Cologne, Germany

As we sailed down the Rhine toward Cologne, we were treated with views of numerous castles, towers and churches, many of which have been restored to their former glory.

Even the train tunnels are adorned with castle-like entrances.

Katz Castle near the medieval village of Wellmich.

Even when the castles lie in partial ruin, they are still impressive.

With its majestic tower, the Ehrenfels Castle stands guard over the Rhine.

The beautifully restored Marksburg Castle.

We arrived in Cologne around 3 in the afternoon to overcast skies and cool temperatures - beautiful crisp and refreshing weather - and another day without rain!

The cornerstone for the Cologne Cathedral was laid in 1248, but this majestic gothic structure, which is dedicated to Saint Peter and the Blessed Virgin Mary, took over 600 years to complete. It is one of the largest churches in the world and the largest Gothic church in Northern Europe. And, until the completion of the Washington Monument in 1884, it was also the tallest structure in the world! Time and the elements have unfortunately darkened the façade of this majestic cathedral. Within the last few years, lasers were used to clean the statues over the entryway bringing them back to their original color. However, cleaning the entire building with lasers is prohibitively expensive and cleaning by sandblasting is too destructive to the soft limestone, so the cathedral darkly dominates the skyline.

The huge stained glass windows are quite impressive and it is amazing to me that they have not buckled or broken under the weight of the massive structure. The architects of the 13th century really knew their stuff...

The most celebrated work of art in the cathedral is the Shrine of the Three Kings, a large gilded sarcophagus dating from the 13th century. It is traditionally believed to hold the remains of the Three Wise Men. The crucifix above the main alter.

Many bishops are entombed within the cathedral.

This crypt is of a duke who, through a special edict, was allowed to be buried within the church. The shaft of light is a mystery... It was not visible to the naked eye, and when I saw it on the viewfinder I took another image to confirm its existance. Try as I might, I could find neither the shaft of light nor its origin. Hmmm.

Christmas decorations are going up in the city square.

Only a few days till the Christmas markets open and the town squares are a flurry of activity getting ready.

Holiday shopping has already started in the downtown area and the people were out in droves.