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How did Allied air raids affect Cologne Cathedral in 1944?
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Cologne
The Hohenzollern rail and pedestrian bridge over the Rhine River, Cologne, Germany, with the city's cathedral in the background.
During the Allied air raids of World War II, the Cologne Cathedral sustained severe damage from multiple direct hits to various sections of the structure. Despite this destruction, the cathedral's twin spires and west face managed to survive the bombing campaign.1
To protect the cathedral's historic art, the medieval stained-glass windows had been removed prior to the raids. Following the war, extensive restoration efforts were undertaken, and the choir was restored and back in regular use by 1948, with the rest of the interior following by 1956. In the decades since, the cathedral has also required ongoing work to address the effects of acid rain on its stonework.23