Germany

Commemorative coin

2011

Northrhine-Westphalia " Köln cathedral "

(Part of the National series " Lander’-series I ")

Official Journal of the European Union

The design shows the Köln cathedral in its entirety, as a masterpiece of the Gothic architecture, emphasizing the beauty of the south portal. The name NORDRHEIN-WESTFALEN, just below the building, links the pictured building with the state. The mint mark, represented by the letter A, D, F, G or J, is located in the right upper core region, the initials of the artist, Heinz Hoyer, in the right central core area. The coin’s outer ring depicts the 12 stars of the European Union flag. Between the stars, at the bottom, the year ‘2011’ and at the top the indication of the issuing country reference ‘D’.

Additional information

Cologne Cathedral, with its two 157-metre high steeples, is one of the largest cathedrals in the Gothic style. Construction began in 1248 and was not completed until 1880, after more than 600 years. Even then a national symbol for Germany, the (apparently) intact cathedral was seen as an emotional symbol of the will to live in the middle of the bombed-out city after the end of the Second World War. The cathedral, which was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996, bears the national name "NORDRHEIN-WESTFALEN".

Edge lettering

Designer