The Rhineland metropolis, in the west of the country, is a must-see on any trip across the Rhine. An ancient Roman city, with a long tradition, bustling, festive, it is today the media capital of the country, home to many television and radio stations, communication companies... A monster of the tertiary sector, Cologne is a student city of culture, young, but also of tradition, like its famous perfume, Eau de Cologne. Although the war has left its scars and lost some of its touristic assets, Köln is still a must-see destination, if only for its Unesco listed cathedral, its museums and the lively streets of its old town. In short, 2,000 years of history have shaped this modern city, which is a top destination. Above all, it is THE city of the carnival, picturesque and almost omnipresent, because it lasts almost five months! So what could be better than a little getaway at that time?

A rich history

Founded in 16 A.D., Ara Ubiorum was elevated to the rank of city by Agrippina, the wife of Emperor Claudius, in the year 50 A.D. The Colonia Agripina was born. It became the metropolis of the northern part of the Roman Empire, and established a valuable link between the Latin and Germanic worlds. The ancient period is also characterized by an early Christian fervor, exacerbated by the famous martyrdom of Saint Ursula. It is also the cradle of the oldest Jewish colony in continental Europe, at the origins of the Ashkenazi community, which moved to Eastern Europe over the centuries.

Medieval Cologne still bears the traces of this period. Thanks to the proliferation of religious buildings, it became "the equal of Jerusalem" - at least that is what people said at the time.

In 1248, the first stone of the cathedral was laid. The project was ambitious; it was to compete with the great French churches. However, it was some 600 years later (in 1880) that the building was completed. The influence of the building was more a reflection of nationalism than of the Christian faith, since the country had been united nine years earlier.

In the meantime, Cologne had been the first German city to have a democratic constitution and had remained aloof from the great upheavals that struck many other German cities. However, in 1794 French troops entered the city, and after 1815 the Prussians annexed the Rhineland. Even under Prussian rule, the Rhineland city managed to largely preserve its autonomy and its specificities, which are still very present in the minds of its contemporaries. The two world wars did not change this, even though in 1945 more than 90% of the city was destroyed. It was skilfully rebuilt, partly following the historical pattern of the city, partly with contemporary experiments, giving the city its specific silhouette, made of history and modernity.

Stroll from the cathedral to the botanical garden

There are several ways to discover the cathedral: from the square, in the daylight, you will be struck by the dark and wide façade whose towers seem to really want to touch the sky. Or in the evening, when you arrive in Cologne and leave the train station. It is difficult to describe the strangeness that emanates from the monument, due to both its almost incongruous location and the effect caused by the green reflections on the black stone. The jewel of Cologne is undoubtedly its cathedral! At 157 meters high, it is now a World Heritage Site.

Next, you should take a look at the twelve large Romanesque churches of the city, true witnesses of its medieval golden age. This profusion of places of worship earned it the nickname of "holy city". Badly damaged by the bombings of the Second World War, they have only been accessible again since 1985.

Then, we leave direction the immense botanical garden which is in a park of more than 11 hectares in the south of the city.

Museums in a mess

You have to go and see the Perfume museum, a rococo building which is the mother house of the famous Eau de Cologne, which made the reputation of the city in the whole world.

Then the Wallraf-Richartz museum presents a remarkable collection of Dutch and Flemish painters, such as Rembrandt or Rubens, as well as Italian works by Canaletto or French works by the impressionist Monet or the realist Courbet.

You should not miss the Chocolate Museum, the most visited private museum in the city. You'll learn all about cocoa production, its place in the cultural history of pre-Columbian America and Europe (from the 18th century to the present), and the marketing of industrial chocolate since the 19th century. In the glass-walled production facilities and the chocolate workshop, visitors can also discover how chocolate products are made both mechanically and manually. The museum's trademark: the three-meter-high chocolate fountain, which is continuously supplied with 200 kg of fresh Lindt chocolate. A visit to the museum is a real treat for chocolate lovers who enjoy dipping a waffle into the fountain!

Finally, the Ludwig Museum is a real temple dedicated to contemporary art. It is specialized in modern art, from pop art to surrealism and photography. It would be tedious to list all the artists represented, but the names of Pablo Picasso, Otto Dix or Gerhard Richter are good examples.

In Cologne, a hundred-year-old carnival

This famous carnival starts on November 11 at 11:11 am (11 is, it seems, the number of fools). If it lasts almost five months, it is during its last week that the atmosphere goes up a notch. More than a celebration, it is a gigantic party and a complete reversal of values. During Carnival, and especially during the days leading up to Rosenmontag, anything goes! This festival, in its current form, has its origins in the response of the Colonists to Prussian domination after the Congress of Vienna in 1815. The tradition of carnival in Cologne, whose festival committee officially celebrates its 200th anniversary in 2023, goes back to the Middle Ages. The illustrious Casanova boasted of having celebrated Carnival in Cologne and of having had an affair with the mayor's wife on that occasion! It is that everything is allowed during this pagan festival and some are worried about the approach of a period always very agitated. But the festival is expected by all and the costumes are ready for several months.

The actual festivities of the Fasteleer begin with the three crazy days (five, in fact), the Thursday before the famous Rosenmontag, at 11:11 am. It is the Weiberfastnacht, or Women's Carnival, which opens the march of the parades of each edition: party, laughter, freedom and liberty are the watchwords. On Sunday, the traditional parade of school groups and inhabitants of the suburbs (Veedelszög) takes place. But it is on Monday, during the much awaited Rosenmontag, that the party reaches its climax. The beer flowed freely and sympathies were quickly expressed. It is said that about one million people parade in the streets! In any case, the floats are very beautiful, the costumes very colorful, extravagant and sometimes frightening, and the music is always loud: on this occasion, the party lasts until dawn! And while on Tuesday, some parades still take place here and there, Ash Wednesday, on February 22 this year, closes the party and everyone is already thinking about the next carnival. An unmissable event!

Smart info


When is it? Of course Cologne can be visited all year round, although the arrival of the warm weather in spring is the most pleasant time. For the carnival, this year you will have to put your bags down between February 16 and 22, 2023.

How to get there. By car, train or plane, everything is possible.

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