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Population:1.022 million
Currency:Euro, €1 = 100 cents
Opening hours:Department stores and largeshops open from around 10.00 to20.00 Monday to Friday and onSaturdays from 10.00 to 18.00(larger shops until 20.00).Supermarkets and food shopsoften open at 8.00. Many shopsare closed on Sundays.
COLOGNEPUBLISHING DATE: 2009-06-08 | COUNTRY CODE: DEContents: The City, Do & See, Eating, Cafés, Bars & Nightlife, Shopping,Sleeping, Essential Information, Maps
COLOGNEIt’s said that natives of Cologne who live elsewhere alwaysfeel homesick. Visitors to the city will soon understand why.Germany’s oldest metropolis, which, of course, gave itsname to Eau de Cologne, offers a mix of magnificent romanicchurches, the latest in modern architecture, busy shoppingstreets and world-famous museums. And we haven’t evenmentioned the carnival.
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THE CITY #THECITY#
Visitors to Cologne will find a modernmedia city with historic roots. Cologne isthe oldest of Germany’s large cities andthe impressive outline of its cathedral, aGothic masterpiece and the most visitedbuilding in Germany, towers over all thecity’s other buildings. The cathedral, whichwas started in 1248, was one of the mostambitious building projects of the MiddleAges and is still one of the largestcathedrals in Europe. The city began life asa Roman colony, hence the name Colonia,which later became Cologne or Köln inGerman.
Today Cologne is a metropolis in all sensesof the word, both in terms of its size andthe attractions it has to offer. It is a centrefor the arts with many galleries andinnumerable large international trade fairs.The city’s skyline is dominated by thecathedral and twelve Romanic churches, aswell as by five large radio and televisionbuildings. Many printing firms andnewspaper companies are based inCologne, which is one of Europe’s mostimportant media cities.
Visitors will find that the majority of thesights, restaurants and nightclubs inCologne are located in the city centre, inthe old town or Altstadt, alongside the ringroad around the city and in the Severindistrict to the south. Cologne’s location onthe Rhine makes it the perfect startingplace for romantic trips down the river.
Amongst the more modern architecturalsights, the neo-Gothic building onGlockenstrasse is the most popular withvisitors. This is where the city’s mostfamous product, Eau de Cologne 4711, wasoriginally made.
DO & SEE #DOANDSEE#
The Cathedral Of St. Peter And MariaWork on building the cathedral began in1248 and it was the largest buildingproject undertaken in the Middle Ages. Alarge, spacious church was needed toaccommodate the influx of pilgrims whocame to visit one of the most importantshrines in the Catholic Church, which holdsthe relics of the three wise men. The bonesare kept in a casket which is the mostprecious treasure in the cathedral: amasterpiece of the medieval goldsmith’sart.
Address: Kölner Dom/DomplatzUnderground: HauptbahnhofPhone: +49 (0)221 179 405 55Tickets: Cathedral free of charge, € 2.50 to climb the tower, € 4treasury.Internet: www.koelner-dom.de
Romano-germanic MuseumOne of the most comprehensive collectionsof Roman and Germanic finds in Germany,ranging from prehistoric times through tothe Middle Ages and including the famousmosaic of Dionysus which dates fromaround 200 A.D.
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Address: Roncalliplatz 4, near the cathedralUnderground: HauptbahnhofPhone: +49 (0)221 221 244 38Internet: www.museenkoeln.de
Museum LudwigA must for art lovers. Paintings, sculptures,drawings, graphics and photographs fromthe beginning of the 20th century throughto the present day, with an emphasis onGerman expressionism, the Russianavant-garde, American pop art, surrealismand the works of Pablo Picasso.
Wallraf-Richartz-MuseumOne of the largest traditional art galleriesin Germany, including a medieval sectionwith an almost complete collection of localpainting on wood dating from 1300 to1550. The baroque section includes worksby Rubens and Rembrandt.
Address: Obenmarspforten, near RathausPhone: +49 (0)221 221 211 19Internet: www.museenkoeln.de
Schokoladenmuseum (The ChocolateMuseum)This museum is also called theImhoff-Stollwerck-Museum and covers3000 years of chocolate history. Theworld’s first chocolate museum offersvisitors a variety of exhibits to read, smelland taste in a futuristic “glass ship”.
Kölner Karnevalsmuseum (CarnivalMuseum of Cologne)Using sounds, images and objects, thismuseum gives visitors an idea of theexciting atmosphere, celebrations, coloursand joyful spirit of the world-famouscarnival.
For those not native to the area, it’simportant to realise that a “Halver Hahn” isnot a dialect term for half a chicken, but arye bread roll filled with Gouda cheese. Theregional beef dish “RheinischerSauerbraten” is a delicacy which generallycontains raisins and is served withdelicious gravy and potato dumplings. Beerdrinkers can look forward to trying Kölsch,a local beer brewed by many breweries inand around Cologne.
La VisionThis restaurant has a superb view from the11th floor of the old water tower in themiddle of the old town. Add to that Frenchgourmet food with Mediterraneaninfluences and you get an exclusiverestaurant which has been awarded oneMichelin star.
Address: Kaygasse 2, in the old townPhone: +49 (0)221 200 80Internet: www.hotel-im-wasserturm.de
PäffgenAt the Päffgen brewery you can be certainof finding good, straightforward,inexpensive food, such as hamburgers orherring fillets. The menu even includessuckling pig. The atmosphere is friendlyand it’s easy to get into conversation withthe other guests.
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Address: Friesenstrasse 64 - 66, in the old townPhone: +49 (0)221 135 461Internet: www.paeffgen-koelsch.de
Früh Am DomCologne’s equivalent of the Hofbräuhaus inMunich with high ceilings, dark woodpanelling and old oil paintings on the wallsand a large tiled stove on the ground floor.If you’re in a larger group, it may be worthordering a small barrel of beer which willbe put on the table.
Address: Am Hof 12-14, near the DomeUnderground: HauptbahnhofPhone: +49 (0)221 261 32 99Internet: www.frueh.de
Gaffel-hausThe oldest building in the Alter Markt. Thetables are in small niches which gives therestaurant an intimate atmosphere. Good,straightforward food at average prices.
Address: Alter Markt 20-22, in the old townPhone: +49 (0)221 257 76 92Internet: www.gaffel-haus.de
DaitokaiJapanese restaurant which is very popularand exclusive. The staff add the finaltouches to the dishes in front of theguests, for example on a hot stone.
Address: Kattenbug 2, in the old townUnderground: AppellhofplatzPhone: +49 (0)221 120 048Internet: www.daitokai.de
OasisGreek restaurant with a huge panoramicview over the Rhine and the old town onthe other side.
German cakes are really special. Fruitflans, Bienenstich (a cake with almondtopping and a vanilla cream filling) andSchwarzwälder Kirschtorte (Black Forestgateau) are just some of the specialities onoffer.
ReichardElegant, fashionable café with wonderfulflans and cakes, and the option of watchingthe world go by outside. Also a good placefor breakfast.
Address: Unter Fettenhennen 11Internet: www.cafe-reichard.de
FassbenderModern café. Even take away. Its specialityis Baumkuchen (“tree cake”), a cake whichis baked layer by layer so that it looks likethe growth rings in a tree trunk.
Address: Mittelstraße 12, near AppellhofplatzInternet: www.fassbender.de
BARS & NIGHTLIFE #BARSANDNIGHTLIFE#
The best way to spend a free evening is ina Biergarten (“beer garden”) where beer is
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served in a pleasant, open-air setting awayfrom the street. If you’re looking for moreintense and exciting nightlife with bars andclubs, head for the areas outside the ringroad, the old town and the Severin districtin the south of the city.
Fiffi BarFiffi is a typical German dog’s name. Thebar is decorated with dog pictures andfigurines, some of them withmotor-powered nodding heads. Kitsch orcult? It’s not always easy to decide, butmost people love it! The drinks havenames like “poodle” or “collie” and themusic is trendy.
Address: Rolandstraße 99, in the south of the cityUnderground: ClodwigplatzInternet: www.fiffibar.de
All Bar OneFashionable venue in a modern buildingwith a huge glass facade which can beopened. This combination of bar,restaurant and bistro also has a terracewhere you can spend warm summerevenings. However, the “see and be seen”effect has had an influence on the prices.
Address: Friesenstr. 82, in the old townUnderground: Friesenplatz
Hammond BarA bar with everything from beat to pop.Football fans can watch matches here.
Address: Metzerstrasse 25, in the south of the cityUnderground: ChlodwigplatzInternet: www.hammondbar.de
Rose ClubAlternative trendy club in the south of thecity, with different music on different days.Rock, pop, soul, funk, oldies and Germanpop mixed with hip hop.
Address: Luxemburger Straße 37, near BarbarossaplatzUnderground: BarbarossaplatzInternet: www.rose-club-cologne.de
SHOPPING #SHOPPING#
Shopping in Cologne is easy; nearlyeverything is within walking distance. Wesuggest starting at the Hauptbahnhof(main station), going past the cathedraland walking on southwards down HoheStrasse as far as Cäcilienstrasse. This willgive you a good overview of most of whatthe city has to offer. This long pedestrianarea has shops selling clothes, technology,souvenirs, cosmetics, books and music.You’ll find clothes chains such as Mangoand Zero, but also the Kaufhof departmentstore.
Breite Strasse is a side street off HoheStrasse and has an interesting mix ofshops. The new DuMont Carré andOpernpassage – or WDR arcade – hasmore exclusive labels and products.
Schildergasse runs south from the operahouse to the Neumarkt.
A new shopping area has grown up herewhich runs westwards to Rudolfstrasse,with the Bazaar de Cologne shopping mall.
The Belgisches Viertel – the Belgian districtaround Brüsseler Platz (U-BahnRudolfplatz) – is well-known for new,young fashion. Here you’ll find trendyclothes, jewellery and designer labels.
Just outside the city centre is the artscentre Hof 242 (Bonner Str. 242, bus 132and 133 to Mannsfeld). A former glassfactory has been converted into anexclusive exhibition and sales centre for
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artists and designers covering an area of2000 square metres. Here you’ll find woodand stone sculptures, collages, women’sclothes, decorations, fabrics, ceramics,lamps and furniture
SLEEPING #SLEEPING#
EXCLUSIVEHyatt Regency CologneThis luxury hotel is located near theexhibition centre and has excellent viewsof the old town and the cathedral. It has itsown restaurant, bar and fitness centre.
Hotel im WasserturmThe old water tower with its 130-year oldwalls has an unusual interior decor createdby the French architect Andrée Putman,where light wood contrasts with the rough,dark red brick walls.
Address: Kaygasse 2, between Neumarkt and BarbarossaplatzUnderground: PoststrassePhone: +49 (0)221 200 80Internet: www.hotel-im-wasserturm.de
GOOD VALUEBest Western Hotel CologneWarm colours and stained cherry woodfurniture. Air conditioning in every roomand desks with an Internet connection.
BASICCityclass Hotel Europa Am DomSmall, simple and inexpensive alternativein a central position.
Address: Am Hof 38 - 46, in the old townUnderground: to HauptbahnhofPhone: +49 (0)221 2058 0Internet: www.cityclass.de/Europa_am_Dom
ESSENTIAL INFORMATION
AirportCologne/Bonn airport is 17 km south-eastof the city centre. The journey to the citycentre takes around 15 minutes by car orS-Bahn (shuttle number S 13). The traindeparts every twenty minutes from theHauptbahnhof to the airport (from 4.21 to0.41 on weekdays). On Saturdays andSundays the train runs every half an hourand the last train leaves at 23.11. A taxicosts around € 25.
Public TransportA good transport system with anintegrated network covering the area fromBonn to the Ruhr district. If you plan to seeall the sights, it may be worth buying aKöln WelcomeCard which costs € 9 for oneday and covers the entire train and busnetwork (Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Sieg -VRS). It also offers discounts on entry to70 different sights and reduced prices atsome restaurants.
Internet: www.vrsinfo.de / www.kvb-koeln.de
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TaxiThe taxis are cream-coloured. Allregistered taxi drivers have a licence witha number on display where it is visible topassengers.
Taxi Ruf
Phone: +49 (0)221 2882Internet: www.taxiruf.de
PostYou can buy stamps from vendingmachines, some news kiosks and at thepost office. The central post office is at theHauptbahnhof.