The Best Cathedrals in Germany
- Dom (Cathedral), Cologne: The largest cathedral in Germany, and one of the largest in the world, Cologne’s crowning glory took more than 600 years to complete and is designated now as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The size and stylistic unity of this Gothic marvel will astonish you.
- Dom (Cathedral), Aachen: A building of great historic and architectural significance, Aachen’s cathedral consists of two parts: The Octagon, originally part of the Emperor Charlemagne palace, dates from around 800 and was the first large church to be built in western Europe since the Roman period; and the Gothic choir, where Charlemagne’s remains rest in a golden reliquary. From 936 to 1531, emperors of the Holy Roman Empire were crowned here.
- Dom (Cathedral), Mainz: A sandstone structure dating from the 11th century, the Dom in Mainz is the second-most important Catholic cathedral in Germany after Cologne. Now more than 1,000 years old, the interior has Romanesque elements and later additions in the Gothic and baroque styles.
- Herrgottskirche (Chapel of Our Lord), Creglingen: Master carver Tilman Riemenschneider created this magnificent altar on which expressive figures catch the light in such a way that they seem animated and the sculpture changes in appearance throughout the day with the shifting sun.
- Wieskirche, outside Füssen: One of the world’s most exuberantly decorated buildings sits in a meadow and shimmers with a superabundance of woodcarvings.
