Notre Dame Cathedral - a Gothic legend (Notre Dame de Paris). Legends of Barcelona Cathedral Cathedral legend

I continue the section of legends. There are no limits to the imagination of our people, some tales and inventions go deep into the people, and legends begin to form around the popular place. In this section I will talk about the most interesting ones, question them, and refute something. Let's bring some mysticism into the gray everyday life. Today we'll talk about Saint Isaac's Cathedral.

The legend of the fall of the Romanov dynasty.

The legend is similar to the Savior on Spilled Blood, and is also associated with forests. But here the roots go deeper than the collapse of the Soviet Union. The construction of St. Isaac's Cathedral was completed in 1858, but the monumental structure, even after the official opening, was constantly in need of repairs, additions, and the close attention of the craftsmen, which is why the scaffolding stood undisassembled. For fifty years, St. Petersburg residents became so accustomed to them that a legend was born about their connection with the royal family. It was believed that as long as the forests stood, the Romanov dynasty ruled. Constant repairs required huge expenses, and the royal treasury allocated funds. In fact, the scaffolding was first removed from St. Isaac's Cathedral in 1916, shortly before Emperor Nicholas II abdicated the Russian throne in March 1917.

By the way, there is an opinion that there are angels on the facades St. Isaac's Cathedral- faces of members of the imperial family.

This is such a beautiful legend and a second coincidence with history. Two of the most beautiful cathedrals in the city and two similar legends. I just want to believe in them.

Legend of the temple for sale

In the 1930s, there was a rumor that the Americans, admiring the beauty of St. Isaac's Cathedral, which somehow reminded them of the Capitol, offered the Soviet government to buy it. According to legend, the temple was to be dismantled and transported in parts on ships to the USA, where it was reassembled. As payment for the priceless architectural object, the Americans allegedly offered to asphalt all the cobblestone streets of Leningrad.

As we see, St. Isaac's Cathedral stands in its place, which means the deal fell through. In general, there were reasons for the appearance of this legend. As you know, in the 1930s, against the backdrop of industrialization and collectivization, the country was gripped by a terrible famine, which, according to various estimates, claimed from 2 to 8 million people. While peasants were dying of hunger, grain exports increased. According to rumors, museum valuables - paintings, icons, antiques - were also sold abroad. Such preconditions gave rise to rumors about the sale of the cathedral. They say that in this way the Americans want to take advantage of the difficult situation of the Soviet Union.

The Legend of the Missing Stilts

The temple is still called not only an artistic, but also an engineering masterpiece. It seemed impossible to place such a heavy building on an unsteady, swampy place. Construction required driving more than 10,000 piles into the foundation. In the end, the townspeople began to joke about this - they say that they somehow drove a pile, and it completely went underground. They scored the second one - and there was no sign of it. The third, fourth, and so on, until a letter arrived from New York: “You ruined our pavement! At the end of the log sticking out of the ground is the stamp of the St. Petersburg timber exchange “Gromov and Co!”

As you understand, we did not damage any pavements in New York. But the legend is humorous and beautiful.

The Legend of the Sunken Cathedral

The incredible weight of the cathedral struck the imagination of contemporaries no less than it strikes us today. Saint Isaac's Cathedral- the heaviest building in St. Petersburg. Many times it was predicted to collapse, but despite everything it still holds on. One of the urban legends says that the famous joker Alexander Zhemchuzhnikov, one night changed into the uniform of an aide-de-camp and visited all the leading metropolitan architects with the order to “report to the palace in the morning due to the fact that he failed Saint Isaac's Cathedral" It is easy to imagine the panic this announcement caused.

However, the legend is that Saint Isaac's Cathedral gradually and imperceptibly sagging under the weight of its own weight, and is still alive.

The Legend of the Architect

The temple took an incredibly long time to build, despite objective reasons. Residents were already joking then that they would see the built Isaakievsky Even their grandchildren will not succeed. There is an interesting explanation for this long construction period. They say that at that time there were rumors about the existence of some seer who allegedly predicted Montferrand that he would die immediately after completing the construction. Saint Isaac's Cathedral.

It is difficult to judge how accurate the prediction was, but the architect actually died almost immediately after the temple was consecrated. The reason for the sharp deterioration in health was allegedly a disdainful attitude on the part of the new sovereign, Alexander II. Either he reprimanded Montferrand for wearing a “military” mustache. Perhaps the autocrat didn’t like the architect’s signature: in the design of the cathedral there is a group of saints, humbly bowing their heads to greet Isaac of Dalmatia, among them Montferrand himself. The architect, who was expecting well-deserved praise, who devoted almost his entire life to the cathedral, fell into despondency and “struck by the emperor’s hostile attitude towards him, he felt ill” and died 27 days later.

By the way, Montferrand bequeathed to be buried in Isaakievsky, but his wish was not fulfilled. The coffin with the body of the architect was carried around the temple and the widow took it to Paris.

It is a Gothic building located in the English city of York. It is one of the largest medieval temples in northern Europe. The chair of the head of the city's ecclesiastical province is located here.

The cathedral is located on the very spot where King Edwin of Northumbria was baptized. The construction of the temple began in 1220 and lasted for 250 years. In 1472 the temple was consecrated.

The total length of the cathedral is about 160 meters, the height is about 60 meters. The nave of York Minster is the widest Gothic nave in England.

The most ancient parts of the cathedral are the southern and northern transept. The north one contains the famous windows, and the south transept is decorated with a huge round window with a figured frame in the form of a blossoming flower or a star. Its stained glass windows depict the union of the royal houses of Lancaster and York. The huge East Window, created at the beginning of the 15th century, is the largest medieval stained glass window in the world.

In the center of the cathedral there is a large and beautiful organ, which was erected in the 15th century. Next to him are statues of the fifteen kings of England, from William I to Henry VI.

The cathedral houses the Astronomical Clock, which was installed in 1955 in memory of the English pilots who died during the Second World War. The clock shows not only the time, but also the location of the sun and some stars.

In the temple building there is a sculpture of the Bishop of York Matthew Hutton, who lived in 1529–1606.

Under the cathedral building there are crypts that remain from the ancient Saxon buildings that stood on this site. It is also possible to see the foundations of an old Anglo-Saxon temple, on the site of which the modern cathedral stands. The sculptures in the crypt were created around 1100. At first they were placed outside on the western towers of the cathedral, then, due to their poor condition, they were moved inside.

Next to the cathedral there is a sculpture of the emperor Constantine the Great. At the time of Constantine’s proclamation as emperor, his regiment was in the city. And on the site where this historical event took place, York Cathedral was later built. In honor of this event, many centuries later a monument was erected.

The calling card of Belokamennaya, the temple, which has become the most striking and memorable decoration of the Moscow Kremlin, a cult, truly popular building that has survived a lot of events and wars - all this can rightfully be said about St. Basil's Cathedral.

Aristarkh Lentulov. Basil the Blessed. 1913

This cathedral is one of the most famous monuments of ancient Russian architecture; already in the 16th century it delighted travelers from Europe and guests of Moscow, and for Russians it is a symbol of national character and national history.

Officially, the building has a completely different name - the Cathedral of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which is on the Moat, but is better known under the name of St. Basil's Cathedral, which was given to the building by ordinary Muscovites immediately after its construction. This is an Orthodox cathedral located on Red Square in Kitay-gorod, in Moscow, its bright domes can be seen not only on numerous postcards and photographs, but also in some films set in the Russian capital, in particular “Yolki-2”, “New Year's Tariff”, “Phantom”, and in the film “Life after People” it is shown what St. Basil the Blessed would have looked like 125 years after the disappearance of human civilization.

St. Basil's Cathedral against the backdrop of the Kremlin's Spasskaya Tower

It was the Intercession Cathedral in Moscow that became the model for the construction of the Church of the Resurrection of Christ (better known as the Savior on Spilled Blood) in St. Petersburg. This cathedral was completed in 1907 in memory of Emperor Alexander II and has much in common with the Moscow one.

Cathedral of the Savior on Spilled Blood, St. Petersburg

A little history

The history of the cathedral goes back more than 450 years - the decision to build it was made by Ivan the Terrible in 1554. Initially, in 1552, a church was erected on the site of the cathedral in honor of the victory of Russian troops in the long war for the conquest of the Astrakhan and Kazan Khanates. This temple was consecrated in honor of the Holy Trinity, which is why back in the 17th century the new cathedral was called Trinity.

Two years later, Ivan the Terrible ordered the construction of a larger cathedral on the site of a small temple in honor of the Intercession of the Virgin Mary with chapels, each of which would glorify the victory over the Tatars. Among the townspeople it was called the Intercession on the Moat, since it was built next to a rather deep moat that ran along the entire eastern wall of the Kremlin.

Construction of the cathedral lasted from 1555 to 1561, and in 1588, St. Basil's Church was added to the main structure; for its construction, high arched openings were laid in the northeastern part of the temple. Architecturally, this new church was an independent temple with its own separate entrance and porch.

At the end of the 16th century, the unique figured domes of the cathedral were decorated - initially, gold plating was used, which was badly damaged during the next Moscow fire.

16th-century engraving depicting a service at St. Basil's Cathedral

Already in the second half of the 17th century, significant changes were made to the external appearance of the cathedral, for example, the open gallery-promenade surrounding the upper churches was covered with a vault, and porches were erected over the wide white stone staircases, the main decoration of which were tents.

At the same time, the internal and external galleries, parapets and porch areas were painted with plant, or rather, grass patterns. All these changes were completed only in 1683; information about this is contained in the ceramic tiles that decorated the facade of the temple.

Fires, which so often became a real disaster in wooden Moscow, also caused great damage to the Cathedral of the Intercession of the Virgin Mary, which is why repair work was regularly carried out in it from the end of the 16th century. In 1737, the architect Ivan Michurin carried out work to restore the temple after the severe “Trinity Fire”; at the behest of Catherine the Second, in 1784-1786, under the leadership of Ivan Yakovlev, the reconstruction of the interiors and facades of the cathedral was again carried out. Then, in 1900-1912, a new restoration of the temple was carried out by the architect Solovyov.

In 1918, the Moscow Cathedral of the Intercession of the Virgin Mary became one of the first cultural monuments that were taken under state protection as a monument of world and national significance. It is from this moment that the history of St. Basil's as an Orthodox church is interrupted - it gradually becomes one of the most famous museums in the capital.

In the 1920s, the cathedral was in the most deplorable state - the roof was leaking, windows were broken, and many valuable icons were lost. In 1923, it was decided to create a historical and architectural museum in the temple; E.I. became its first director. Silin, at the same time the museum fund began to be completed.

In 1928, the Intercession Cathedral (already as an ordinary historical and architectural monument) became one of the branches of the State Historical Museum. The following year, the cathedral's bells were removed and religious services were completely banned. It is interesting that restoration work in the temple has been carried out almost continuously since the 20s - the interior or facade is updated at one level or another, but it is always open to visitors. The only time the museum was closed completely was during the Great Patriotic War. In 1947, to celebrate the 800th anniversary of Moscow, the cathedral again opened its doors to Muscovites and guests of the capital.

View of the cathedral from Red Square

In 1991, St. Basil's Cathedral was again returned to the Russian Orthodox Church and although it remains a branch of the State Historical Museum, and is also included in the UNESCO List of World Heritage Sites, services are held there, as hundreds of years ago, and the Museum and the Orthodox Church jointly manage the complex.

Structure and composition of the Cathedral of the Intercession of the Virgin Mary

The bright, immediately eye-catching St. Basil's Cathedral is famous for its unique domes, among which it is impossible to find not only the same, but even simply similar ones. In fact, there are eleven domes in the temple, they all have their own names:

1. The central dome is the Intercession of the Virgin Mary.
2. Southwestern - Varlaam Khutynsky.
3. Eastern - Holy Trinity.
4. Northwestern - Gregory of Armenia.
5. Western - The Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem.
6. South-eastern - Alexander Svirsky.
7. The northeastern one is St. John the Merciful (previously it was named in honor of Paul, John and Alexander of Constantinople).
8. Southern - St. Nicholas the Wonderworker.
9. Northern - Natalia and Adrian (formerly Justina and Cyprian).
10. Dome of St. Basil's.
11. The dome crowning the bell tower of the temple.

Domes of the Cathedral of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, on the Moat

Such a large number of domes is due to the fact that the cathedral is a single complex that unites several churches, the thrones of which were once consecrated in honor of the holidays that fell on the days of the decisive battles with the Kazan Khanate:

• Church of Alexander Svirsky - on the day of memory of this saint, the Russian army defeated the cavalry of Tsarevich Yapanchi in the battle on the Arsk field;
• Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, in honor of his Velikoretskaya icon from Vyatka;
• Trinity Church - built on the site of an ancient temple; previously the entire cathedral was called Trinity;
• Church of Gregory of Armenia, the enlightener of Armenia, who did a lot for the development of Orthodoxy in this country. On the day of remembrance of the saint, the most important event of the war with the Kazan Khanate took place - the explosion of the Arsk Tower;
• Church of Varlaam Khutynsky - known for its separately hanging icon “The Vision of Sexton Tarasius”, who described the disasters that threatened Novgorod at the end of the 16th century;
• Church of the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem - apparently, the construction of this border is connected with the triumphant return of the army led by Ivan the Terrible to the capital after the victory over part of the former Golden Horde - the Kazan Khanate;
• Church of the Martyrs Natalia and Adrian (originally named in honor of Saints Justina and Cyprian, renamed in 1786 in honor of the heavenly patrons of a wealthy investor who donated a significant amount for the reconstruction of the cathedral) - on the day of remembrance of the saints, the troops of Ivan the Terrible stormed the capital of the Khanate - the city of Kazan;
• Church of St. John the Merciful (until the 18th century it was named in honor of Saints Paul, John and Alexander of Constantinople) - on the day of the holy patriarchs, a landmark battle took place between Russian troops and the cavalry of the Tatars, who came to the aid of the Kazan Khanate.

The four axial churches are large in size, the other four, smaller ones, are located between them. All eight churches of the Intercession Cathedral on Red Square are topped with onion domes and grouped around the taller Church of the Intercession of the Mother of God. These nine churches are united by a single base, a circular gallery, which was glazed only in the second half of the 17th century, as well as internal vaulted passages.

The Church of St. Basil the Blessed was built separately, consecrated in honor of the Moscow saint (1469-1552), whose relics were located at the site of construction.

The tented bell tower, which was erected on the site of an ancient belfry in 1680, as well as the basement - the base of the cathedral, which does not have basements - deserve special mention.

Bell tower of the Cathedral of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary

It is in the basement, where, thanks to a construction technology unique for that time and the use of “breathing” brick, a special microclimate was created, that the ancient icon of St. Basil of the late 16th century, painted specifically for the cathedral, as well as the icons “Our Lady of the Sign” and “Protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary” are kept. (both are from the 17th century). Previously, parishioners did not even suspect the existence of this secret room, where the royal treasury and the property of especially important and wealthy citizens were kept, only during reconstruction in the 1930s was a secret passage found and now the basement of St. Basil's Cathedral has become part of the museum exhibition. The thickness of the basement walls reaches 3 meters; the main building materials were stone and thin brick used for finishing.

The height of the cathedral is 65 meters, until the end of the 16th century, when Boris Godunov completed the construction of the bell tower of the Kremlin Church of St. John the Climacus, it rose to 81 meters, and Ivan the Great appeared in the capital, the temple remained the tallest building in Moscow.

Basement of St. Basil's Cathedral with the icon “Our Lady of the Sign”

Legends of the Cathedral

The first legend of this Moscow temple is associated with the decision to build it by Ivan the Terrible. As you know, the stern king was distinguished by his devout religiosity, so that executions and cruel punishments alternated with periods of repentance. Also, Ivan the Fourth was distinguished by superstition, so that when in a camp church, hastily erected near Kazan, at the next lunch service, the deacon proclaimed verses from the Gospel: “Let there be one flock and one shepherd,” and at the same time a large piece of the fortress wall of the enemy city flew into the air, thanks to which Russian troops were able to enter Kazan, the tsar decided to build a temple in Moscow to thank the heavenly patrons.

There is another version of the start of construction, which is associated with the most famous Moscow holy fool - St. Basil the Blessed. He began collecting money for the construction of the cathedral long before the construction of the temple began, bringing the collected pennies to Red Square and throwing them over his right shoulder - “penny to penny, penny to penny,” and even the most notorious thieves did not touch these coins. Ivan the Terrible talked with the elder and even visited him personally with the queen during his illness; it was the revered holy fool who showed him the place for construction. By the way, many legends of the Moscow temple are associated with St. Basil - his relics became one of the main relics of the cathedral, and healings often occurred at the burial site. However, the Church of St. Basil itself was erected on the burial site of the saint already during the reign of Fyodor Ioannovich, and at the same time a silver shrine was built for his relics.

Silver shrine and canopy over the tomb of St. Basil the Blessed

There is also a legend that Ivan the Terrible gave an order to blind the architects - the Russian architects Barma and Postnik, who, when asked, “Can you build something else just as beautiful,” boldly answered, “Yes, and even better.” Historians believe that the main architect of the Cathedral of the Intercession of the Virgin Mary was one person - Ivan Yakovlevich Barma, who had the nickname Postnik, as he always adhered to strict fasting. And he was not blinded at all - after completing the work in Moscow, he took part in the construction of the Annunciation Cathedral in the Moscow Kremlin, the Kazan Kremlin and other iconic buildings, which are mentioned in the chronicles.

Another legend says that the construction of the temple on Red Square was led by a certain Italian, which is why the cathedral is somewhat similar to the buildings of the European Renaissance, but this version has not been confirmed.

It is interesting that many mystics call the Church of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos “an icon etched in stone.” Its shape - eight churches united by two squares at the base - is not accidental - the number 8 symbolizes the date of the Resurrection of Christ, in addition, if you wish, you can see how the squares at the base of the cathedral, turned at an angle of 45 degrees, form an eight-pointed star, which became a reminder of the Star of Bethlehem , which rose on the birthday of Christ.

Another interesting detail - for all its magnificent decoration and beauty, St. Basil's Cathedral is not at all small and already in the 16th century could not accommodate all the believers who came to the festive services. Then a lectern was placed on the Place of Execution, the clergy held a service, and the cathedral itself became a real altar of a huge Temple, spread out in the open air.

Cathedral of the Intercession of the Virgin Mary on Red Square

Many legends are associated with the happy fate of the temple - it was repeatedly under threat of destruction and each time was miraculously saved. So, during the war of 1812, when Napoleon managed to occupy Moscow, the emperor liked the Cathedral of the Intercession of the Virgin Mary so much that he decided to move it to Paris. Of course, the technology of that time did not allow Napoleon Bonaparte’s idea to be realized. Then the French simply planted explosives in the base of the cathedral and lit the fuse. The assembled Muscovites prayed for the salvation of the temple, and a miracle happened - heavy rain began, which extinguished the wick.

Once again, the temple miraculously survived the October Revolution - marks from shells remained on its walls for a long time. In 1931, a bronze monument to Minin and Pozharsky was moved to the cathedral - the authorities cleared the area of ​​unnecessary buildings for parades. Lazar Kaganovich, who was so successful in destroying the Kazan Cathedral of the Kremlin, the Cathedral of Christ the Savior and a number of other churches in Moscow, proposed completely demolishing the Intercession Cathedral in order to further clear the place for demonstrations and military parades. Legend has it that Kaganovich ordered the production of a detailed model of Red Square with a removable temple and brought it to Stalin. Trying to prove to the leader that the cathedral interfered with cars and demonstrations, he unexpectedly tore off the model of the temple from the square. Surprised Stalin allegedly at that moment uttered the historical phrase: “Lazarus, put him in his place!”, so the question of demolishing the cathedral was postponed - the leader no longer backed down.

According to the second legend, the Cathedral of the Intercession of the Virgin Mary owes its salvation to the famous restorer P.D. Baranovsky, who sent telegrams to Stalin calling not to destroy the temple. Legend has it that allegedly Baranovsky, who was invited to the Kremlin on this issue, knelt before the assembled members of the Central Committee, begging to preserve the religious building, and this unexpectedly had an effect. True, Baranovsky then went to the Gulag for a considerable period of time.

At one time, historian Ivan Zabelin said: “St. Basil’s Cathedral is the same, if not more, Moscow, and, moreover, folk wonder, like Ivan the Great, the Tsar Bell and the Tsar Cannon.” Indeed, it is simply impossible to imagine Red Square without the bright, always festive domes and walls of the Church of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary; it is easily recognizable and not so long ago was one of the most popular contenders for the title of the new seven wonders of the world.

Anna Sedykh, rmnt.ru

Cologne Cathedral is one of the greatest and most beautiful Gothic churches in Europe. Despite its beauty, this cathedral is strongly associated with dark legends and the name of Satan. The fact that the cathedral, the construction of which began in the 13th century, is still not completed speaks volumes - and some believe that the evil spirit actually had a hand in the “endless” construction.

The first stone for the foundation of the future cathedral was laid in 1248 by the Bishop of Cologne, Conrad von Hochstaden, at the numerous requests of the townspeople. Initially, it was assumed that the cathedral would be built in a fairly short time, despite grandiose plans to “eclipse other cities with the beauty of the cathedral.” And, of course, no one could have imagined that the construction of the temple would take hundreds of years.

As it turned out during excavations already in the 20th century, Cologne Cathedral was not founded out of nowhere. At the beginning of the 1st century AD. on the site of the future cathedral there was a pagan temple of the Romans, which was replaced by an Episcopal church in the 4th century.

The Cologne Cathedral was modeled after the well-known Amiens Cathedral in France. Gerhard von Riehle was appointed chief architect of the new temple. Legend claims that even before laying the first stone in the foundation of the cathedral, the Archbishop of Milan brought the relics of the Magi to Cologne from Milan. The place where these relics were kept began to attract more and more pilgrims, after which it was decided to build a cathedral that could accommodate everyone who wanted to attend the service.

Complete mysticism

Already at the stage of creating the drawing of the new cathedral, mysterious things began to happen. Legends tell different things. According to one, the new architect could not create the final plan for the cathedral, although the city authorities gave him a whole year to do this. And one day, while walking through the streets of Cologne, he met a man who was finishing a sketch of a plan. Looking over his shoulder, the architect realized with amazement that the plan was the blueprint for the future cathedral. Gerhard von Riehle began to persuade the man to sell him the drawing, and he agreed - asking for the architect's soul as the price. The man was none other than the Devil himself, who, moreover, promised to build the cathedral himself in three years if the architect agreed to give him the souls of his wife and child in addition.

Confident that the arrogant Devil would not be able to fulfill his promise, the architect agreed. As time passed and the cathedral grew rapidly, Gerhard von Riehle began to have doubts. Seeing his dejected state, his wife began to ask what was the matter. In the end, the architect confessed to her. Horrified at first, the woman eventually began to look for a way to deceive the Devil. And I found it.

According to the agreement, Satan had to complete the construction before the rooster crowed on the first morning of the fourth year. Having approached the cathedral at the appointed time, von Riehle's wife crowed the rooster - but the cathedral was not ready at that time. Satan, who did not have time to erect the last turret, began to destroy the building in a rage. And since then, everyone who tried to continue construction suffered punishment, because Satan cursed both the cathedral itself and the entire city, commanding that the moment the last stone was laid in the walls of the structure, the Apocalypse would come.

According to another legend, the architect successfully completed both the project and the construction of the cathedral - but just before the completion of construction, Satan appeared to him and said that he would not allow the construction to be completed unless von Riehle agreed to make a bet. According to the terms of the dispute, Satan took upon himself the obligation to build an underground canal to the cathedral itself. And, if he can do this, Gerhard will have to give his soul in return. Confident that only he alone knew the secret of laying the canal (namely, the creation of vents, without which water would not flow through the canal), the architect agreed. But he shared the secret with his wife, and Satan overheard their conversation. The canal was built, and the architect, seeing this, threw himself down from the scaffolding in horror.

It is unknown which of this is true. The architect really died mysteriously, and a strange underground canal was laid not far from the cathedral. Many claim to have seen a “white shadow” - supposedly the ghost of a dead architect, who guards his creation to this day and does not allow it to be completed. Cologne Cathedral is still not completed. Construction work continued until the middle of the 15th century, after which it was stopped - either due to the curse, or because of the plague epidemics that decimated the population of Europe. But even in those days the cathedral looked impressive.

In the 19th century, it was decided to complete the construction of the cathedral. But these plans were not destined to come true. Despite the magnificent celebrations held at the end of the century to mark the completion of the building, just a few years later one of the towers collapsed, followed by others. The glazing and flooring in the cathedral were never completed. Moreover, serious problems with the foundation were discovered.

During the Second World War, the cathedral was practically not damaged, but only because the pilots used its towers as a landmark. After the end of the war, restoration was resumed - and continues to this day.

Address: Germany, Cologne
Start of construction: 1248
Completion of construction: 1880
Architect: Gerhard von Riehle
Height: 157 m
Shrines: Chest of the Three Magi, miraculous sculpture of the Milanese Madonna, Hero's Cross
Coordinates: 50°56"28.7"N 6°57"29.2"E

Content:

Brief description

The famous Cologne Cathedral, built in the Gothic style, is undoubtedly the most recognizable and most famous temple in the entire world. All tourists who arrive in Germany consider it their duty to look at this majestic structure, which ranks third in height among all the temples on our planet.

Bird's eye view of the cathedral

Cologne Cathedral can be called a monument to all humanity, because its construction, which began in 1248, continues in our time, and, probably, will not be completed soon, if it is completed at all. There is an ancient legend associated with the Cologne Cathedral, which says that when the cathedral is finally built, the end of the world will come. It’s up to everyone to believe in this legend, or consider it an implausible myth, but the construction and reconstruction of Cologne Cathedral is carried out in the 21st century, the century of technological progress, in which there is no place for speculation, riddles, hoaxes and legends.

The height of the Cologne Cathedral can put a tourist visiting Cologne for the first time into a state of silent shock. 157 meters - this is the height of the architectural structure, which at first glance seems airy and “weightless”, despite its huge area. Near the Cologne Cathedral, at almost any time of the day, you can meet crowds of tourists with cameras who want to capture in photographs the building described by UNESCO as “one of the majestic creations of human genius.” Cologne Cathedral is also a place of pilgrimage for Catholics from all over the world, because it houses not only priceless relics of the faith, but also the remains of numerous archbishops, canonized as saints.

View of the cathedral from the opposite bank of the Rhine River

A large number of legends and secrets that shroud not only the Cologne Cathedral, but also the adjacent square in a dense veil, attract tens of thousands of paranormal researchers and esotericists to the city. An architectural structure made in the Gothic style quite often appears on wide screens in films shot in the genre of mysticism and horror. Naturally, there is nothing scary in the elements of the Cologne Cathedral; most likely, it attracts directors and screenwriters with its Gothic atmosphere and the legend of the devil himself. This legend deserves a more detailed consideration, so a little more about it below...

Cologne Cathedral - holy place

If you approach the Cologne Cathedral, you will see that constant archaeological research is being conducted in the area adjacent to it. Experts have long proven that the place on which Cologne Cathedral was built was considered holy even 600 years before the Savior came to our world. As a result of excavations, the ruins of ancient temples were found, which were built in honor of the pagan gods. However, even after the arrival of Christians in Cologne, various churches were constantly built on the site of the Cologne Cathedral, many of which were subsequently destroyed or burned.

View of the cathedral from Roncalliplatz

There is evidence that in the year 500, on the territory that is currently adjacent to the cathedral, a tomb was erected, in which archaeologists during excavations managed to find two bodies: a woman and a boy. Surprisingly, even after a huge period of time and constant construction work, the grave was not looted. Priceless exhibits made of gold, silver and precious stones were found there. Naturally, this suggests that the people buried near the Cologne Cathedral belonged to one of the ruling dynasties. According to some historians, the Merovingian dynasty. As mentioned above, churches were built on this site with enviable regularity. Apparently, the place where Cologne Cathedral currently stands has always been considered sacred.

Cologne Cathedral - construction and long history

If you study history carefully, The construction of Cologne Cathedral can be divided into two stages. The first stage began in 1248. The idea of ​​​​building a majestic cathedral, which in its size and architectural forms was supposed to surpass the legendary French cathedrals, came to Archbishop Conrad von Hochstaden.

Cathedral facade

True, the history of Cologne Cathedral begins even earlier. It would be more correct to say that the Gothic architectural miracle dates back to 1164. At that time, no one had yet thought about erecting a gigantic building. In 1164, the remains of the three Holy Magi were brought to Cologne. They were a kind of trophy obtained as a result of the conquest of the Italian city of Milan. It was then that the Archbishop of Cologne thought that the holy relics should be in a place worthy of them. Initially, over the course of ten years, a sarcophagus was made for them, which is still available for viewing in the Cologne Cathedral. Ancient craftsmen made the reliquary for the most precious shrine of Christianity from pure gold and noble silver, and the huge number of precious stones only emphasizes the significance of the relics of the three Magi for believers. By the way, in many tourist brochures the relics of the three Magi can be called the relics of the three Kings.

In 1248, the first stone was laid in the foundation of Cologne Cathedral. By the way, the architect Gerhard did not develop its form independently, but borrowed it from one of the churches in France. According to the project, the interior of the building was supposed to be illuminated by natural light, which is why the slender pilasters now create a feeling of airiness in the building.

South portal of the cathedral

It was decided to make the arches of the Cologne Cathedral pointed, which distinguished them from the arches of almost all French churches. In addition, pointed arches symbolize man’s aspiration upward – towards God. The eastern part of Cologne Cathedral was built first. Construction lasted, according to documents that have survived to this day, just over 70 years. During this time, an altar and internal choirs surrounded by a gallery were erected. As soon as the construction of the choir was completed, construction began on the northern part of Cologne Cathedral. To do this, it was necessary to demolish the Old Church, in which worship services continued during construction.

From the 14th to the 15th centuries, the naves on the southern part of the cathedral were completed and the three floors of the South Tower were built in succession. By the way, bells were installed on this tower in 1449, each of which had its own name “Speziosa” and “Pretitosa”. In addition, at the beginning of the 15th century, the northern part of the cathedral was covered with a roof. Oddly enough, at this point the first stage of construction was completed, and the cathedral, at the same time, stood unfinished until the 18th century.

Western façade of the cathedral

Cologne Cathedral - the legend of the architect

From the above we can conclude that the architect who developed the plan for the Cologne Cathedral required knowledge, endurance, and patience. By and large, he had to be a genius. There is a legend that says that the architect was never able to develop a plan for the majestic cathedral. He was constantly confused in his calculations and did not know what to do next with the drawings. He called himself... as his assistant. the devil. He turned to Satan with a request to help him draw up a plan for the Cologne Cathedral. The devil replied that he would not help him, but would bring ready-made drawings of the building, which in the future would become the most majestic in the world. For this he asked for only one thing - Gerhard's soul. The exchange of the drawing for the soul was to take place at the moment when the first rooster crowed.

Gerhard's wife found out about this black deal; she could not allow her husband to exchange his soul for the drawings of the cathedral. The architect's wife, while it was still dark, crowed instead of a rooster, and Satan immediately appeared and handed over the drawings. When the real rooster crowed, Gerhard already had the drawings and he did not have to give his soul to the devil. This is the legend that goes around the main and first architect of the Cologne Cathedral. By the way, it still has a sequel. Satan, deceived, placed a curse on the cathedral. He said that once the cathedral was completed, the world would end.

View of the cathedral towers

Cologne Cathedral - ongoing construction

Until the 18th century, the magnificent Cologne Cathedral, which many architects of the time called a wonder of the world, stood unfinished. Moreover, the erected choirs were already in need of repair. The second grandiose construction of the cathedral began in 1842. It was personally started by Frederick William IV. The original design developed by Gerhard was considered correct and worthy for the cathedral in Cologne. As a result of this, it was decided to continue work according to the first drawings. Already in 1880, the construction of the towers, whose height reached 157 meters, was “completed”. However, Cologne Cathedral continued to be constantly completed and restored: glass was changed, decorations were added, gates were installed, and the interior was updated. In addition, in 1906 it was necessary to restore one of the decorative towers, which suddenly collapsed.

World War II - Inviolable Cathedral

Many people are surprised by the fact that the legendary Cologne Cathedral received virtually no damage during the Second World War. Modern military strategists are trying to explain this: they argue that Soviet, British, American and French pilots did not drop bombs on the cathedral in order to use its high towers as landmarks. Everything around was in ruins, among them, as if appearing from another world, stood the Cologne Cathedral.

The central portal of the western façade of the cathedral

If the pilots’ strategy is easy to explain, then how can we explain the fact that numerous shells fired from long-range guns fell anywhere but on the Gothic cathedral? Apparently, he was still protected by higher powers. Naturally, on the walls of the Cologne Cathedral in 1945 one could find a few traces of shrapnel and bullets, but they were rather an “exception to the rule.” These “damages” became the reason for new restoration work. It is interesting that the company responsible for the restoration of the Gothic temple still works near its walls to this day. Tourists today can see a small office space of this company not far from the cathedral.

Cologne Cathedral in the 21st century

Cologne Cathedral is now not only an architectural landmark, but also a place where some of the main shrines of Christianity are kept. The above-mentioned shrine with the relics of the three Magi, numerous burials of archbishops, and the restored Milan Madonna are only a small part of the priceless treasures of Cologne Cathedral. The most important shrines, which cannot be valued in monetary terms, are exhibited in the treasury built on the base of the building.

View of the cathedral from the east

It is called the “Chamber of Shrines”. All valuable Christian relics - the staff of St. Peter, the chest of the Three Magi, the monstrance of St. Peter, wands and swords made of precious metals and inlaid with precious stones are located under bulletproof glass and illuminated by special spotlights. In addition, the treasury of the Cologne Cathedral is famous for its huge collection of ancient manuscripts, which tell about the numerous exploits of the saints. In Cologne Cathedral you can also see exhibits dating back to 500 AD. It displays objects made from gold, silver, rubies, diamonds and marble found in the “grave of a woman and a boy.”

Of particular interest to guests of the Cologne Cathedral is Gero's Cross, made of oak. This was one of the first crucifixions in the entire Old World. Archbishop Gero, who returned from Byzantium in 976, decided to make a two-meter cross from strong “eternal” wood. A huge number of believers come to this cross every day to offer their prayers to the Savior. The popularity of this sacred exhibit is not at all in the size of the crucifix, but in the way Jesus Christ is depicted on the cross.

Roof fragment

According to modern experts, it was almost impossible to reproduce the human body in such detail in those distant times. Jesus Christ is depicted on the crucifixion at the moment when his body dies, all the muscles, protruding bones and even tendons are reproduced with extreme precision. Few people knew about the anatomical structure of man in the first millennium. This is another of the many mysteries that Cologne Cathedral holds.

Alas, even a hundred materials are not enough to describe all the beauty of the architectural structure, to list all its treasures and shrines. Most tourists who have visited the Cologne Cathedral say that they do not want to leave the temple, and in order to at least partially become familiar with its interior decoration, it will take at least a week. It takes even more time to feel the atmosphere that permeates everything even outside the building. It is no secret that any person, once inside the Cologne Cathedral, experiences a feeling of awe that makes him freeze in front of all the splendor for which the third largest temple on our planet is famous.

Fragment of the stained glass window of the cathedral

The Cologne Cathedral is still under construction, restoration is underway in many rooms, so it’s too early to talk about the end of the world these days. By the way, some sources say that when the cathedral is completed, it will not be the end of the world, but Cologne will sink into oblivion. Probably, the Roman Catholic Church and numerous construction companies are in no hurry to verify the veracity of the legend associated with the Cologne Cathedral and its first architect, Gerhard.