose out of dissatisfaction with the Catholic Church.  This Reformation halted work on the cathedral and the wooden crane on the unfinished south tower dominated Cologne's landscape for centuries afterward.  

In 1842, Friedrich Wilhelm IV laid the foundation stone of the Cologne Cathedral for the second time, and construction of the cathedral began once again.  By 1880, the Cathedral spires reached a magnificent height of 515 feet, a historical pageant celebrated the end of further construction, and this superb example of the Gothic style was completed.

Me and my trusty walker (should I name her?) trying to stay dry outside the cathedral

As is often the case with museums and cathedrals, our tour guide was not allowed to take us into the church. She instead showed us the door where we could enter and pointed out the place where we should all meet after just 30 minutes inside.  

I have visited some great cathedrals in the past, most notably some of the magnificent Rennaisance Cathedrals in Malta and Italy, but this was my first visit to a Gothic cathedral.  As always, what struck me most as I entered was the soaring vaulted ceiling.  After slowly walking into the sacred space, what struck me next were the stained glass windows.  

The nave of the cathedral, the narrow central aisle, leads to the altar.  At 473 feet, it is the longest nave in Germany and is flanked by two aisles along each side.  In the transept area is a modern bronze altar that was created by Elmar Hillebrand between 1960 and 1971.  Behind the altar are the choir stalls, which were carved from 1308 to 1311.  The 104 seats make one of the largest surviving medieval choir stalls in Germany.  These choir stalls include reserved seats for the Pope and the Emperor.  The choir screen pictures were painted around 1340 and depict 21 scenes.

In the center, is the high altar, consecrated to St. Paul the Apostle.  Behind the high altar is the Shrine of the Magi, which, like a basilica, embodies the Trinity.  This outstanding piece of medieval goldsmith's art was created to house the relics of the Three Wise Men.  Along with the remains of the Three Wise Men, the shrine contains those of the martyrs Felix, Nabor, and Gregory of Spoleto.  I think it takes a great deal of faith to believe that the remains of the Three Wise Men somehow made it to the middle ages and into this beautiful work of art.  Understanding the relics of the Catholic faith has never been a strong suit of mine, in spite of my very religious Catholic grandmother.

I do wish that I had taken more time to research the history of this great cathedral before we visited.  We had such a short time, and with no guide to explain much of the architecture and art within, we were left to our own imagination.  I discovered later, as we exited the building, that we could have purchased pamphlets and bought a self-guided tour, but time didn't allow for such luxuries.  It is only after the fact, as I write about our visit, that I am learning a bit more about this great cathedral.  In the process, I am even more appreciative of the opportunity to visit.

The church didn't move me in the same way I was moved by the Renaissance churches in Florence, but I might have appreciated it more if I had studied a bit more in advance.

While it wasn't my first visit to a great cathedral, it was a first for Deborah.  I thrilled at the wonder in her eyes as she walked the nave and tried to take it all in.  I loved watching her light a candle for someone she loves.  I did the same for her long ago in a cathedral in Malta, and it seems my prayers were answered.  Deborah is thriving.

Deborah also took the stairs down to the crypt and sepulcher of the archbishops of Cologne, in the depths below the cathedral.  I chose to wait for her rather than attempt to negotiate the stairs with my walker. These underground crypts can be fascinating and a bit spooky, but she enjoyed seeing it.

When we finally left the cathedral to meet our guide, the rain was coming down in buckets.  On the way back to our bus, she stopped to show us the "Roman Road".  Cologne was a thriving Roman city 2,000 years ago.  Near the Roman Museum, there is a reconstruction of one of these ancient streets.  The road was found during a renovation, but since they couldn't keep it in place, they moved it.  They numbered each of the stones, but the chalk used to number the stones was washed off in the rain.  They did the best they could to piece it back together when they replaced it.  However, they didn't rebuild the road the way the Romans did with a good foundation and mortar between the stones, so it became very cobbly.  The road is now called the "break your ankle" road.

She then stopped again at a famous fountain, telling us another fairy tale as we stood in the rain.  I would have much rather have had a moment to stop at the bakery, which we passed by once again without even a minute to stop in for a keepsake of our visit to the city.

The perfect finish to our time in the city came as we found our bus, parked at an angle on a very short street at the edge of a shopping district.  Someone had parked a car in a no-parking zone and was nowhere to be found.  The car was in the way of the bus, which couldn't make the corner, and finally, the police were called to help.  With much beeping, swearing, and a bit of yelling back and forth, eventually, the bus driver backed up very slowly along a full city block before he could turn around.  I really can't imagine being a tour bus driver.

The bus took us to the waiting Gersemi at port on the Rhine across from the city center of Cologne.  The view of the cathedral from a distance was dramatic even in the rain.

Deb and I had plenty of time to relax in our stateroom before dinner that evening.

  

Our dinner in the dining room was extra special because we enjoyed our meal with new friends we had made earlier on the cruise, but this was the first time we really got to know each other.  Rick and RoseMarie from Memphis on the left, Amelia and Abigail, mother and daughter from Alberta in the middle, and of course Deb and me on the right.  Our bunch of six was very compatible and we really enjoyed the times we spent together in the coming days.

There was entertainment offered that evening in the lounge, but Deb and I decided to enjoy the peace and quiet of our stateroom.  There was an optional excursion that evening for guests who wanted to experience Cologne's Beer Culture and German dinner.  I was glad we didn't choose to do that one, although the guests who went said it was thoroughly enjoyable.  

In this image is the Basilica of St Cunibert, in a Romanesque style that shows the dramatic difference between Romanesque and Gothic architecture.

Gersemi left the port of Cologne after 10PM, embarking for the next day, which would be a highlight of the cruise.  We would be entering the Middle Rhine, home to more than 40 great castles on the cliffs on either side of the river.  

Bye Bye Cologne