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History in Cologne

Cologne is one of Germany's oldest cities, and its history can be traced through many of the places listed on this page. The Romanesque church Groß St. Martin has shaped the Old Town skyline around Alter Markt for centuries. Kolumba, the art museum of the Archdiocese, rises above the foundations of a medieval chapel, while the Chocolate Museum reflects the city's long trading relationship with the Rhine. Neighbourhoods such as the Belgian Quarter and Ehrenfeld carry the story of migration and urban change across the 19th and 20th centuries. The Geister Rikscha offers night-time tours through lesser-known chapters of Cologne's past.

89 places · Cologne, Germany · Editorially curated

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  • Cologne Cathedral
    Wikimedia Commons

    Cologne Cathedral

    Cologne

    architectureculturefamily outings+5

    157 m twin-spired cathedral with the world's largest west façade — UNESCO heritage since 1996.

  • Flora Cologne
    Google · Flora und Botanischer Garten

    Flora Cologne

    Cologne

    architectureculturenature+6

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

  • Hohenzollern Bridge
    Wikimedia Commons

    Hohenzollern Bridge

    Cologne

    architectureculturenature+5

    1911 arch bridge right behind the cathedral, both railings densely covered in love padlocks.

  • Alter Markt
    Wikimedia Commons

    Alter Markt

    Cologne

    architectureculturefamily outings+3

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

  • Belgian Quarter
    Wikimedia Commons

    Belgian Quarter

    Cologne

    architectureculturenature+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

    architectureculturenature+5

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

  • Claudius Therme
    Wikimedia Commons

    Claudius Therme

    Cologne

    natureoutdoor activitieslocal gems+2

    Indoor and outdoor pools in Rheinpark with brine baths, saunas and a view of the cathedral skyline while swimming.

  • Cologne Zoo
    Wikimedia Commons

    Cologne Zoo

    Cologne

    architectureculturenature+3

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

  • Ehrenfeld
    Wikimedia Commons

    Ehrenfeld

    Cologne

    architecturecultureoutdoor activities+3

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

  • Groß St. Martin
    Wikimedia Commons

    Groß St. Martin

    Cologne

    architectureculturenature+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

    architectureculturelocal gems+3

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

  • Lanxess Arena
    Wikimedia Commons

    Lanxess Arena

    Cologne

    architecturecultureoutdoor 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

    architectureoutdoor activitiesfamily outings+1

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

  • Rheinpark Cologne
    Wikimedia Commons

    Rheinpark Cologne

    Cologne

    culturenatureoutdoor activities+3

    1957 Federal Garden Show park in Deutz — Tanzbrunnen, the Rhine cable car and a clean view of the cathedral.

  • Roman-Germanic Museum
    Wikimedia Commons

    Roman-Germanic Museum

    Cologne

    architectureculturefamily outings+3

    Built over the Roman Dionysus mosaic — the largest collection of Roman glass in the world.

  • Severins Bridge
    Wikimedia Commons

    Severins Bridge

    Cologne

    architecturenaturelocal gems+2

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

  • Südstadt
    Wikimedia Commons

    Südstadt

    Cologne

    architectureculturenature+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

    architectureculturelocal gems+1
  • Brüsseler Platz
    Google · Tarek Ojjeh

    Brüsseler Platz

    Cologne

    architectureculturenature+3
  • ruhender Verkehr
    Google · Patrick Schallert

    ruhender Verkehr

    Cologne

    architectureculturelocal gems+2
  • Hohenzollernring
    Google · Walter Freiherr von dem Bussche Streithorst

    Hohenzollernring

    Cologne

    architectureculturenature+3
  • Rudolfplatz
    Google · Gerard

    Rudolfplatz

    Cologne

    architectureculturelocal gems
  • Atelier Theater
    Google · BODO Von Der Brüggen

    Atelier Theater

    Cologne

    culturelocal gemsromance

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