Cologne Cathedral, in Germany, is one of the largest Gothic cathedrals in Europe, and the date shown, 15 October 1880, marks the completion of its construction. Work began in 1248 to house the shrine of the Three Kings, relics brought to Cologne in the 12th century, but it halted in the late Middle Ages and the building lay unfinished for centuries with a crane on the tower. In the 19th century, a revival of interest in medieval architecture and Prussian support led to work resuming in 1842, using the surviving medieval plans. Its two spires made it for a few years the tallest building in the world. It survived heavy Allied bombing in the Second World War and was added to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1996.
Before and after
- 8 May 1880Death of Gustave Flaubert
- 4 June 1880Introduction of Bulgarian lev
- 27 June 1880Birth of Helen Keller
- 6 October 1880Founding of University of Southern California
- 15 October 1880Construction of Cologne Cathedral
- 26 October 1880Kimigayo
- 1 November 1880Birth of Alfred Wegener
- from 20 December 1880 to 23 March 1881First Boer War
- 31 December 1880Birth of George Marshall
More in Art, literature & culture
- 1792Publication of La Marseillaise
- 5 May 1821Founding of The Guardian
- 7 May 1824Beethoven's Ninth Symphony premieres
- c. 1860sImpressionism
- 26 November 1865Publication of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
- 19 March 1882Construction of Basilica and Expiatory Church of the Holy Family
The era
This moment belongs to the Industrial era (1760 CE to 1914 CE), steam, factories and revolutions. You can also browse everything in the 19th century.