The Shrine of the Three Kings in Cologne Cathedral shines magnificently, and not just at Christmas time.
The supposed relics of the Three Kings were brought from Milan to Cologne by Emperor Barbarossa’s Chancellor Rainald von Dassel in 1164.
The Shrine of the Three Kings was completed in 1220.
It consists of two oak sarcophagi, on which a third is enthroned.
The Shrine of the Three Kings is richly decorated and artfully arranged for the time, with gold, silver and precious stones.
For such a magnificent and important pilgrimage destination, an equally impressive church was of course needed, and so construction of the Cologne Cathedral began in 1248.
Shortly before the French invasion in 1794, the shrine was quickly moved to the Sauerland, and in 1804 it was returned to Cologne.
The Shrine of the Three Kings was also brought to safety outside of Cologne during the First and Second World Wars.
But are the bones really those of the Three Kings?
Since 1864, the skeleton structure and samples of the accompanying materials have suggested that these are really the bones of the 3 wise men from the East.
No further investigations have been carried out in this area since then, as the cathedral chapter is against it.
You can only see the Three Kings Shrine as shown in the photo above on January 6th of each year, when the front trapezoidal plate is removed and the 3 golden crowns that sit on the skulls are revealed.
We’ll stay in Cologne Cathedral for a while longer, so maybe you can take another look around yourself. Then we’ll continue with our stories about the Gero Cross, which you can find on the east wall of the Chapel of the Cross.
