Cologne, Germany: General travel information
Cologne (german: Koeln), area 405 km², population 990 000, federal state North Rhine-Westphalia
Cologne is sittuated beside the river Rhine and is the biggest city of North Rhine-Westphalia and the fourth largest city of Germany.
The Ubii, a germanic tribe founded a settlement named Oppidumm Ubiorum 38 BC, the romans named the city Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium in 50 AD. Cologne was capital of the gallic empire from 260 - 271, emperor Constantine I built a bridge over the rhine in 310.
The first known bishop of Cologne was Maternus in 313. The city remained capital of a roman province until it was occupied by franconian tribes in 459 at the downfall of the Roman Empire. Since 785 Cologne is the seat of an archbishopric.
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Main sights:
- Cologne Cathedral, construction started 1248, completed 1880, UNESCO World Heritage Site, largest gothic church in northern Europe, houses the Shrine of the Three Kings; length 144.5m, width 86m, height of the spires 157.3m
- Eigelsteintorburg, town gate of the medieval town fortification wall, built from 1228 to 1248
- Gereonsmuehle, part of the medieval town fortification, built in the 13th century
- Stapelhaus, medieval storage and market building from the 13th century, reconstructed in the 16th century
- Guerzenich, festival hall built from 1441 to 1447, destroyed in WW II, reconstructed 1955
- St. Martin, Benedictine Basilica built on roman fundaments in the 12th century, destroyed in WW II, steeple rconstructed 1965, renovated until 1985, consecrated on 22. june 1985 by archbishop Joseph Cardinal Hoeffner
- St. Andreas, Basilica consecrated to St.Andrew of Cologne, late romanesque architecture built in the 12th century, gothic choir and chapel extensions in the 14th century, reconstructed 1947, undamaged medieval wall paintings and interior
- St. Aposteln, romanesque basilica, built from around 1020, reconstructed and extended in the 12th and 13th century, paintings by Johann Wilhelm Pottgiesser, sculptures of the Fourteen Holy Helpers from the 16th to 18th century, figures from around 1450, Heribertskelch, Heribert Chalice from the 13th century, Salvator and Felix bell from 1507 by Johann von Andernach
- St Caecilien, origins date back to a monastery built in the 9th century, reconstructed around 1475, houses the museum of medieval art
- St. Georg, church built from 1059 following orders from archbishop Anno II, remodeled in renaissance and broque architecture
- St. Gereon, romanesque basilica built in the 12th and 13th century, paintings from around 1635 by Johann Hulsmann and Johann Toussy, altar from 1543, numerous interior and masterworks from the 16th to 17th century
- St. Kunibert, built from 1210 by archbishop Theodrich von Trier, consecrated 1247, choir windows from around 1230, Zimbel bell from 1422 by Christian Duisterwald, Kirspel bell from 1453 by Sifart Duisterwald
- St. Maria, biggest romanesque church, length 100m, width 40m, built on roman temple fundaments about 690 AD by Plectrude wife of Pepin of Herstal, Mayor of the palace of Austrasia, Franconian Duke and Prince, new church constructed in the 11th century, consecrated 1049 by Pope Leo IX, portal from 1060, figure Limburger Madonna from the 13th century, crucifix from 1304, altar and paintings from the 16th century, bones of a whale found in medieval times
- St Maria Lyskirchen, first documentary mentioned 948, romanesque basilica built around 1205 to 1225, partly reconstructed in gothic architecture in the 17th century, several frescoes from around 1230 to 1270
- St. Pantaleon, built from around 1160 on fundaments and parts of a former church, baroque reconstruction from 1620
- St. Severin, Basilica Minor, Relics of St. Severin, built from the 9th century, reconstructed in the 15th century, interior from the 13th to 15th century
- St. Ursula, built from the 9th century on fundaments of a church from the 4th century, reconstructed around 1106, gothic choir and side naves from the 13th century, baroque steeple from 1608
- St. Nikolaus, Basilica, consecrated 1229
- St. Martinus, romanesque church built in the 11th century, extended in the 12th and 13th century
- Krieler Doemchen, small romanesque church built from the 9th century
- St. Maternus, built from the 10th century, gothic side naves from the 15th century, steeple from the 17th century
- Town fortification, remnants from the roman and medieval town fortification walls
- Cologne university, biggest university of germany
- Roman-Germanic museum
- Museum for medieval art
- Museum of modern art
- Cologne Philharmonic Orchestra
- Cologne opera
- Town center
- Nightlife
- Zoological garden
- First division soccer club: 1. FC Koeln
Airport
Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN), 17km from city center