"Best Historic Locations in Cologne" Created by: Cityseeker 16 Locations Bookmarked Cologne Cathedral Treasure Chamber "Treasures of The Cathedral" Any tour of the Kölner Dom is incomplete without a visit to the sacristy, where the cathedral treasures are on display. The most important piece, for the inhabitants of Cologne, is a simple wooden staff, which, although it is decorated with ivory and silver, has no great value in financial terms. Its by Kleon3 symbolic importance, however, is great: not only was it claimed to be the staff of St. Peter, which found its way to Cologne at the end of the 10th Century, but it was also the symbol of the power of the Archbishop over the city. Pieces of St. Peter's chains are said to be locked in a monstrance which is kept in the treasure-vault. On special occasions these treasures are carried through the city in a procession. +49 221 1 6420 koelner-dom.de/index.php?id=doms Domkloster 4, (Sakristei des Kölner chatzkammer Doms), Cologne Alter Markt "Old Town's Festive Center" Alter Markt, or the Old Market, lies in the heart of the Old Town. It is home to the Christmas Market during the festive season and the Medienburgerfest in the summer, but is perhaps best known for the Carnival which begins at 11.11am on the 11th day of the 11th month. This is when Cologne goes completely crazy and hoards of Jecken, or madmen, by Raimond Spekking storm the town hall. Once Cologne's commercial center, nowadays it is simply a focal point for tourists who flock here to witness the comings and goings around the Marktbrunnen fountain. Alter Markt, Cologne City Hall "Germany's Oldest City Hall" Visitors to Cologne's City Hall (Kölner Rathaus) are almost certain to see one of the many newly-married couples who have their wedding photographs taken in front of the beautiful historic facade after taking their vows. Having been damaged during the Second World War, part of the 14th-century Renaissance building was rebuilt. Cologne artisans by VollwertBIT concentrated particularly on restoring the Rathaus tower, and thanks to their donations visitors today can hear the bells ringing just as they did before. Statues of emperors, popes, poets and academics - and also of women's rights campaigners - look down from the tower on the busy square below. The consoles of the tower are also decorated with the likenesses of various figures from the vast periods that span the tower's history. +49 221 2210 www.stadt-koeln.de/politik-und- Rathausplatz, Cologne verwaltung/rathaus/ Fischmarkt "Once Cologne's Fish Market" Nestled right in the heart of the city, Fischmarkt which once served as a fish market now is one of Cologne’s popular tourist attractions. Despite the bombings during the Second World War, the Fischmarkt retains its late-gothic structures and today is a charming market square with many pubs and guest-houses. by Allie_Caulfield Fischmarkt, Cologne Ostermann-Brunnen "The Bard of Cologne" The singer and song-writer Willi Ostermann (1876-1936) is still remembered today. Many of his songs about his native town have become regulars favorites of the Kölner Karneval . There is hardly a Cologner who does not know his song "Heimwih noh Kölle" (home-sick for Cologne.) At Karneval, everyone joins in at the final verse "Ich möcht zo Foß nach Kölle by Maimi2010 jon" (I want to walk to Cologne). Willi Klein designed a fountain shortly after Ostermann's death which was reworked in 1970. The figures on the fountain tell the story of the characters in his songs. Ostermannplatz, Altstadt, Cologne Old Town "Cologne's Historic District" Cologne's Old Town, often called Altstadt, is a district that includes narrow medieval houses between the Hohenzollern Bridge and the Severins Bridge that was once the trading center of the city. Where craftsmen and merchants, since approximately the 10th Century, displayed and offered their wares, has now become the entertainment by dronepicr quarter. Today the former market squares are still busy, especially the Alter Markt. At Heumarkt, archaeologists display finds which tell the story of life in the town in years gone by, while the Alter Markt is a traditional meeting-place during festivals, markets and the opening of Karneval. Old Town, Cologne Archaeological Zone - Jewish Museum "Preserving History!" The Archaeological Zone/Jewish Museum is a dynamic project that covers an expansive area. The museum, rather a historic zone, is a sprawling stretch of land that covers important historic monuments, ruins and excavations. The focus is to uncover the culture and history of Romans by Raimond Spekking and Jews as well as the Middle Ages period. This prestigious museum is being developed in installments, and currently several landmarks are open for public visits. These include Praetorium, Roman Sewer, Mikveh and Ubian Monument. +49 221 2213 3422 www.museenkoeln.de/arc [email protected] Unter Goldschmied 3, haeologische-zone/ Cologne St. Andrew's "Albertus Magnus in The Crypt" The financial district of Cologne is guarded by the church of St Andrew (Andreas) whose tower overlooks the crossroads below. The crypts beneath the nave house (built in 1220) has the remains of the famous Dominican scholar, Albertus Magnus, teacher of Thomas Aquinus. The church, is dedicated to the apostle Andreas (Andrew). St Andrew's by Walter K. Schlage features a unique blend of Romanesque and Gothic architecture, making it one of the most interesting churches in Cologne. Also Medieval wall paintings are still visible today. +49 221 16 0660 www.sankt-andreas.de/ sankt- Komödienstraße 4-8, [email protected] Cologne Heumarkt "Old Marketplace Next to Alter Markt" A lot has changed at Heumarkt over the last few centuries! In addition to being an important historic location, it is also a main square filled with restaurants and bars with outdoor tables. Like the nearby Alter Markt, it was once used for much more than just historians or tourists. The name comes from the Middle Ages when it was the '"hay-market." In the 17th by Raimond Spekking Century, the square was supposedly so beautiful that it could be compared to St. Mark's in Venice. The center of the square proudly displays a large statue of Friedrich Wilhelm III. Heumarkt, Cologne Eigelsteintor "A Farmer Guards The Eigelstein" The Eigelsteintor is one of the three medieval gatehouses that remain from the city's early fortifications. This gate is now the symbol of Eigelstein, one of the colorful and lively districts of Cologne. Below the two towers, the Kölner Bauer keeps watch. Traditionally, the figure stands for the city's independence. The three Kölner Bauer figures appear each by Gerhard Kemme year in the Cologne carnival. The original Bauer is located in the courtyard of the city hall; the figure in Eigelstein is a casting. +49 221 1305 6528 Eigelstein, Cologne Basilica of the Holy Apostles "Church at Neumarkt" Basilica of the Holy Apostles (Basilika St. Aposteln) is a tiny chapel that stood on the old Römerstrasse in the late 9th Century and became one of the most beautiful of Cologne's Romanesque churches, standing today on one of the busy streets around the Neumarkt. Basilica of the Holy Apostles is the third of the "Kölner Dreikronchenanlagen," which are by Островский Александр, churches associated with the three crowns on Cologne's coat-of-arms. Киев Some of the church's treasures have survived the years and various wars, including the Heribertkelch (Chalice of St Heribert) which is said to have belonged to the canonized Archbishop Heribert (999-1021). +49 221 925 8760 gemeinden.erzbistum-koeln.de/st- Neumarkt 30, Cologne aposteln/aktuell/index.html Hahnentorburg "Medieval City Gatehouse" The Hahnentorburg on Rudolfplatz is one of the three medieval gatehouses which remain standing from the city's medieval fortifications. This western gate, along with its two towers, was built in the early 13th- Century and was used as an entrance for royal visitors who came to the city to pay homage to the Cologne Cathedral's Shrine of the Three Kings. by Hpschaefer www.reserv- The Hahnentorburg was damaged during World War II but it was restored art.de to its former glory and is now an impressive city landmark. Visitors can pass through this historic gateway while admiring this medieval treasure's intriguing architecture. Rudolfplatz, Cologne St. Pantaleon "Beautiful Romanesque Church" The church of St. Pantaleon dates back to the 10th Century and is one of 12 Romanesque church's in Cologne. The west side of this Romanesque church is in the Ottonian style and comes from the architectural period before the Romanesque. In the mid-12th century, side aisles were added and in the 13th Century a treasure-chamber was built, which still houses by Allie_Caulfield several important pieces. The shrines to St. Albinus and St. Maurinus are the most significant among a variety of church treasures which are on display in the chamber. Archbishop Bruno and Empress Theophanu are buried there as well. +49 221 31 6655 www.sankt-pantaleon.de/ [email protected] Am Pantaleonsberg 10a, Cologne City Wall "City Wall" The first ever German memorial to the distant past is found near the medieval city wall near the Ulrepforte. In the late 13th Century, a breach in the wall allowed enemy troops to enter the city for the first and only time in the history of Cologne. The memorial to this event is a replica (though still very interesting). The original is kept in the Kölner Stadtmuseum. by Factumquintus +49 221 22130400 Sachsenring, Südstadt, Cologne Melaten cemetery "Picturesque City Cemetery" It was Napoleon himself who in 1800 ordered that all burials should take place outside the city walls - in accordance with the burial traditions of Ancient Rome.