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architecture

Architecture in Cologne

Cologne's architecture spans many centuries and styles. The Gothic Cologne Cathedral defines the city's skyline, while the Romanesque Groß St. Martin stands nearby at Alter Markt. The Hohenzollern Bridge links the riverbank to the modern Köln Messe/Deutz exhibition grounds. Kolumba, a building by Peter Zumthor, weaves contemporary design around medieval ruins. The Belgian Quarter and Südstadt preserve dense rows of late 19th-century townhouses, and Ehrenfeld reflects the city's appetite for industrial conversion and creative reuse. Flora Cologne and the Chocolate Museum on the Rhine add further architectural variety to an already layered cityscape.

76 places · Cologne, Germany · Editorially curated

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  • Flora Cologne
    Google · Flora und Botanischer Garten

    Flora Cologne

    Cologne

    culturenaturehistory+6

    Laid out 1864, ballroom in greenhouse-meets-palace style, plus four themed gardens and a tropical house.

  • Alter Markt
    Wikimedia Commons

    Alter Markt

    Cologne

    culturehistoryfamily outings+3

    Medieval square ringed by historic brewhouses, the carnival tunnel and the Jan-von-Werth statue.

  • Belgian Quarter
    Wikimedia Commons

    Belgian Quarter

    Cologne

    culturenaturehistory+4

    Hipster quarter west of the ring road, Brüsseler Platz as the city's outdoor living room in summer.

  • Chocolate Museum
    Wikimedia Commons

    Chocolate Museum

    Cologne

    culturenaturehistory+5

    Glass pavilion at the Rheinauhafen with a living tropical greenhouse and a 3 m chocolate fountain.

  • Cologne Zoo
    Wikimedia Commons

    Cologne Zoo

    Cologne

    culturenaturehistory+3

    Founded 1860, 10,000 animals, the historic Moorish-style elephant house and the adjacent Flora botanical garden.

  • Ehrenfeld
    Wikimedia Commons

    Ehrenfeld

    Cologne

    culturehistoryoutdoor activities+3

    Streetart stronghold with backyard galleries, Turkish bakeries and a night-café scene.

  • Groß St. Martin
    Wikimedia Commons

    Groß St. Martin

    Cologne

    culturenaturehistory+5

    12th-century Romanesque with the distinctive four-tower crossing — one of Cologne's twelve great Romanesque churches, by the Rhine.

  • Kolumba
    Wikimedia Commons

    Kolumba

    Cologne

    culturehistorylocal gems+3

    Diocesan art museum built over Romanesque church remnants and WW2 rubble — by Peter Zumthor.

  • Lanxess Arena
    Wikimedia Commons

    Lanxess Arena

    Cologne

    culturehistoryoutdoor activities+2

    1998 hall in Deutz, 20,000 seats, home of the Kölner Haie and concert venue — the 'Henkel' arch is a Deutz landmark.

  • Lentpark
    Wikimedia Commons

    Lentpark

    Cologne

    historyoutdoor activitiesfamily outings+1

    Modern sports complex on the Inner Green Belt — swimming pool, ice rink and beach-volleyball courts.

  • Severins Bridge
    Wikimedia Commons

    Severins Bridge

    Cologne

    naturehistorylocal gems+2

    Distinctive A-shaped pylon, links the southern districts to Deutz, with a walk over the Rhine.

  • Südstadt
    Wikimedia Commons

    Südstadt

    Cologne

    culturenaturehistory+5

    Creative neighborhood around Chlodwigplatz and Severinsstrasse — where the locals actually drink their Kölsch.

  • Kölnischer Kunstverein
    Google · Walter Freiherr von dem Bussche Streithorst

    Kölnischer Kunstverein

    Cologne

    culturehistorylocal gems+1
  • Brüsseler Platz
    Google · Tarek Ojjeh

    Brüsseler Platz

    Cologne

    culturenaturehistory+3
  • Rathenauplatz
    Google · Ingrid Odenthal

    Rathenauplatz

    Cologne

    naturelocal gemsromance
  • ruhender Verkehr
    Google · Patrick Schallert

    ruhender Verkehr

    Cologne

    culturehistorylocal gems+2
  • Ehrenstraße
    Google · Mischi

    Ehrenstraße

    Cologne

    culturelocal gemsshopping+1
  • Hohenzollernring
    Google · Walter Freiherr von dem Bussche Streithorst

    Hohenzollernring

    Cologne

    culturenaturehistory+3
  • Rudolfplatz
    Google · Gerard

    Rudolfplatz

    Cologne

    culturehistorylocal gems
  • Friesenviertel
    Google · Krafthaus by David Flacke - Friesenviertel

    Friesenviertel

    Cologne

    culturelocal gemsknowledge+1

    Compact nightlife quarter between the Ring and Stadtgarten — cocktail bars, brewhouses and late-night snack stalls.

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