New lighting for Cologne Cathedral unveiled at Easter
World-famous landmark in Germany now illuminated with LED lighting.
Cologne (dpa/d.de) – Since Sunday evening, Cologne Cathedral has been illuminated by means of a new lighting system for the Easter holiday. The world-famous tourist attraction on the Rhine was previously lit by spotlights installed on the roofs of surrounding buildings. Now, the Gothic cathedral is illuminated by more than 700 LED lamps, most of which are mounted directly on the building itself. The new LED lights ensure that the façade reliefs, niches, flying buttresses and countless Gothic ornaments are highlighted far more effectively. The white lighting can also be adjusted according to the season, allowing the use of cooler tones in summer and warmer tones in winter.
The cathedral in Cologne is one of Germany’s most famous and most popular tourist attractions. At 157.22 metres, it is the second tallest church in Europe after Ulm Minster and the third tallest in the world after the Basilica of Our Lady of Peace in Côte d’Ivoire. Largely undamaged after the Second World War, the cathedral stood amid the bombed ruins of Cologne’s city centre and was seen as a kind of miracle. Cologne Cathedral has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996.