Vatican

2005

Commemorative coin

20th World Youth Day in Cologne

Official Journal of the European Union

The inner part of the coin shows a representation of the Cathedral of Cologne with a comet in the upper part of the design. The words ‘XX GIORNATA MONDIALE DELLA GIOVENTU'’ form a quasi-semicircle along the upper edge of the inner part, interrupted by the tail of the comet and one of the church spires. Twelve stars in a quasi-semicircle appear on the upper part of the outer ring. At the top, within the outer ring, the year of mintage (2005) and the mintmark ‘R’ are inserted between the stars. On the lower part of the outer ring the words ‘CITTA' DEL VATICANO’ form a semicircle.

Additional information

The Cologne Cathedral with its two 157 m high church towers is one of the largest cathedrals in the Gothic style. Its construction began in 1248 and was only completed in 1880, after more than 600 years. Even then a national symbol for Germany, the (apparently) intact cathedral was understood as an emotional symbol of the will to live after the end of the Second World War in the middle of the bombed-out city. The coin shows the cathedral on the banks of the Rhine, which has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996, and a comet appearing above it as a celestial symbol resembling the star of Bethlehem.

Edge lettering

Designer