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Cologne was founded by the Romans, flowered in the
Middle Ages and is still one of Europe’s great centres
of culture and commerce. As it flows through the city,
the Rhine offers a superb vista of church towers, old
riverfront houses, bridges and barges – one of the most
memorable riverscapes in the world.
“Holy Cologne” is today symbolised by the great Gothic
cathedral, its massive spires dominating the skyline. It
houses many treasures of religious art, including
marvellous old stained glass and the famous Shrine of
the Three Kings. The Romano-German Museum next-door is
another “must”; its collection of antiquities is
first-rate, and the building itself is a model of modern
museum layout. No less important is the Wallraf-Richartz
Museum with its fine old masters, while the museum also
houses the superb Ludwig collection of modern art.
The Old City, or Altstadt, is brimming over with
magnificent churches of every period. Indeed, for
visitors interested in art and architecture, Cologne is
a virtual encyclopedia of the whole range of German
creativity from Roman times to the present day. From
April through October, visitors may even explore the Old
City by horse-drawn carriage; the journey lasts about
two hours.
Life in modern Cologne revolves around its shops
(tempting boutiques and big department stores in
plenty), important trade fairs and tourism.
Entertainment includes open-air dancing in the Rheinpark,
opera, ballet and concerts by international artists,
nightclubs, lively bars and taverns specialising in
Kölsch, the local brew. Beer-enthusiasts may join a
three-hour “Brewery Trail” tour to sample Kölsch and
learn about its history and production. There is also
the unusual Imhoff-Stollwerck Museum of chocolate, which
features a café and chocolate shop to tempt the most
discerning ‘chocoholics’.
Needless to say, the restaurants of Cologne are some of
the friendliest in Germany – and the quality and variety
amongst its finest.
Cologne is well worth a visit at Christmas. The city
recently introduced its fourth Christmas market in the
Rudolfplatz to add to the one already in the Alter Markt,
the one in the Neumarkt and the one by the cathedral –
all are rich in that special atmosphere which these
marvellous events create. |
