THE COLOGNE CATHEDRAL.

Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3680, 11 October 1880, Page 2

THE COLOGNE CATHEDRAL.

In 1248 a church erected on its site daring the time of the Charlemange wai burned down, and in the following year the Archbishop of Cologne laid the foundation of the present beautiful and nag* nificent structure. Collections were made throughout Europe in aid of die object, but the warlike prelates of those days expended the moneys on the wars of the time, and it was not until 1322 that the choir was ready for consecration. Small portions of the nave were built during the latter part of the same century; the vaulting of the north side was commenced, and the nave and northern tower was raised to the height of tide aisles by the beginning of 16th century; from then until about 1842, it remained almost untouched; on Sept. 4,1842, the King of Prussia laid the first stone of the new building, or rather completion! and employed M. Swivner as the superintending architect. He also set to work in. real earnest to collect subscriptions from princes-and cities throughout Germany, and himself, and also his predecessor, gave largely from the royal revenues to the object. It was estimated to take upwards of 30 years, and about three quarters of a million of money to complete the work—the estimate cannot be fery wide of the mark! It is built in the style of pointed architecture, and is the unrivalled glory of .building of that--or perhaps any other—class, and is pro- - bably the most magnificent cathedral in the world. The plan consists of a Latin cross; the nave has double aisles on each side of the centre, as has also the choir; the choir is terminated eastward by a J semi-circular aisle, of which the simicircle itself is divided into seven aemft circular ohapels; the transepts have side aisles but do not extend so far from the .- body of the ehuroh as in most English cathedrals; the west front is flanked by two noble towers, and there is a smaller tower over the intersection of the nave and choir. The proportions of the structure are most magnificent; the length is upwards of 600 ft; the width from wall, 110 ft; the length of transept from north to south, 290 ft; the ridge of roof is more than 200 ft from the ground, and the splendid western towers' are 500 ft. high by 100 ft. square at the base. The choir is described as being "one of the most sublime monuments of architectural taste," a " splendid vision from its size, height, and disposition of the pillars, arches, and beautiful coloured windows." On the exterior " the double, range of stupendous flying buttresses and of intervening piers bristling with a forest of pinnacles strike the beholder with awe and astonishment." Enpaiseatt, I may mention that the structure was probably built by the Freemasons' Guild, *. not the free and accepted of the present *£» day, but by the. celebrated guild or fraternity of operative masons who are the progenitive founders of modern Freemasons.