As a World Heritage Site and host to the Shrine of the Three Kings, Cologne Cathedral is a major attraction for tourists and pilgrims, and is one of the oldest and most important pilgrimage sites of Northern Europe.

The Cologne Cathedral (Kölner Dom) is the most visited cathedral and, in fact, the most visited landmark in all of Germany, attracting an average of 20,000 to 30,000 people every day. This Gothic masterpiece, which began construction in 1248 and took over 600 years to complete, is a UNESCO World Heritage site and home to the Shrine of the Three Kings, a gilded sarcophagus believed to contain the relics of the Magi. Standing at 157 meters (515 feet) tall, its twin spires dominate the Cologne skyline and were the tallest structures in the world until 1884. The cathedral is famous not only for its immense scale and intricate stone carvings but also for its miraculous survival during World War II, when it remained standing despite being hit by 14 aerial bombs while the surrounding city was leveled. Visitors can climb the 533 steps of the south tower for panoramic views of the Rhine River or admire the "Gerhard Richter window," a modern stained-glass installation made of 11,500 hand-blown glass squares that creates a stunning "pixelated" light effect inside the ancient nave.