The Cologne Cathedral stands as Northern Europe’s grandest Gothic church, boasting the world’s most expansive church façade thanks to its two towering spires. Work on the Cologne Cathedral commenced in 1248, only to stall around 1560 and remain incomplete. Remarkably, it wasn’t until 1880 that the cathedral was finished according to its initial Medieval blueprint, marking over six centuries of construction. (Video courtesy of ilo.ln) | History In Pictures

Beneath City Hall Park lies one of New York City’s greatest architectural contradictions: a subway station designed like a cathedral, sealed off from the public for nearly 80 years. City Hall Station was meant to be the ceremonial gateway to the world’s first modern subway system, complete with vaulted Guastavino tile ceilings, skylights, chandeliers, and handcrafted oak furnishings. And yet, despite being hailed as the most beautiful station in America, it was quietly abandoned in 1945. In this