A Day in Cologne

The most famous landmark in Cologne, Germany is the awe-inspiring Kölner Dom (Cologne Cathedral) which is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. Kölner Dom is one of the most important Gothic churches in Europe and is the largest cathedral in Germany. Although construction began in 1248, the cathedral wasn't finished until 1880. Although the Allied bombings of World War II destroyed almost 90% of Cologne, Kölner Dom survived almost unscathed.


While we were in Cologne we also went on a guided tour of the Römisch-Germanisches Museum (Roman-Germanic Museum) which gave us an insight into the storied past of the Roman city of Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium (the Roman name of Cologne) and the history of the Romans along the Rhine. The museum was built on the walls of a Roman villa that was discovered in 1941 and contained the world-famous Dionysos mosaic.

Just so you don't think that all my time in Cologne was spent in cathedrals and museums ......while we were touring Cologne's Alstadt (Old Town), our guide, who had an amusing sense of humor, pointed out a statue of a man mooning. This statue was featured on private property so it is anyone's guess what the owner was trying to tell the world. "Kiss my ass" was the first thought that came to my colorful mind.


If you're in Cologne, you must try two distinctive local treats: Kölsch, a relatively light and bitter local beer which is brewed only in this area and Nougatbrezel, a mouth-watering pretzel-like treat covered in chocolate, nougat and nuts. Yum! By the way, I didn't indulge in the Kölsch and Nougatbrezel together so I really don't have any idea if they make a good culinary pair.

More photos of Cologne