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Cologne is the fourth-largest city in Germany and a major cultural and economic center of the Rhine-Ruhr region. Learn about its Roman origins, medieval cathedral, perfume industry, museums, universities and more.
- Cologne Cathedral
- Ludwig Museum
- Romano-Germanic Museum
- Wallraf-Richartz Museum
- Cologne’s Old Town
- Groß St. Martin
- St. Maria Im Kapitol
- Botanical Garden
- KölnTriangle
- Hohenzollern Bridge
An international pilgrimage site, Cologne Cathedral has held the reliquary of the Three Kings since 1164. In 1248 work started on a new Gothic home for these precious remains, and it was inspired by the ethereal cathedrals of Northern France. Now a UNESCO site, Cologne Cathedral is the single most visited landmark in Germany and its 19th-century to...
Exhibiting art from after 1900, the Ludwig Museum was set up in the 1980s in the modern, purpose-built complex near the cathedral. The attraction came about during the 1970s after the Ludwigs, Peter and Irene, donated a multi-million-dollar collection of 20th-century art. Among the many Picassos and the extensive collection of Russian Avant-Garde p...
In the war a Roman villa was uncovered next to the cathedral when a bomb shelter was being built. This was fully excavated later, and rather than try to move the centrepiece, beautiful Dionysus mosaic, an entire museum was built around the site in the 1970s. The museum also shows off all of the artefacts found around Cologne from the time of Coloni...
The Wallraf-Richartz Museum was born in 1824 when Franz Ferdinand Wallraf bequeathed a tremendous assortment of Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque and Impressionist art to the city. Some of the finest Gothic pieces were painted by Stefan Lochner, the Cologne-based 15th-century artist who contributed the Dombild Altarpiece to the cathedral. The Last Judgm...
As you saunter from square to square in the historic centre of the city it’s worth remembering that three quarters of Cologne was obliterated in the war. It can be humbling to wander a cobblestone alley and think that this would have been rubble just 70 years ago. And yet the old world atmosphere still shines through on streets and plazas like Heum...
Part of the skyline since the 12th century, Cologne would be the same without the fabulous crossing tower of Groß St. Martin. And when this wonderful Rhenish monument was hit by bombs in the war, the reconstruction gave an opportunity to study its foundations, which go back to Roman times. Beneath the signature trefoil chancel you can now see where...
In the Kapitol Viertel, this Romanesque church is on the spot where ancient Colonia’s Roman Temple once stood. The largest of Cologne’s three surviving Romanesque churches, St. Maria im Kapitol dates to the middle of the 11th century and its apses are modelled on Bethlehem’s Church of the Nativity. Amazingly, the original wooden doors, dated to 104...
In the north of the city, next to the zoo is Cologne’s loveliest park: 11.5 hectares of sprawling lawns, individual gardens and greenhouses around an exquisite glass palace inspired by London’s Crystal Palace and built in the 1860s. Known as the Flora, this monument was intended as an orangery and after coming through a renovation a couple of years...
Cologne Cathedral’s World Heritage status means that no buildings are allowed to interfere with the city’s skyline too much. For this reason the KölnTriangle skyscraper was kept to just over 100 metres. On the right bank of the Rhine its panoramic observation deck affords a photogenic view of the old town, the cathedral towers and the 266-metre Col...
The tiered-arch bridge between the cathedral and KölnTriangle dates to the start of the 20th century, and when it was rebuilt after the war it was restricted to just rail and pedestrian traffic. Make a crossing to look over one of Europe’s great rivers towards the tower of Groß St. Martin Church and the towers of Cologne Cathedral directly ahead. I...
Find out the best attractions and activities in Cologne, Germany, from the iconic Cologne Cathedral to the Chocolate Museum. Book beer and brewery tours, city tours, day trips, and more with TripAdvisor's AI trip-planning product.
Cologne is a cosmopolitan city with a rich history, culture and hospitality. Find out everything you need to know for your visit, from sights and museums to events and street art.
3 days ago · Cologne is the seat of a university and the see of a Roman Catholic archbishop. Its cathedral, the largest Gothic church in northern Europe, was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1996; it is the city’s major landmark and unofficial symbol. Area 156 square miles (405 square km).
Discover Cologne's attractions, from its famous cathedral to its art museums and chocolate museum. Learn about its history, culture and cuisine, and find tips for the best time to visit and what to do.
Discover the cultural and historical highlights of Germany's fourth-largest city, from the Gothic cathedral to the Chocolate Museum. Explore the lively nightlife, the fragrant perfumeries, the scenic harbour and more with this local guide.
