Kölner Dom

For the AMD4 I did some research into the Cathedral in Cologne, because it is one of the most popular tourist sites in Cologne and I've seen it myself once or twice in my life and I still don't know very much about it. The Cologne Cathedral is a Roman Catholic, Gothic style cathedral. It is dedicated to saints Peter and Mary and we originally built to house the relics of the Three Magi. It is currently the seat of the Archbishop of Cologne. Construction began in the 13th Century, with the foundation first laid in 1248, however, it took over 600 years to completely finish. When it was originally finished it was the tallest structure in the world, but was later ousted by the Washington Monument. It is still the largest church facade in existence, today. Allegedly, there are 509 stairs to the tops of one of the towers and it takes around an hour to get there (which is actually pretty subjective to your speed and energy). Inside, it famously houses the Sarcophagus of Magi, which contains three gold crowned skulls believed to have belonged to the Three Magi. The structure suffered from seventy aerial bomb hits during World War II and repairs were completed by 1956. The church is still used for Mass sometimes nowadays, and it is free to go in (technically, they ask for donations).