Cologne looks back on a long history that started in 50 A.D. whithin the borders of the Roman Empire. Today Cologne (Köln) is Germany’s fourth biggest city with over a million inhabitants, situated in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia (Nordrhein-Westfalen) at the river Rhine.
In the “Fifth season” Cologne and its neighbouring town Düsseldorf become the center of Germany when both cities get truely crazy and thousands of spectators line the streets to watch the parade of over 100 Cologne carnival associations. As Cologne boasts some 24 breweries, more than any other city in the world, you can imagine what’s happening those days of carnival when people get the taste of the typical “Kölsch beer”.
However, every year thousands of visitors come to see its main attraction - the magnificent twin-spired cathedral “Kölner Dom” which got the title of a World Heritage site in 1996. What many tourists don’t know is the fact, that Germany’s biggest cathedral was one of the few historic buildings which survived the bombs on Cologne during the Second World War. So be prepared of a odd sight: a huge gothic masterpiece of the Middle Ages in the heart of a modern city, surrounded by buildings not much older than fifty years - right next to the hectic central station. But the place gets nice in christmas time when the christmas market opens just in front of the cathedral.
Long before you reach the centre of Cologne you see two mighty spires each 157 metres (515ft) high pedominating the city skyline. They belong to the Cologne Cathedral (Kölner Dom), which was added to the World Heritage list by Unesco in 1996. It is one of Europe’s most spectacular cathedrals and holds the record of the the biggest church facade in the world.
Building began in 1248 in the French Gothic style but was suspended for lack of money. For approximately 300 years, the stucture lay half-finished and was even demoted to a prison by Napoleon’s troops until a generous cash infusion from Prussian King Friedrich Wilhelm IV finally led to its completion in 1880. At that time it was the tallest building in the world but lost the title to the Washington Monument in 1884.
Once you’re in Cologne thinking of a nice day trip it’s a good idea to visit another World Heritage: Augustusburg Castle and park in Brühl. It’s a worthwile destination just 15km away from the tourist crowds of Cologne.
Nevertheless it’s still the biggest gothic building in the world with a wealth of important art works inside: the colourful stained glass windows that flood the cathedral with their mysterious light, the wooden Gero cross of monumental size, the shrine housing the relics of the Three Kings, an exceptional example of the regional goldsmiths’ art. These relics and other treasures like the Shrine of the Three Magi have made Cologne Cathedral a famous pilgrimage destination - but it’s a shame, due to the hundreds of visitors inside it feels more like a touristic site than a reliquious place of worship.
In the big car free shopping zone you have endless possibilities for shopping