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Set in the beautiful Westphalian landscape of impressive hilltop castles, postcard-size villages, steeply wooded hills and terraced vineyards, Cologne is the state's largest city and the cultural capital of the Rhineland. Built on the banks of the Rhine, some of the best views of the city, its magnificent bridges, warehouses and floating restaurants are from a river cruise. Its documented history dates back to the Roman era, and the city's museums have a wealth of archaeological treasures that were greatly increased by discoveries made after the devastation of the Altstadt (Old Town) during World War II. An elegant city, Cologne is a favourite throughout Europe as a conference venue, hosting conventions covering everything from heavy engineering to popular music. 'Eau de cologne' was invented here (in 1709) and is still produced in the city.

Cologne Attractions

Cologne Cathedral (Kölner Dom)
Domkloster 3, 50667 Cologne
Tel: +49 221 9258 4730 | Fax: +49 221 9258 4731

Begun in 1248 to house the relics of the Magi, which had been brought to Cologne by Frederick Barbarossa's chancellor Reinald von Dassel 75 years earlier, the Dom was not completed until 1880. Despite changing architectural styles through the centuries, the result is essentially Gothic with an emphasis on impressive vertical lines. The lavishly carved choir stalls, dating from 1310, are the oldest in Germany, and the life-size cross (housed in the chapel below the organ loft), at over 1000 years old, is believed to be the oldest in existence. Situated in the heart of Cologne, from the top of the Dom's south tower there are panoramic views across the city and surrounding area.

Wallraf-Richartz Museum
Martinstraße 39, 50667 Cologne
Tel: +49 221 2212 1119 | Fax: +49 221 2212 2629

Ludwig Museum
Bischofsgartenstraße 1, 50667 Cologne
Tel: +49 221 2212 6165 | Fax: +49 221 2212 4114

Cologne's oldest museum was founded in the 19th century to exhibit works by local artists of the Gothic period and has been extended into a collection that spans the 14th to the 20th century. The Wallraf-Richartz collection encompasses every school from German, Dutch and Flemish masters to French Impressionism, as well as the 'Ludwig Donation' of American art of the mid-20th century. The museum also has works by earlier 20th-century artists such as Max Ernst and Paul Klee and Germany's largest collection of works by Wilhelm Leibl.

Romano-Germanic Museum (Römisch-Germanisches Museum)
Roncalliplatz 4, 50667 Cologne
Tel: +49 221 2212 2304 | Fax: +49 221 2212 4030

The most impressive attraction in the Romano-Germanic Museum is the 70-square-metre (753-square-foot) Dionysos-Mosaik. The mosaic, once the floor of the main room of a large Roman villa dating from the third century AD, was discovered in 1941 during excavation work for an air-raid shelter. The museum also has an interesting collection of Roman glass, ceramics, marble and jewellery from the early centuries of the first millennium.

Kunsthandel Klefisch Gallery & Auction House
Ubierring 35, 50678 Cologne
Tel: +49 221 931 2130 Fax: +49 221 931 21320

Founded in 1972, Kunsthandel Klefisch is a gallery and auction house specialising in fine Japanese and Chinese art including ukiyo-e prints, inro, netsuke, tsuba and lacquerware.

Museum of East Asian Art (Museum für Ostasiatische Kunst)
Universitätsstraße 100, 50674 Cologne
Tel: +49 221 940 5180 | Fax: +49 221 407 290

Founded in 1913 to exhibit the Fischer Collection, the original museum building was destroyed during World War II and replaced in 1977 by the current Japanese-inspired construction and landscaped garden. The extensive collection covers all aspects of Chinese, Japanese and Korean art, crafts and sculpture from 1500 BC to the 19th century.

Kölner Philharmonie
KölnMusik GmbH, Bischofsgartenstraße 1, 50667 Cologne
Tel: +49 221 280 280 | Fax: +49 221 204 08222

Housed in the same building as the Ludwig Museum, the Philharmonie concert hall has at least one performance scheduled for virtually every day of the year. Recitals range from chamber music to jazz, folk and pop, with a house policy of encouraging lesser-known, new and unusual music.

Chocolate Museum (Schokoladenmuseum or Imhoff-Stollwerck-Museum)
Rheinauhafen 1a, 50678 Cologne
Tel: +49 221 931 8880 | Fax: +49 221 931 88814

Located in an extraordinary 2000-square-metre (6500-square-foot) building of brick and glass on a small promontory close to the Altstadt, the Imhoff-Stollwerck Museum (also known as the Chocolate Museum) celebrates the story of chocolate from bean to wrapper. Part of the exhibition is a walk-through arboretum containing cocoa trees and exotic plants, but the highlight is a chocolate fountain oozing schokolade, which visitors are encouraged to sample.

Hangouts

When to Visit - Arts and Events

Maintaining a 600-year-old tradition, 'Karneval' takes place for seven days from the Thursday before Ash Wednesday up to and including Ash Wednesday. Fun and flamboyant, everyone has the chance to participate in the city's most celebrated festival.

Continuing the carnival atmosphere, 'Christopher Street Day' is a gay-lesbian street celebration, which takes place each July. Attracting visitors from around the world, with exotic costumes and outrageous happenings, the festival is a highlight of summer in Cologne.

August is the time for 'Popkomm', a mammoth, free music festival and trade fair. Showcasing some of the world's top bands, it attracts up to two million visitors annually. The 'Weihnachtsmarkt' is Cologne's Christmas market, which runs from the end of November through to Christmas. Delightfully festooned stalls sell gifts and food whilst school choirs sing festive songs, captivating visitors from all over Europe, many of whom return each year to share the warmth and friendliness of Cologne's Yuletide spirit.