Editing Cologne Cathedral (section)

== Predecessor buildings ==

=== Merovingian episcopal church ===

[[Maternus of Cologne]] was the first bishop of Cologne in around 313.<ref>Werner Eck: ''Frühes Christentum in Köln.'' In: Ulrich Krings, Rainer Will (ed.): ''Das Baptisterium am Dom , Kölns erster Taufort.'' Köln 2009, pp. 11–21, here p. 12.</ref> However, Cologne's Christian community, still small at this time, did not gather in a church, but in a residential building, which is thought to have been located on the cathedral hill below today's choir.<ref>Georg Hauser: ''Schichten und Geschichte unter dem Dom, die Kölner Domgrabung,'' Köln 2003, p. 19.</ref> After the collapse of Roman rule on the Rhine, the [[Merovingian dynasty|Merovingian]] petty kings residing in Cologne built an episcopal church on this site in the 6th century, which was eventually around 40 to 50 meters long and equipped with an [[Ambon (liturgy)|ambon]]. This building, which was probably built by King [[Theudebert I]], served as a burial place for the royal family; among others, the king's wife [[Wisigard]] was buried here around 537. However, the excavation finds under the cathedral choir do not allow a complete reconstruction of the buildings from the Merovingian period.<ref>Georg Hauser: ''Schichten und Geschichte unter dem Dom, die Kölner Domgrabung.'' Köln 2003, p. 25.</ref>

=== Baptistry ===

[[file:Übergabe Rohbau Baptisterium Kölner Dom-9593.jpg|thumb|Early Christian testimony: Baptistery east to the cathedral choir]]

Work on Cologne Cathedral was finally finished in 1880. At that time, the Cathedral had a height of 157 metres, making it the tallest building in the world — after a total of 632 years of construction. And except for a few centimetres, the two towers are even the same height. Already in late antiquity, there was a [[baptistery]] to the east of the cathedral choir, where the early Christians, following the rite of the time, stepped into knee-deep water and were completely doused. It is assumed that the baptismal font ([[piscina]]), which dates back to the 5th century, was originally located in the garden of the Roman house that served as a Christian meeting place.<ref>Georg Hauser: ''Schichten und Geschichte unter dem Dom, die Kölner Domgrabung.'' Köln 2003, p. 42f.</ref> Later, the baptistry built above the pool was presumably combined with the cathedral church to form a single building complex, although there is no archaeological evidence of this today.<ref>Werner Eck: ''Frühes Christentum in Köln.'' In: Ulrich Krings, Rainer Will (Ed.): ''Das Baptisterium am Dom, Kölns erster Taufort.'' Köln 2009, p. 11–21, here p. 19. Sebastian Ristow: Das Kölner Baptisterium am Dom und die frühchristlichen Tauforte nördlich der Alpen, in: Ulrich Krings, Rainer Will (Ed.): ''Das Baptisterium am Dom, Kölns erster Taufort,'' Köln 2009, p. 23–43, here p. 29f.</ref> When Hildebold Cathedral was built and equipped with a baptismal font due to the changed rite, only the baptismal piscina remained from the baptistery.<ref>Sebastian Ristow: ''Das Kölner Baptisterium am Dom und die frühchristlichen Tauforte nördlich der Alpen.'' In: Ulrich Krings, Rainer Will (Ed.): ''Das Baptisterium am Dom, Kölns erster Taufort.'' Köln 2009, p. 23–43, here p. 31.</ref> Today, this piscina, which is accessible in the base of the cathedral, is considered the oldest evidence of Christian worship in Cologne.<ref>Bernd Streitberger: ''Was wird aus dem Baptisterium am Dom?'' In: Ulrich Krings, Rainer Will (Ed.): ''Das Baptisterium am Dom. Kölns erster Taufort.'' Köln 2009, p. 91–98.</ref>

=== Hildebold Cathedral ===

[[File:Hillinus.jpg|thumb|Ottonian architectural drawing: Hildebold Cathedral in the Hillinus Codex]]
[[File:Domschatzkammer Petrusstab.jpg|thumb|left|Legendary relic: St. Peter's staff from the Cologne Cathedral treasury]]

In [[Carolingian Empire|Carolingian]] times, the Old Cathedral was built on Cologne Cathedral Hill and consecrated in 870.<ref>Matthias Untermann: Zur Kölner Domweihe von 870; in: Rheinische Vierteljahresblätter 47 (1983); pp. 335–342</ref> The cathedral is now known as Hildebold Cathedral after Bishop [[Hildebold of Cologne|Hildebold]], who was a close advisor to [[Charlemagne]] and died in 818. However, it is unclear how much the bishop contributed to the building. He probably started the new construction, which Charlemagne also generously supported.<ref>Karl Ubl: ''Köln im Frühmittelalter. Die Entstehung einer heiligen Stadt,'' Köln 2022, p. 188.</ref> The bishop's residence was originally located next to the cathedral.

With a length of around 95 meters, Hildebold Cathedral was one of the largest Carolingian churches ever built and became the architectural rolemodel for numerous churches in the early [[Holy Roman Empire]]. It was built in the [[Carolingian architecture|Carolingian]] tradition as a [[basilica]] with two choirs, with the east choir dedicated to [[Mary, mother of Jesus]] and the more important choir in the west to the memory of [[Saint Peter]]. Through its patronage, but also in its architecture, Hildebold Cathedral made reference to [[Old St. Peter's Basilica]] in Rome<ref>Lex Bosman: ''Vorbild und Zitat in der mittelalterlichen Architektur am Beispiel des Alten Domes in Köln.'' In: Uta-Maria Bräuer, Emanuel Klinkenberg, Jeroen Westerman: ''Kunst & Region, Architektur und Kunst im Mittelalter.'' Utrecht 2005, pp. 45–69.</ref> and was regarded as the St. Peter's Basilica of the North. This was intended to underline Cologne's claim to be a holy city and faithful daughter of the Roman Church.<ref>Rüdiger Marco Booz: ''Kölner Dom, die vollkommene Kathedrale.'' Petersberg 2022, p. 17.</ref> The so-called reliquary-staff of Saint Peter and the chains of Saint Peter were among the church's most important relics.<ref>Georg Hauser: ''Zur Archäologie des Petrusstabes.'' In: ''Kölner Domblatt.'' 76, 2011, p. 197–217.</ref> The Hillinus Codex from the 11th century shows Hildebold Cathedral in an unusually realistic depiction for the time.<ref>Holger Simon: ''Architekturdarstellungen in der ottonischen Buchmalerei, Der Alte Kölner Dom im Hillinus-Codex.'' In: Stefanie Lieb (Ed.): ''Form und Stil, Festschrift für Günther Binding zum 65. Geburtstag.'' Darmstadt 2001, p. 32–45.</ref> Today, the foundation walls of the Carolingian basilica have been revealed by the cathedral excavations.<ref>Uwe Lobbedey: Rezension zu ‚Ulrich Back, Thomas Höltken und Dorothea Hochkirchen, Der Alte Dom zu Köln. Befunde
und Funde zur vorgotischen Kathedrale‘; in: Bonner Jahrbücher 213 (2013/2014), p. 503– 509</ref>

On 23 July 1164, the [[Archbishop of Cologne]] and Imperial [[Archchancellor]] [[Rainald of Dassel]] brought the bones of the [[Biblical Magi|Three Wise Men]] from [[Milan]] to Cologne, which was perceived as a "propaganda success".<ref name="Rüdiger Marco Booz 2022, p. 26">Rüdiger Marco Booz: ''Kölner Dom, die vollkommene Kathedrale,'' Petersberg 2022, p. 26.</ref> The relics had been left to the archbishop by Emperor [[Frederick Barbarossa]] from his spoils of war. They had been considered worthy of veneration at least since their transfer. Whether Rainald von Dassel himself or the Milanese patricians should be regarded as the "inventors" of the relics is disputed in academic literature.<ref name="Rüdiger Marco Booz 2022, p. 26"/> In any case, between 1190 and 1225, the [[Shrine of the Three Kings]] was made for the highly respected saints in Cologne, which is considered one of the most sophisticated goldsmith's works of the Middle Ages; the shrine was placed in the center of the Old Cathedral.<ref>Ulrich Back: ''Die Reliquien der Heiligen Drei Könige im Alten Dom,'' in: Leonie Becks, Matthias Deml, Klaus Hardering: ''Caspar Melchior Balthasar. 850 Jahre Verehrung der Heiligen Drei Könige im Kölner Dom,'' Köln 2014, p. 23–27.</ref> Cologne thus became an internationally renowned place of pilgrimage in Europe.<ref>Bernard Gui: ''Manuale de l‘Inquisiteur,'' hrsg. von G. Mollat und G. Drioux, Bd. 1, Paris 1926, p. 56.</ref> To oversee the pilgrim crowds, an office of custos regum ("guardian of the kings") was established after 1162.<ref>Alheydis Plassmann, Martin Bock: Art. ''Köln – Domstift''. In: ''Nordrheinisches Klosterbuch. Lexikon der Stifte und Klöster bis 1815. Teil 3: Köln.'' Franz Schmitt, Siegburg 2022, p. 157–198, here p. 160.</ref> However, the only narrow side portal of the cathedral was not very suitable for the crowds of pilgrims, as it had to be used as an entrance and an exit at the same time.<ref>Clemens Kosch: ''Kölns Romanische Kirchen: Architektur und Liturgie im Hochmittelalter.'' Regensburg 2005, p. 14f.</ref>

With the construction of the Gothic cathedral in 1248, the Old Cathedral was to be demolished step by step. However, careless demolition work and fire destroyed not only the east choir, but almost the entire cathedral; the Shrine of the Three Kings  was saved from the fire. The western parts of Hildebold Cathedral were provisionally rebuilt and were only taken down after 1322, when the Gothic choir was completed and construction of the Gothic nave began.<ref>Rüdiger Marco Booz: ''Kölner Dom, die vollkommene Kathedrale,'' Petersberg 2022, p. 58, 87.</ref>