The Cathedral Treasury, Cologne

Stunning collection of relics and treasures hidden underneath the cathedral! The entrance was located on the north side of the cathedral (the side of the cathedral facing the train station) and was easily accessible. I purchased the combined ticket for 6€ - for the Treasury and for the Tower - and after leaving my backpack in the locker room I dove into exploring the treasure rooms. The medieval vaulted rooms beneath the cathedral are hiding the largest and probably the most complex collection of art, relics and liturgical objects in the country. Somewhat the orientation in the treasury was not easy/clear to me, however I visited (not in following order) tree different sections that were worth to see - one containing the chalices, insignias, monstrances, crosses, relics and jewelry, other displaying statues and liturgical vestments (clothes), and finally a room which contained the wooden sarcophagus the golden Shrine of the Three Kings (the actuals Shrine is displayed inside the cathedral) and some manuscripts. It is a truly spectacular collection and surprisingly some of the objects are used in religious ceremonies until today. I spent at least an hour examining some of the objects as the lighting was perfect and explanation was provided to nearly all items both in English and German language. It was not busy (certainly not compared to the cathedral) on Saturday afternoon. Toilets were available inside and were very clean. The treasury is wheel-chair accessible and has its own elevator. Paid by card. Visited in August 2022.

It's inside the Cologne Cathedral. It's beautiful. The Cologne Cathedral Treasury is the biggest and perhaps the richest in Germany. Originally developed as a collection of relics; in the Middle Ages the relics were seen as the real treasure, the costliness and artistic value of their settings being of secondary importance. Practically all the objects on display are still in ecclesiastical use.