Situated in western Germany at the heart of Rhineland, the city of Cologne signifies the renewal of Germany after the second world war. Today, Cologne is a busy urban center with art galleries and museums. It has one of the country’s attractions that is most visited, the Cologne cathedrals. If you would like to travel to Germany to explore Cologne, you can check out travel portals that will help you with your travel needs at BestFewo. Below is a guide of attractions you’ll find in Cologne.
The Cologne cathedral
This is the towering landmark in the city of cologne and is situated near Rhine’s left bank. It is officially known as St Peter and St Mary cathedral; the cologne cathedral is a masterwork of high gothic architecture and a UNESCO world heritage site. Considered one of the Middle Age’s most ambitious projects, it was started in 1248 and is one of Europe’s biggest cathedrals. It has an incredible interior. The cathedral has a high-rise roof supported by 56 pillars, covers an area of 6,166 square meters, and is full of treasures such as the 12th-century Reliquary that local goldsmiths made. It also has a notable treasure chamber that has precious objects, including ancient manuscripts. You’ll also find the renowned relief of the Adoration of kings dating back to 1440. You can achieve a panoramic view from the south tower through the over 500 steps passing through the famous bells of the cathedral. You will get to enjoy guided tours in the English language and services, concerts, and events all in English.
Cologne City Hall (Rathaus)
Colognes’ city hall, the Kölner Rathaus, is a key highlight of the Cologne Old Town area. With a rich history that dates back to over 900 years. This building reflects various diverse architectural influences, as it is a focal point of the medieval times ruling class. The different architectural influences that this building reflects include the 15th-century tower, the 14th -century main building, a Renaissance-style cloister, and loggia. Other highlights you’ll find in city hall include the Hanseatic Hall, or the Hansasaal, having eight prophets’ Gothic figures: The nine good heroes, Christian, Jewish and pagan, and its sonorous carillon, which play thrice daily.
The Wallraf-Richartz & Ludwig Museums
The Ludwig & Wallraf-Richartz museums are a must-visit place for lovers of art. They are located in one of the newer architectural structures of the city and will offer a broad variety of European paintings to view. Important to note are the works of Manet, Leibl, Slevogt Rembrandt, Liebermann and Renoir. The Ludwig Museum specializes in contemporary and modern painting while the Wallraf-Richartz is renowned for the Cologne school work. These museums have lots to offer, including photographs and cameras that date back to the 1840s.
Cologne Zoological Gardens
The Cologne zoo was founded in 1860 and is one of the country’s oldest zoological gardens. Signs of its age are visible in its 19th-century menagerie fine collection buildings such as the old birdhouse and its Moorish-style elephant house, which resembles a traditional Russian church. Other highlights to be found at the Cologne zoological gardens include the Mock rainforest Ape Island, an enclosure of big cats, an aquarium that is well stocked, a biotope habitat from which visitors can watch animals through a glass that has no bars. An interesting feature of the zoo is that you can view its history and how it has mutated over the years, with modern facilities overhauled into historic buildings.
St Gereon’s Basilica
Of the twelve Romanesque churches in Cologne, the strangest is St Gereon’s Basilica. Its construction took place in the 12th and 13th centuries and four phases, giving it its outlandish design. Newer portions have since been annexed to the old ones to come up with a wonderful hodgepodge. It has a decagon dome that is 21 meters across where the nave should be situated and by having a close proximity look, one can tell how its walls were built to Roman ruins. It is the biggest dome ever constructed in the western wild from between the 500’s to the 15th century.
Belgian Quarter
Located between Friesenplatz in the northeast and Aachener Straße in the south, Belgian quarters is one of Cologne’s trendiest quarters. It has a neighborhood of hip bars, galleries, live music venues, boutiques that sells handmade accessories and vintage clothes, theatres, and cafes. These all are located on streets named after provinces and cities in Belgium, including Antwerp and Brussels.
In conclusion, with the above, you can know attractions to visit in Cologne.
