If you arrive in Cologne by train like Harry – without constantly thinking about a time warp – a huge cathedral outside the central train station immediately catches your eye: the Cologne Cathedral, the city's landmark. At 157 meters, it is the third tallest church in the world – and one of the most popular sights in Germany. In 1996, it was declared a World Heritage Site, but it took a long time to get there. The foundation stone was laid in 1248, but the cathedral was not completed until 600 years later, in 1880. During the French Revolution, it was used as a stable and warehouse. During the Second World War, the building was damaged by bombs, and, even today, people are still busy repairing the damage. Pollution is also taking its toll on the building.

The cathedral is affectionately called an eternal construction site. Something is always restored or replaced – and sometimes, something new is added, like the church window by German artist Gerhard Richter in 2007. The window, with an area of 113 square meters, was redesigned for €370,000, while the artist himself worked for no fee. Many of the stone figures on the facade of the cathedral are particularly interesting. Among them, you not only find demons, angels and mythical creatures but also John F. Kennedy in a rocking chair, a player from the popular Cologne soccer club FC Köln and a cathedral builder with a cell phone in his hand! How would Harry like to see his likeness carved in stone?