Visiting Cologne - General Information
Cologne live -
Between Kölsch and carnival – and with joie de vivre and flair into the bargaine
Cosmopolitan Metropolis
Cologne: the cathedral spires tower over Germany’s oldest city and its innumerable cultural
and historical treasures, world-famous museums
and active art scene. Whether street music on the
Hohe Strasse or galas in the modern opera house,
whether pavement painting on the cathedral
concourse or old masters in the Wallraf Richartz
Museum, whether the annual music festival along
the inner ring road or carnival in the entire city – in
Cologne all this, becomes synthesized into a
vivacious work of art – in a cosmopolitan
metropolis boasting more than a million
inhabitants which, despite its size, has never lost
its neighborly character
One of Germany's leading gastronomic lights
From venerable breweries offering unique Kölsch
beer and typical Cologne delicacies to first-class
restaurants - boasting well in excess of 3000
public houses, restaurants and breweries Cologne
is one of Germany's leading gastronomic lights.
Per head of population, no other city in the
Federal Republic boasts so many public houses,
and also so many top-class restaurants.
Typically Cologne:
The world feels at home in Cologne, where people meet for a Kölsch, a chat or simply a laugh. Life in Cologne is uncomplicated and vivacious - the tolerance and
cosmopolitanism of its inhabitants proverbial.
Cultural Monuments and Museums
Cologne stands on ground that is steeped in history. Numerous cultural monuments from the past 2000 years, such as the famous Roman Dionysus mosaic, the mediaeval Overstolzenhaus and the Gürzenich hall, or modern structures such as the opera house (1957) and the Media park (from 1989 onwards) are to be found at the foot of the cathedral.
The Ludwig Museum is the most famous of the ten municipal and the many
ecclesiastical and private museums in this cathedral city and provides an overview of
major international works of 20th century art. The Römisch-Germanisches Museum gives an impressive account of the history of the Romans along the Rhine. With the
Rautenstrauch-Jost Museum, the city also has the only ethnological museum in the
state of North Rhine-Westphalia.
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The theatre scene
The most famous Cologne theatre bears the name "Millowitsch" theatre. The folk
theatre has been a Cologne institution since 1848 and Willy Millowitsch, who died in
1999, was considered and continues to be considered as the very personification of everything "Kölsch" or typical of Cologne. The city had already erected a monument to
him during his lifetime and appointed him a freeman of the city.
In addition to "conventional" theatre performances in the "Der Keller" theatre, the "Theatre im Bauturm", the "Freie Kammerspiele" or the "Comedia", entertainment,
cabaret and comedy are staged in the brash "Scala Theater" of Wally Bockmayer, the "Senftöpfchen" or the "Atelier Theatre". Urban repertoire theatre is performed at the Cologne theatre, the Schlosserei and the Halle Kalk.
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Cologne Attractions:
The Cologne Cathedral - Cologne's Gothic Cathedral is certainly one of its top attractions. It took over 600 years to build and is a UNESCO world heritage site.
It is conveniently located right next to the train station.
Rhine Boat Trips - lots of day trips and longer excursions are available. Ask at the
tourist office.
The house of 4711, the Original Eau-de-Cologne - Wilhelm Mulhens marketed a
concoction called Aqua Mirabilis on the basis of its stimulating and refreshing effect. It later got to be known as the first Eau de Cologne when French
Revolutionary troops sent it home for gifts to the family.
The Altstadt (old town) - Cologne is definitely a beer city with their own beer slyly called Kölsch, a pale top fermented beer that must be brewed in the Cologne metropolitan area. Enjoy a beer with other tourists at a pub in the Altstadt.
Visit the Roman-German Museum (Roemisch-Germanisches Museum) - See Roman
antiquities from the first through fourth centuries. See the 230 foot long mosaic
showing Dionysus, the Roman god of wine.
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