Viking Cruise #9: Cologne, Germany's Once Haunted, Devil-deal Cathedral

Today's blog about our Viking River Cruise on the famous Rhine River takes us to Cologne, Germany and a look at the once-haunted, Devil-deal Cathedral. There's a story about the Cathedral that says the architect made a pact with the devil to help him build it in 3 years...

(Photo: Rob and Tom in Cologne, Germany. All photos taken during our visit! - R.G.) 

HISTORY - The Cathedral construction began on August 15, 1248. Later in time, Prussia also helped to fund the construction work. Cologne Cathedral was finally finished in 1880, 632 years after construction originally commenced.

ORIGINAL DEAL WITH THE DEVIL - Here's the story of the Deal with the Devil and a video of the Cathedral from Viking Cruises. 

Thanks to the website "ferienwohnung-koeln" and Viking River Cruise's Websites I am able to share the story of the Cathedral Architect and the Pact with the Devil. Here's the story:

Cathedral builder Gerhard von Ryle moved to the Rhine with his family and was looking for creative ideas for the appearance of a new cathedral.  While taking a walk on the Deutz side of the Rhine, he had become so tired that he took a rest and fell asleep on a stone. Allegedly this was the so-called devil's stone!

The devil noticed this strong character and naturally wanted to use the moment of weakness immediately. So the devil showed himself to Gerhard and made a pact to help him complete the Cathedral in 3 years IF Gerhard would sell the souls of his family to the devil. 

If the Devil couldn't make it happen in 3 years and before the first cock crow last night, the cathedral builder and his family should be free. 

The Builder's Smart Wife Tricks the Devil

The construction of the cathedral made rapid progress: every day it grew more and more in height. And with every centimeter the cathedral builder became more and more nervous. After all, he didn't want to lose the souls of his family to the devil. 

In his great concern, he then told his wife about the pact, who was shocked but had a good idea. She just bought a rooster and taught him to crow on command. Even before the very last stone was placed on the cathedral, the wife made sure that the rooster began to crow very loudly. The devil was of course angry and annoyed and immediately caused parts of the cathedral to collapse again. The permanent construction site " Cologne Cathedral " was born.

The next bet with the Devil

Master Gerhard resumed work. Then, disguised as a small, fat man, the Devil made Gerhard a new bet that he would create a canal from Treves to Cologne with ducks swimming in it before the cathedral is finished. 

Bet lost

One day when Gerhard was standing on the scaffolding and working on Cologne Cathedral he saw a stream of water from the mountains in a pond! In the water, he saw ducks and he panicked. Gerhard didn't want to be taken alive by the devil. So he immediately jumped into the depths, knowing that he had lost the bet.

The Haunting Until Completion

The story concludes with Gehard's ghost haunting the Cathedral until it was actually completed in 1880. Then he supposedly crossed over into the light. 

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/rzQZuQBm074

NEXT: The Love Locks Bridge of Cologne