Name/Title
StereographEntry/Object ID
2023.055.3.0269Description
A black and white stereograph. Image is of a cathedral, smaller buildings are visible in the surroundings. Above the image, "T354 (Star)" is printed, below the image "V24495T One of the World's Finest Gothic Structures, the Cathedral of Cologne, Germany." is printed, to the left of the image "Keystone View Company Copyrighted, Underwood & Underwood Inc. Manufacturers MADE IN U.S.A. Publishers" is printed, to the right of the image "Meadville, Pa., New York, N. Y., Chicago, Ill., London, England." is printed. On the reverse the following is printed:
V24495
THE CATHEDRAL, COLOGNE, GERMANY
We are on the left bank of the Rhine; the river is flowing by toward the north (the direction in which we are looking), less than a quarter of a mile away at our right. Most of the old city lies behind us (south) or off at our left.
Students of art and travelers who have seen all the famous creations of old-time architects are nearly agreed in calling this the most beautiful Gothic structure in the world. Like most of the medieval cathedrals of Europe it was built as a shrine for the worthy housing of sacred relics brought from the East as the diret or indirect result of the Crusades - the holy wars against the Saracen masters of Palestine.
In the 13th century the old town of Cologen here on the Rhine had possession of ceratin relics believed to have pertained to the Wise men of the East. There were churches here already - indeed, the town had been the seat of a bishopiric even in the 4th century - but in 1248 the people, being a prosperous as well as devout comunity, laid the foundation of this, their new church. it was to be the most beautufiul building that man could make, rising to heaven with up-reaching towers and spires.
It was a long, slow labor; progress was stopped again and again during five successive centuries, by political struggles between the archbishops and the burghers or by other feuds and trumoils. It seemed as if the beautifully thought-out plans of the 13th century master builder might never be completely realized. Indeed, it was only after a long period of utterly discouraged inaction that the work was taken up once more a century ago, and carried to its perfect finish. Those towers are 512 feet high, the whole church, 468 feet long.
Copyright by The Keystone View CompanyCollection
Photograph Collection