I left you last time looking at the outside of the nave of the transept. As promised here is the inside view:
It is definitely modern, almost a pixelated version of traditional stained glass. It replaced the windows destroyed by the bombings.
More traditional stained glass that was stored in the basement during the war. There were a number of theories of how the Cathedral survived the bombings, primarily that the ornate buttresses and open windows provided a baffling effect that mitigated the effects of the blast. Also, the deep foundations (reputedly as deep as the towers were tall) and hard and soft stone foundations allowed the building to sway slightly. Of course, the residence’s beliefs are that God love’s us and protected the Cathedral.
Coming out of the Treasury side room was a low side nave with Zacharias painted on the arch. Little ornate touches amongst the grandeur of the Cathedral.
One of the treasures of the Cathedral was the golden casket with the remains of the Magi. They were supposedly discovered by Emperess Helena, Constantine’s mother (whose adherence to archeologic evidence is suspect).
The floors are incredibly ornate throughout the Cathedral.
If you squint all the way up past the altar you can see the Magi’s golden casket. Also, if you look up and to the center you can see the Organ pipes tucked into the wall.
A close-up view of the organ to give you a sense of the scale of the Cathedral. If you want more pictures of the Cathedral, please go to Kate’s website at https://photos.app.goo.gl/SFQh7Ypfb1WZgcDx7
After the Cathedral we took a small “train” through town that dropped us off at the Chocolate Factory..
If you want a detailed look at the insides, see Kate’s website above. I will leave you with a look at the gift shop.
From the Chocolate Factory, it was just a short walk up the river side to the ships. This is when Kate walked over the bridge to get the shots that opened the Cologne page. This is our last stop in Germany, next stop is the Netherlands.