Finial

Probably the most popular meeting point for city tours or a visit to the city is the finial in front of Cologne Cathedral on Kardinal-Höffner-Platz. The concrete model is a 1:1 replica of the cathedral spire and serves as a visual object to the model in height.

The cathedral master builder Richard Voigtel had failed with his plans for a third finial as a "monument to the completion of the cathedral" in the 19th century. When the centenary of the cathedral's completion was celebrated in 1980, a plastic model was erected, but it was damaged by a hurricane 10 years later. The concrete finial was subsequently made by the Cologne Tourist Office. It is lighter than the stone model on the spire, but heavy and robust enough to withstand storms and other adversities. The information plaques in several languages provide information about the essential details of the object.