TRAVEL COLONGE
GENERAL INFORMATION-Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city (after Berlin, Hamburg, and Munich), one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants. Cologne is located on both sides of the Rhine River. The city's famous Cologne Cathedral (Kölner Dom) is the seat of the Catholic Archbishop of Cologne. The University of Cologne (Universität zu Köln) is one of Europe's oldest and largest Universities. Cologne was founded and established in the first century AD, as the Roman Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium in Ubii territory. It was the capital of the Roman province of Germania Inferior and the headquarters of the military in the region until occupied by the Franks in 462. During the middle Ages, it flourished as one of the most important major trade routes through Rhine River between east and west in Europe. Cologne was one of the leading members of the Hanseatic League and one of the largest cities north of the Alps in medieval and renaissance times. Up until World War II the city had undergone several other occupations by the French and also the British. Cologne is a major cultural centre of the Rhineland, it is home to more than thirty museums and hundreds of galleries. Exhibitions range from local ancient Roman archaeological sites to contemporary graphics and sculpture.
HISTORY- The first urban settlement on the grounds of modern-day Cologne was Oppidum Ubiorum, founded in 38 BC by the Ubii, a Cisrhenian Germanic tribe. In 50 AD, the Romans founded Colonia on the Rhine and the city became the provincial capital of Germania Inferior in 85 AD. Besides its economic and political significance Cologne also became an important centre of medieval pilgrimage, when Cologne's Archbishop Rainald of Dassel gave the relics of the Three Wise Men to Cologne's Cathedral in 1164 (after they had been captured from Milan). Besides the three Magi Cologne preserves the relics of Saint Ursula and Albertus Magnus. Cologne's location on the river Rhine placed it at the intersection of the major trade routes between east and west and was the basis of Cologne's growth. Cologne was a member of the Hanseatic League in 1475, when Frederick III confirmed the city's imperial immediacy. The economic structures of medieval and early modern Cologne were characterized by the city's status as a major harbour and transport hub upon the Rhine. As a free city Cologne was a sovereign state within the Holy Roman Empire and as such had the right (and obligation) to maintain its own military force. Wearing a red uniform these troops were known as the Rote Funken (red sparks). These soldiers were part of the Army of the Holy Roman Empire ("Reichskontingent") and fought in the wars of the 17th and 18th century, including the wars against revolutionary France. In the 1980s and 1990s Cologne's economy prospered for two main reasons. Firstly, a growth in the number of media companies, both in the private and public sectors, they are especially catered for in the newly developed Media Park, which creates a strongly visual focal point in the Cologne town centre and includes the KölnTurm, one of Cologne's most prominent high-rise buildings. Secondly, a permanent improvement of the diverse traffic infrastructure made Cologne one of the most easily accessible metropolitan areas in Central Europe.
GEOGRAPHY- Cologne is located on both sides of the Rhine River. The metropolitan area encompasses over 405 Km2. The city's highest point is 118 m above sea level (the Monte Troodelöh) and its lowest point is 37.5 m.
AREA- 405.15 km2
POPULATION- 1,025,000
CO-ORDINATES- 50°57′N 6°58′E
TIME ZONE- UTC+1/2
CLIMATE- Colonge temperature round the year is as follows-
POPULATION- 1,025,000
CO-ORDINATES- 50°57′N 6°58′E
TIME ZONE- UTC+1/2
CLIMATE- Colonge temperature round the year is as follows-
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC
H 0C 5 7 11 15 19 22 24 24 20 15 9 6
L °C −0.6 −0.7 2 4 8 11 13 12 10 7 3 0.4
H 0C 5 7 11 15 19 22 24 24 20 15 9 6
L °C −0.6 −0.7 2 4 8 11 13 12 10 7 3 0.4
AIRPORT
RCOLONGE SIGHTS & ATTRACTIONS-
001-COLOGNE CATHEDRAL/KOLNER DOM- Cologne's magnificent Cathedral is the most renowned landmark in the city. It is one of the largest churches in the world and for some time the cathedral even held the title of the world's tallest building. Cologne Cathedral is a Roman Catholic Church, dedicated to St. Peter and the Blessed Virgin Mary, constructed over more than six centuries, has an exceptional intrinsic value and contains artistic masterpieces. It is a powerful testimony to the strength and persistence of Christian belief in medieval and modern Europe. It is the seat of the Archbishop of Cologne and the administration of the Archdiocese of Cologne. It is a renowned monument of German Catholicism and Gothic architecture and is a World Heritage Site. It is Germany's most visited landmark, attracting an average of 20,000 people a day. The Cathedral is still the second highest building in Cologne after the telecommunications tower. As with most Gothic cathedrals, the shape of Cologne Cathedral is that of a Latin cross. It has two aisles on each side and one of the highest Gothic vaults in the world. It is 144.5 meters (474 feet) long, 86.5 m (284 feet) wide and its towers are approximately 157 m (515 feet) tall. The cathedral is the largest Gothic church in Northern Europe and has the second-tallest spires (only surpassed by the single spire of Ulm Minster, completed 10 years later in 1890) and largest façade of any church in the world. The Antenna Spire is 516feet high. The exterior is beautifully decorated with plenty of statues, bar tracery, pinnacles, gargoyles and flying buttresses. The Cathedral's oldest doorway is the Peters Gate in the south tower, built between 1370 and 1380 and decorated with statues, they are very expressive and full of life. There are two other gates, in the centre is St. Mary Gate and in the north tower is gate of Magi. The choir has the largest height to width ratio, 3.6:1, of any medieval church. The total area of the Cathedral measures almost 8000 square meters and has room for more than 20,000 people. The foundation stone of the Gothic Cathedral was laid on 15 August 1248 on the celebration of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. Apparently the Old Cathedral was no longer sufficiently representative to house the mortal remains of the Three Wise Men, which Archbishop Rainald von Dassel brought back to the cathedral city in 1164 from the conquered city of Milan. These relics made the Cathedral one of the most important pilgrimage destinations in Europe .In 1842 King Friedrich Wilhelm IV laid the foundation stone marking the continuation of building work. The completion of Germany's largest cathedral was celebrated as a national event on 14 August 1880 i.e. 632 years after construction had begun. The celebration was attended by Emperor Wilhelm I. On 25 August 2007, the cathedral received a new stained glass in the south transept window. The noteworthy are large stained glass windows, the oldest window in the cathedral - known as the Älteres Bibelfenster (Old Bible Window) - is in the chapel of the Three Magi, with 113 square meters (1,220 sq. feet) of glass, the window was created by the German artist Gerhard Richter. It is composed of 11,500 identically sized pieces of coloured glass resembling pixels, randomly arranged by computer, which create a colourful "carpet". The other stained glass windows are-
i-St. Peter and Tree of Jesse Window (1507-1509)-Top right is the so-called tree of Jesse, showing Christ descent from Jesse. Jesse, the first ancestor is shown lying with a tree growing out of him. The branches showing biblical kings. The upper left half depicts scenes from the life of St. Peter, from his calling as a fisherman top left to his crucifixion bottom right. ii-The Whitsun Window and iii- The Birth of Christ Window, they are out of five large windows donated by King Ludwig I in 1842.Behind the high altar, the Shrine of the Three Wise Men rises up, the relics of Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar-the city patrons of Cologne-rest here alongside the relics of Saints Felix and Nabor and Saint Gregory of Spoleto. This impressive work of medieval gold craftsmanship surpasses all other shrines in the Western world in terms of size and grandeur. The Shrine of the Three Wise Men in Cologne Cathedral is 153 cm high, 220 cm long and 110 cm wide and weighs approx. 300 kg. The Cathedral Treasury lay to the north of the Cathedral. The cube shaped building in the Cathedral is the Treasury. The vaulted rooms beneath the entrance level house the main treasures. There are the Episcopal staff and sword, the archbishop of Cologne official insignia and The Gothic Processional Cross etc. Guests may visit the Cologne Cathedral daily at no cost. However, there is a charge to go up into the south tower which has a viewing platform at a height of 97 meters (318feet). Make sure you're ready for a climb of 509 steps as there is no elevator in the tower. The climb up the steps to the platform takes visitors past the bell chamber. The cathedral has eleven church bells, four of which are medieval, St. Peter's Bell (in Kölsch "d'r Dicke Pitter"), is the largest freely swinging church bell in the world and weighs 24 tonnes. The tower can be accessed from a visitor’s centre outside the cathedral's south side. As a World Heritage Site and with its convenient position on tourist routes, Cologne Cathedral is a major tourist attraction, the visitors including many who travel there as a Christian pilgrimage.
i-St. Peter and Tree of Jesse Window (1507-1509)-Top right is the so-called tree of Jesse, showing Christ descent from Jesse. Jesse, the first ancestor is shown lying with a tree growing out of him. The branches showing biblical kings. The upper left half depicts scenes from the life of St. Peter, from his calling as a fisherman top left to his crucifixion bottom right. ii-The Whitsun Window and iii- The Birth of Christ Window, they are out of five large windows donated by King Ludwig I in 1842.Behind the high altar, the Shrine of the Three Wise Men rises up, the relics of Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar-the city patrons of Cologne-rest here alongside the relics of Saints Felix and Nabor and Saint Gregory of Spoleto. This impressive work of medieval gold craftsmanship surpasses all other shrines in the Western world in terms of size and grandeur. The Shrine of the Three Wise Men in Cologne Cathedral is 153 cm high, 220 cm long and 110 cm wide and weighs approx. 300 kg. The Cathedral Treasury lay to the north of the Cathedral. The cube shaped building in the Cathedral is the Treasury. The vaulted rooms beneath the entrance level house the main treasures. There are the Episcopal staff and sword, the archbishop of Cologne official insignia and The Gothic Processional Cross etc. Guests may visit the Cologne Cathedral daily at no cost. However, there is a charge to go up into the south tower which has a viewing platform at a height of 97 meters (318feet). Make sure you're ready for a climb of 509 steps as there is no elevator in the tower. The climb up the steps to the platform takes visitors past the bell chamber. The cathedral has eleven church bells, four of which are medieval, St. Peter's Bell (in Kölsch "d'r Dicke Pitter"), is the largest freely swinging church bell in the world and weighs 24 tonnes. The tower can be accessed from a visitor’s centre outside the cathedral's south side. As a World Heritage Site and with its convenient position on tourist routes, Cologne Cathedral is a major tourist attraction, the visitors including many who travel there as a Christian pilgrimage.
002-TWELVE ROMANESQUE CHURCHES- The twelve Romanic churches are amongst the cultural highlights of Cologne, alongside the Cathedral and the museums. These buildings are outstanding examples of medieval sacral architecture. The roots of some of the churches date back as far as Roman times, all of these churches were very badly damaged during World War II. Reconstruction was only finished in the 1990s they are: i- St. Kunibert (with wonderful stained glass windows), ii-St. Severin, iii-St. Maria Lyskirchen, iv-St. Andreas, v- St. Aposteln, vi- St. Gereon, vii-St. Ursula, viii-St. Pantaleon, ix-St. Maria im Kapitol, x-Groß-St. Martin, xi-St. Georg , xii-St. Cäcilie.
003-GROß ST. MARTIN CHURCH (GREAT ST. MARTIN)- It is one of the twelve churches. The Great Saint Martin Church (German: Groß Sankt Martin, mostly Groß St. Martin) is a Romanesque Catholic church in Cologne, Germany. Its foundations (circa 960 AD) rest on remnants of a Roman chapel, built on what was then an island in the Rhine. The current buildings, including a tower that is a landmark of Cologne's Old Town, were erected between 1150-1250. The exterior of the church is dominated by its massive tower, with four turrets at each corner. The ground plan of the church is shaped like a clover leaf, resulting in three apses. The interior is very sparse; almost all medieval decoration was destroyed during the war. The central nave is nonetheless impressive, if only due to its sheer size.
004-HAHNENTORBURG /COCK GATE-Shortly after the Romans founded Cologne in 50AD, they built a wall around the city. The wall was first expanded in the 10th century and again in 1106, but due to the continuing growth of the city a new, 23 feet high wall was built in the 12th and 13th century. The wall surrounded the city in a semi-circle and bordered the Rhine River at its most northern and southern end. When the city was largest in size it had 12 monumental gates. In the 19th century, the medieval wall had become a major hindrance for the expansion of the city. In 1881 the wall was demolished. Many of the towers and gates were preserved and can still be seen today .The most important of the 12 gates that gave entrance to Cologne was the west gate, known as the Hahnentor. The gate was built between 1235 and 1240 and was probably named after a citizen named Hageno, who owned the nearby land. This eventually morphed into Hahnentor (cock gate). The word burg, loosely translated to castle or bastion, refers to the defensive nature of the gate. The Hahnentorburg has two semi-circular, crenellated towers. The city's coat of arms is depicted above the entrance. The gate has had many functions throughout its lifespan. It has been used as a prison, museum and exposition hall.
005-COLOGNE'S CITY HALL- Cologne's City Hall is a magnificent complex in the heart of the old town. Its Gothic tower, once the tallest building in the city, is decorated with more than 100 sculptures .The nucleus of Cologne's city hall complex was built in the 14th century and replaced a smaller structure from the 12th century. Over the years, the city hall expanded into a large structure with a mixture of different architectural styles. After it was severely damaged in the Second World War, the historic Rathaus was only partially reconstructed, the rest of the complex was rebuilt in a modern style. The 200 feet high Ratsturm (city hall tower) symbolized the increased importance of the 22 guilds of Cologne, who now selected the majority of the councilmen. Construction of the tower started in 1407 and when it was completed, it was the tallest building in the city, even eclipsing the Gross St. Martin. The current statues, 124 in total, were installed in 2008 and depict Christ, his apostles, saints and a host of figures that made an impact on the history of Cologne over a span of 2000 years .The splendid Renaissance loggia, known as the Rathauslaube, was added between 1569 and 1573.The Rathauslaube is beautifully adorned with medallions, reliefs and sculptures. A niche at the top holds a statue of Justitia, the Roman goddess of justice. A frieze between the two arcades depicts the legend of Mayor Grin. According to this legend, two priests lured the mayor to an inner courtyard where a hungry lion was held captive. The mayor was able to slay the lion and the priests were hanged. The story symbolizes the power struggle between civil and clerical rule. Steps behind the loggia lead to the Hansasaal, the oldest hall in the Rathaus, originally built in 1360 and reconstructed after it was destroyed by fire during World War II. The Gothic hall is decorated with sculptures of historic figures. The hall's name stems from the Hanseatic League, a powerful organization of merchants who often met in this large hall.
006- EAU DE COLONGE 4711/FARINA FAGRANCE MUSEUM- The neo-Gothic building at the Glockengasse is the home of the famous Eau de Cologne nr 4711. The number 4711 refers to a house number assigned during the French occupation at the end of the 18th century. In 1794, when French troops occupied the city of Cologne and they ordered all houses in the city to be assigned a unique number .The perfume company’s house was assigned number 4711 whose old name was the Glockengasse. The history of the 4711 perfume goes back to 1792, when, according to legend, Wilhelm Mülhens was given the recipe for a fragrance from a monk as a wedding gift. Mühlens tried to sell his perfume by the name of Farina, a popular brand created by the Italian perfume maker Giovanni Maria Farina who marketed his perfume as 'Eau de Cologne' (French for Water from Cologne). Mühlens was ordered by court to stop using the name 'Farina', but his son and grandson continued using the name regardless until a court order in 1881 made Ferdinand Mülhens, grandson of Wilhelm decide to rename the perfume's brand, so Ferdinand decided to use that number as the name of the company's perfume. Mülhens' company soon started to getting good business and the number 4711 became world famous, the perfume was even used by royals. The ground floor of the house is home to a store selling the famous perfume. On the first floor is a small museum which documents the history of the Eau de Cologne 4711. The New Gothic head office of the famous "Eau de Cologne" manufacturer with a carillon that chimes every hour - opposite the opera house.
007- HOHENZOLLERN BRUCKE/COLONGE BRIDGE- During Roman times, the Rhine River formed the north eastern border of the Roman Empire. Of the seven bridges that cross the majestic Rhine river in Cologne, the Hohenzollernbrücke is the most famous and located near the cathedral. It is also the oldest bridge, built between 1907 and 1911.Present day Bridge is named after the Hohenzollern dynasty and was inaugurated in 1911 by Emperor Wilhelm II. The bridge has six railway tracks and two lanes of road with a pedestrian walkway to cross the Rhine River for the beautiful view of the skyline of Cologne and was supported by three monumental iron truss arches. Large towers were built on either side of the bridge, decorated with equestrian statues of king and emperors .The statues on the Cologne side of the bridge is of Emperor Friedrich III and Wilhelm I .On other side statues of King Friedrich Wilhelm IV and Emperor Wilhelm I. Due to its location near the cathedral, the Hohenzollernbrücke is one of the most photographed landmarks in Cologne. The bridge is especially beautiful at night, when the large arches are illuminated
008-MUSEUM LUDWIG- It is a museum of modern art, near central station and Rhine River and Hohenzollern bridge and famous Cologne Cathedral .Museum Ludwig, houses a collection of modern art. It includes works from Pop Art, Abstract and Surrealism and has one of the largest Picasso collections in Europe. It also features many works by Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein. The recent building was opened in 1986 near the Cologne Cathedral. The building also contains the Kölner Philharmonie. The second integral part of the museum is the Sammlung Ludwig, a collection of art by Picasso, Russian avant-garde and American Pop-art artists. With around 900 works by Picasso, the museum today has the third largest collection of this artist worldwide, after Barcelona and Paris. In addition, Peter Ludwig and his wife Irene later put their collection of the Russian avant-garde on permanent loan to the museum, including 600 works from the period 1905 to 1935 by artists such as Kasimir Malevich, Ljubov Popova, Natalia Goncharova, Mikhail Larionov and Alexander Rodchenko. The café-restaurant "Ludwig at the Museum" is located in this building in a special place. Above the Philharmonic, it is on the side of the Heinrich-Böll-Platz and opens with its stunning glass facade, above all the heavens and just below the skyline of bridge, including river and the railway station, with its always busy rolling trains the image. Entry is Euro10.00.
009-KÖLN-HAUPTBAHNHOF/COLONGE MAIN STATION - The station is situated next to Cologne cathedral. The station is an important local, national and international hub, with many ICE, Thalys and Intercity trains arrives there, as well as regional Regional Express, Regional Bahn and local S-Bahn trains. Euro Night and DB Nacht Zug night services also call at the station. It has frequent connections to Frankfurt by way of the Cologne-Frankfurt high-speed rail line, which starts in southern Cologne. On an average day, about 2, 80,000 travellers arrive at the station, making it the fifth busiest station in Germany. There is another important station in Cologne, the Köln Messe/Deutz railway station across the river Rhine, just about 400 meters away from Köln Hauptbahnhof. The stations are linked by the Hohenzollernbrücke, a six-track railway bridge with passenger walkways on each side. Frequent local services connect the two stations. In 1894 the large tripartite platform hall was completed. The central hall had a roof span of 64 meters covering today's platforms 2 to 7, and outside it were two 13.5 meter-wide aisles for platforms 1 and 8. The 255 meter-long hall included a two-storey waiting room building, with easy access to all platforms. In 2000, a shopping centre was opened at the entry level including the area under the S-Bahn tracks. The so-called colonnade includes 70 shops and restaurants with over 11,500 square meters of retail space and 700 employees.
010-MUSEUM OF CHOCOLATE- The private "Schokoladenmuseum" located at the banks of the Rhine provides a sweet interlude and contains everything worth knowing and tasting about the history of chocolate. The Imhoff-Schokoladenmuseum (Imhoff Chocolate Museum) was opened by Hans Imhoff on 31 October 1993. It is situated in the Cologne quarter of Altstadt-Süd on the Rheinauhafen peninsula. The exhibits show the entire history of chocolate, from its beginnings with the Olmecs, Maya and Aztecs to contemporary products and production methods. Among the most valuable items in the museum's collection are 18th and 19th-century porcelain and silver bowls and vessels for drinking chocolate from pre-Columbian Mesoamerica. The museum also has on display historical chocolate machines and moulds for forming chocolate in different shapes and a collection of historical chocolate vending machines. At the entrance of the museum is a shop with a wide range of chocolate products. In 2006, the chocolate museum entered a partnership deal with Lindt & Sprüngli, wherefore most of the products in the shop are Lindt & Sprüngli .With 5,000 guided tours and 6,75,000 visitors a year, the museum is in the Top Ten of German museums. The museum is entirely self-supporting, receiving no subsidy.
011-KÖLN TRIANGLE TOWER - KölnTriangle is a 103.2 meters tall building in Deutz, Cologne, and a prominent landmark in Cologne. The building was completed in 2006. Its south facade consists of a double-facade, allowing natural ventilation even at high floors. Next to the high-rise structure, part of KölnTriangle is a 6-storey office block with a total gross floor area of 84.300 m².KölnTriangle is headquarters of the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). The top floor and roof houses a publicly accessible observation deck with panorama views all over Cologne, in particular Cologne Cathedral, directly opposite the Rhine.
012 – COLONGE COMMUNICATION TOWER/COLONIUS- Colonius is the Cologne telecommunications tower 266 meters high, which was built in 1981.The Colonius possesses a cafeteria, viewing platform at 166 meters and a restaurant and antennas for radio relay and radio services within the VHF range. At the time of its completion the Colonius was 252.9 meters high. In 2004 a radio antenna was added by helicopter to increase the height to 266 meters.
013- COLOGNE TOWER /KÖLNTURM- It is an office building and Cologne's second tallest building with 44 floors at 148.5 m (with antenna is 165.48 meters) in height, second only to the Colonius (266 m/873 feet). It serves as a media centre because it is near to the Media Park .The observation deck and restaurant, located on the 30th floor and are no longer open to visitors. The concrete and steel tower is located northwest of the inner city, at the green belt (Innerer Grüngürtel) that surrounds the historic centre of Cologne.
014-DIE KÖLNER SYNAGOGE- The synagogue is notable for its architecture that looks, well, right out of Gotham City. The Torah within the synagogue was rescued by a Catholic priest from another synagogue as it was being burned during Nazi rule. In August of 2005 Pope Benedict XVI visited the synagogue, becoming the second pope to ever visit a synagogue.
015-RHEINSEILBAHN/RHINE CABLE CAR- It is an aerial tramway crossing the Rhine . The cable car offer’s most attractive bird’s eye view of the city. The zoo is near the cable car .It length is 935mts. The cable car over the Rhine was opened on April 26, 1957, it connects the exhibition sites close to the Cologne Zoo on the west bank to Rheinpark on the east bank. Amongst its first guest were the President of Germany, Theodor Heuss and Federal Chancellor and former Mayor of Cologne Konrad Adenauer. When it first went into service, it was the only cable car in Germany that crossed a river. It stayed this way until another aerial tram across the Rhine in Koblenz opened in 2011.The new extended Rhine cableway re-opened on 22 August 1966. Today it crosses the thermal baths known as the Claudius Therme, which were built later in the Rheinpark (Rhine Park).The cars are more theme park style than a modern flashy affair. The journey isn't very long and the duration is about 15 minutes one-way and the ticket is for 4.50 Euros one way and 6.50 Euros return. Note that it's not included if you buy a daily travel card which covers all other modes of travel.
016-FLORA AND BOTANICAL GARDEN-The oldest and well-established Cologne green area is located close to the left Rhine banks in the north of Cologne. In 1864 the south section of garden was laid and was arranged symmetrically in a variation of styles and various landscapes. In 1914 a new botanical garden was created near the Flora Garden. Both gardens were combined in 1920 to create a park of about 28 acres. Over one million annual visitors come to see more than 10,000 species of plants and trees. Furthermore, you can view a large number of plant houses, such as the tropical green houses and the palm tree house. Admission is free. Centrally located on these grounds, the stylish “Haus Flora“, or just “Flora“houses a restaurant and a dance floor. In summer, the annual “Zoo and Flora Summer Night “takes place. Apart from a nocturnal visit to the zoo, it offers a brilliant music programme. The centrepiece of the Flora is the building, erected in 1864 at the centre of the garden. The cast iron building with a magnificent glass vaulting was modelled after the Crystal Palace in London and the Jardin d'Hiver in Paris. Throughout the 19th century, the building was used for floral exhibitions. There are also many landscaped areas, including a heather garden, a Mediterranean garden, a fern garden and a pond. Exotic plants such as orchids, cocoa plants and succulents are housed in a large glasshouse. The Botanical garden, which occupies the northern part of the park, contains about 10,000 different plant species. In this area the plants are systematically categorized into different gardens. The alpine garden alone contains some 2.000 species of mountain plants.
017-RHEINAUHAFEN- The formerly commercial port is now being used as a marina. It is a 38 acres urban regeneration project in Colonge along Rhine river between the Südbrücke (Southern Railway Bridge) and Severinsbrücke (Severin Bridge), just south of the inner city's historic old town. This is near the harbour and about 2kms long. The newly designed, restructured Rheinauhafen waterfront complex is a young and attractive district of Cologne, not far from to the city centre, has quickly become established as one of Cologne’s popular attractions. The waterfront district features a mix of modern residential and office buildings interspersed with many cafés, restaurants, and galleries. And visitors with a passion for architecture and culture will also find points of interest in the Rheinauhafen. The project is set around the actual Rheinauhafen, a formerly commercial harbour developed during the 1880s and spans 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) in the north-south direction and 200 metres (660 feet ) east-west at its widest. The centrepiece of the new Cologne promenade is the trio of buildings called the “Kranhäuser” (crane towers-from south to north "Kranhaus PLUS", "Kranhaus1" and "Pandion Vista"), which rise to a height of about 60 meters. The buildings, which are shaped like hoisting cranes, are defining elements of the skyline on the west bank of the Rhine. The mingling of historic landmark buildings and modern architecture is a characteristic feature of the Rheinauhafen. Also on the west bank of the Rhine is a newly opened four-star superior hotel — the trapezoid-shaped art’otel cologne.
018-HOHE STRASSE-High Street is one of the main shopping areas and extends from the cathedral in an approximately southerly direction. This street is particularly popular with tourists and contains many gift shops, clothing stores, fast food restaurants and electronic goods dealers’ .This is pedestrian zone and about 680 meters long and ends at Schildergasse on the southern end.
019-WDR ARCADES ON WALLRAFFP-LATZ-This building houses the Radio and television production studios of the largest German broadcasting station. The WDR-Arkaden are architecturally one of the most interesting buildings in Cologne. The WDR arcades are not a traditional shopping mall. Primarily, the modern glass building houses offices, a cafeteria and the glass studio of the Cologne-based WDR: the administrative headquarters for the West German broadcasting corporation. Another special feature is the huge post office, which is integrated into the arcades. Also you can find here clothing stores, a jeweller and a bistro.
020-LANXESS ARENA- Lanxess Arena (originally Kölnarena, German for Cologne Arena) is an indoor arena, in Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia, and Germany. The arena opened in 1998 and can accommodate 20,000 people. It is primarily used by VfL Gummersbach (team handball), Kölner Haie (ice hockey) and as a concert venue .The arena is spanned by a steel arch supporting the roof via steel cables. The height of the arch is 76 m (249 feet) and its weight is 480 tons. The "Weltstadthaus". The building is a real masterpiece, which found its place in the city centre. The glass dome rests weightlessly on the gigantic roof ridge.
021-RHEINENERGIESTADION- The RheinEnergie Stadion is a football stadium in Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia, and Germany. It was built on the site of the two previous Müngersdorfer stadiums. The stadium was one of the 12 hosting the 2006 FIFA World Cup. The stadium's name comes from a contract with the local power supplier RheinEnergie AG. The capacity is 50,000 visitors during club matches and 46,195 for international games, when there are no standing spectators allowed. The entire field is lit with a floodlight system. In the north grandstand there is a museum dedicated to 1. FC Köln.
022-MEDIA PARK/CINEDOM- The Köln Turm is a new landmark, housing a restaurant at an altitude of 100 meters. The Media Park is an urban regeneration neighbourhood in Cologne, completed in 2004. It was set up to accommodate companies of the media and communication industry, as well as cultural institutions, a hotel and some apartment buildings. The Media Park is situated in Neustadt-Nord, Cologne, on the site of a former goods station and is some 20 hectare large. The buildings sit radially around a central square and are surrounded by parks and a small lake. The city quarter's focal point is the 148 meter tall KölnTurm completed in 2001.The Media Park is home to over 250 companies and a workforce of some 5,000 people. Among the corporate firms at Media Park are EMI Music Germany, Radio Köln and Westdeutscher Rundfunk studios of 1LIVE; among the cultural institutions are a large multiplex cinema (Cinedom), the Filmbüro Nordrhein-Westfalen, the Fresenius University of Applied Sciences, the music Fabrik and SK Stiftung Köln with the Akademie för uns Kölsche Sproch (Academy for our Kölsch language).
023-OPERA HOUSE/THEATRE- Offenbachplatz (Colonge Opera House) and Schauspiel Köln (Cologne Playhouse) .Both buildings (1957-1962) on the Offenbachplatz were built by Wilhelm Riphahn and can accommodate 1,300 and 920 visitors respectively. It was inaugurated on 8 May 1957 in the presence of Konrad Adenauer, then the Chancellor of Germany and a former mayor of Cologne. The first opera to be performed there was Carl Maria von Weber's Oberon.
024-HANSAHOCHHAUS- Hansahochhaus is an office building and was built in 1924-1925. It was the tallest building which was made in the shortest in Europe with 65 meters of high and 17 floors. Today, it is a commercial and administration building. Among other occupants, it houses the department store with the widest selection of audio media in Europe (Saturn).
025-OVERSTOLZENHAUS- The Overstolzenhaus is a magnificent example of secular Romanesque architecture. Built in the early 13th century by a wealthy family of merchants, it is one of the best preserved Romanesque houses in Germany. The Overstolzenhaus was built for Blithildis, daughter of Gottschalk Overstolz, the patriarch of a merchant family who had become one of the most powerful and wealthy citizens of Cologne by getting dowry and a successful cloth trading business. The exact date of the construction is unknown, but the house was possibly built as early as 1225. The house was partially used as a commercial building so it was located close to Cologne's former port at the Rhine River. The first two floors of the house were residential while the four upper floors were used to store wares .The house was instead of demolition, was restored and recognized as an important historical landmark .The Overstolzenhaus has a magnificent façade with an imposing corbie gable. Its design is clearly Romanesque, defined by rather heavy masonry and round arches but it has hints of early Gothic architecture, with its large windows and use of plate tracery. The windows on the ground floor are a result of the 19th century renovation and are not original. Little of the original interior has been preserved, but the banquet hall on the first floor is still decorated with a 13th century wall painting depicting a medieval tournament.
026 - COLOGNE UNIVERSITY- The University of Cologne is one of the oldest universities in Europe and, with 38,000 students and 4,000 postgraduates, one of the largest universities in Germany. It is furthermore the German founding member of the Community of European Management Schools and International Companies (CEMS). Since 2012 the university is regularly called an elite university in all kinds of German media because the university's overall concept was awarded in the German Universities Excellence Initiative .The University of Cologne was established in 1388 as the fourth university in the Holy Roman Empire, after the Charles University of Prague (1348), the University of Vienna (1365) and the Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg (1386).
027-HOHE STRAßE -Hohe Straße starts at the foot of the cathedral at Wallrafplatz and leads into Schildergasse. It is a complete pedestrianized street. The Hohe Strasse really is a historical path, because it has already been existing during the times of the Romans, when it was part of the connections from Rome to Xanten. A wide variety of shops like H&M, Media Markt, Esprit, Mango and Zero invite shoppers to do window shopping and stroll through these streets. Lots of souvenir shops can be found alongside shops, shoes, clothing, jewellery, books and watches. There are several popular Starbucks coffee shops also scattered around the area.
028- SCHILDERGASSE -The Schildergasse, continuing the shopping mile Hohe Strasse in the direction to Neumarkt. The Schildergasse pedestrian zone attracts 15,000 people an hour at peak shopping times, making it the most popular high street in Germany. Just like the neighbouring Hohe Strasse, it accommodates large department stores and branches of familiar brands. Schildergasse is the central connection between Hohe Straße and Neumarkt. TK Maxx, as well as brands such as Desigual, Adidas, Puma, Esprit and Tommy Hilfiger have opened stores here. Cologne’s Hardrock Café is at the end of Schildergasse. Primark is planning on opening a store in Neumarkt Gallery at the end of 2013.
029- BREITE STRAßE - Breite Straße is one of the most interesting shopping streets in the centre of Cologne. The sectoral mix has been a success, many shops are still run by the owners. New construction projects like DuMont-Carré, Opernpassage or the WDR Arcades provide for additional pull. The Breite Strasse and the Ehrenstrasse link the area around the Dom and Hohe Strasse with the Hohenzollern- ring. Walking down this connection, the two nice shopping centers "WDR-Arkaden" and "Opern Passagen" as well as some good shops for the higher demand for delicate- seen, leather ware or collectors of stamps and coins lie along the way. The Breite Strasse is extended by Ehren- strasse which is some- times called the small version of London's Kings Road because of some eccentric and funny fashion shops.