Cologne Cathedral:  Its Erection

There are several other tales to account for the belief prevalent at one time that Cologne Cathedral would never be completed.  The following legend attributes the unfinished state of the edifice to the curse of a jealous architect.  At the time the building was commenced a rival architect was engaged in planning an aqueduct to convey to the city a supply of water purer than that of the Rhine.  He was in this difficulty, however:  he had been unable to discover the exact position of the spring from which the water was to be drawn.  Tidings of the proposed structure reached the ears of the builder of the cathedral, a man of strong passions and jealous disposition, and in time the other architect asked his opinion of the plans for the aqueduct.

Now it so happened that the architect of the cathedral alone had known the situation of the spring, and he had communicated it to his wife, but to no other living creature; so he replied boastfully: 

“Speak not to me of your aqueduct.  My cathedral, mighty as it will be, shall be completed before your little aqueduct.”  And he clinched his vainglorious assertion with an oath.

Indeed, it seemed as though his boast would be justified, for the building of the sacred edifice proceeded apace, while the aqueduct was not even begun, because of the difficulty of finding the spring.  The second architect was in despair, for of a certainty his professional reputation was destroyed, his hopes of fame for ever dashed, were he unable to finish the task he had undertaken.

His faithful wife strove to lighten his despondency, and at last, setting her woman’s wit to work, hit on a plan whereby the threatened calamity might be averted.  She set out to visit the wife of the rival architect, with whom she was intimate.  The hostess greeted her effusively, and the ladies had a long chat over bygone times.  More and more confidential did they become under the influence of old memories and cherry wine.  Skilfully the guest led the conversation round to the subject of the hidden spring, and her friend, after exacting a promise of the strictest secrecy, told her its exact situation.  It lay under the great tower of the cathedral, covered by the massive stone known as the ‘Devil’s Stone.’

“Let me have your assurance again,” said the anxious lady, “that you will never tell anyone, not even your husband.  For I do not know what would become of me if my husband learnt that I had told it to you.”  The other renewed her promises of secrecy and took her leave.  On her return home she promptly told her husband all that had passed, and he as promptly set to work, sunk a well at the spot indicated, and found the spring.  The foundations of the aqueduct were laid and the structure itself soon sprang up.  The architect of the cathedral saw with dismay that his secret was discovered.  As the building of the aqueduct progressed he lost all interest in his own work; envy and anger filled his thoughts and at last overcame him.  It is said that he died of a broken heart, cursing with his latest breath the cathedral which he had planned.