End of November in Cologne

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This Saturday I had an early start driving to Köln (Cologne), a city I had not visited in some years.

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End of November in Cologne

November 25, 2007

Light up the beers!

Cologne is yet a city that have been founded by the Romans. It is the oldest city in Germany and still characterized by its 2000 years of history, which you see traces of when walking in this city. The Roman road network is still reflected to this day in the layout of the city streets. The Hohe Strasse, which today is a busy shopping street between the cathedral (Dom) and Neumarkt square, can look back over a two-thousand-year history of economic and social life.

What I found nice was that some ot the old heritage is saved and not in the most obvious places - inside the parking garage where I parked close the Dome there was parts of the old city walls saved.

Cologne has just over one million inhabitants and is the fourth-largest city in Germany.

Gross St. Martin in the background of two old and beautiful houses at the old fishmarket.

It is one of the most important crossroads in Western Europe. Cologne is also a highly diverse city - with many different historical, technological and cultural facets.

The location on the river Rhine have over time ensured that the commerce and industry flourish in this international trade fair centre. Driving from Brussels to Cologne you pass many area with heavy industri. Cologone is well known as a commecial centre and The Cologne Trade Fair Centre KölnMesse expects 1.4 million visitors from 170 countries for 30 international trade fairs and exhibitions every year.

The city offers about 240 hotels with 21,000 beds, which make it possible to get good hotel offers. I was checking the day before I left and I could have gotten really good offers for the night if I had decided to stay.

The habour at Fischmarkt

I went into the tourist office to get a city map and I must say that it was very well organized and there were a lot of city offers on display.

The city is also known as the "Media and communications city" thanks to its blend of art, culture and creativity, with no fewer than 11 broadcasting companies. These companies are very noticeable in the city - I went by WDR (Der Westdeutsche Rundfunk) and they were situated in a very large building in the city center.

In all I had a beautiful day there today walking around in the inner city. I was lucky to get a parking spot in the parking centre under the Dome. It was a wonderful day today with some sunshine and around 6-8 degrees celcius.

Demonstration at Breaslauer Platz

The city center was very busy - for me it was almost too busy because there were people everywhere, even in the small side streets, but when all comes to all I prefer a lively city.

There was a lot of activity around the Dome, tousands of turists like me were visiting the city this day and there was a demonstration in front of the central station. I tried to figure out what is was about - I think it was a little about everything; freedom, police abuse, sex - almost everything was mentioned on the different posters.

Cologne cathedral with its two spires 157 metres in height, has been the city's most famous landmark for centuries and the most well-known architectural monument in Germany. It is a impressive building.

It took 632 years until construction of the largest German cathedral was completed.

Cologne cathedral in the late aftenoon sun with its two spires 157 metres in height

After the laying of the foundations in the year 1248 and making rapid progress initially, construction work gradually came to a standstill. It was only with 19th century romantic enthusiasm for the Middle Ages and the commitment of the Prussian Court that construction work resumed in 1842. In 1880, completion of the cathedral was celebrated as a national event. I was lucky to get some different pictures of the Dome - when I arrived the clouds made it dark and gloomy but later when the late afternoon sun was shining on it, it was glowing and you see all the details that have been done on it.