The tallest church in the world - Ulm Cathedral

Ulm is located in southern Germany and has been an important trading city since ancient times due to its geographical location and proximity to the Danube canal. In addition to being the birthplace of Einstein, Ulm is also home to a world-famous Gothic church - Ulm Minster. The top of the church tower is 161.53 meters high, with a total of 768 stairs. It is the tallest church in the world (it is expected that by 2026, when the Sagrada Familia Cathedral in Barcelona completes its 170-meter-high main tower spire, it will take the title of the world’s tallest church. location of the church). In terms of area, the church building is 123.56 meters long and 48.8 meters wide. It covers an area of ​​about 8,260 square meters and can accommodate up to 30,000 people. It is the second largest Gothic church in Germany, second only to Cologne Cathedral (Kölner Dom). Ulm Cathedral laid the first cornerstone for the cathedral in 1377 by Ludwig Krafft and architect Heinrich II. Parler. The church spire was completed in 1890 and took 513 years. During this period, it changed hands many times due to war, political pressure, religious reform and lack of funds, including three generations of the Parle family, Enzinger After two generations of family work, the church was finally officially completed on May 31, 1890 under the supervision of August von Beyer. Ulm Cathedral has three towers. The main tower on the west side is 161.53 meters high (Cologne Cathedral is only 157.4 meters), and there are three towers on the east side, 86 meters high. The cathedral itself is free to visit, but if you want to climb the main tower on the west side to visit, you need to buy a ticket, which is €5 for adults. It is not easy at all to climb to the top of the main tower. There is a narrow open-air corridor along the way, surrounded by iron railings. It is only wide enough for two people to pass (one up and one down). There are two viewing points in the middle, respectively. At a height of about 70 meters and 100 meters, tourists who are tired from climbing can take a rest. When you reach the platform at the top of the tower, you can overlook the scenery around Ulm Church from 360 degrees. The houses with red roofs are like model houses. On a clear day, you can also see the scenery of the Alps. The interior design and architecture of Ulm Cathedral are also very exquisite and spectacular. There is a model of a church not far from the entrance, showing the full view of the church. The decorations at the gate are lifelike sculptures of biblical stories and religious figures. Because the church is very grand, the pillars supporting the church are also extremely thick, making people standing under the pillars suddenly look very small. The windows of the church are also very huge, as if you are in a country of adults. The windows are mostly made of colorful mosaics, with religious stories painted on them. The sunlight shines in through the glass, and the picture is very eye-catching. The easiest way to get to Ulm is to take a train from Munich, the largest city in southern Germany. It takes 1 hour and 20 minutes for the express train and 2 hours for the local train to reach Ulm station. One-way tickets purchased on site are more expensive. , it costs more than €30. If you pre-order online in advance, you can buy discount tickets, which can be a quarter or more cheaper. Address: Muensterplatz 21, 89073 Ulm, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany Ticket price: individual ticket €5 / group ticket of ten people €45 / individual discount ticket €3.5 / group discount ticket of ten people €30 Opening hours: 09:00 - 19:00 (April to September); 10:00 - 17:00 (October to March)