Historical Photos That Changed Everyone’s Perspective Of The World

American soldiers hearing mass at the Cologne Cathedral in 1945

The Cologne Cathedral is Germany’s most visited landmark today, but there was a time when people were not sure if it would survive. During WWII, the building was hit fourteen times by aerial bombs and was badly damaged, but it managed to stay standing in a city that was bombed to rubble.

This picture was taken in 1945, and it shows shattered windows and collapsed columns in sharp contrast to the beauty of the gold-accented altar. For many soldiers fighting at war, religion is a safe haven, which is why these American G.I.s lay down their arms for a few hours in order to hear mass.