Cologne

Cologne boasts a fascinating past and a bright future

Cologne, the Rhineland’s largest city, is so rich in antiquity that every time a new foundation is dug, excavators come up with archaeological finds. Devastating though the World War II bombing was, reconstruction brought to light a period of Cologne's history that had been a mystery for centuries and proved that Cologne was as important and powerful during the early Christian era as it was during Roman times and the Middle Ages.

Cologne, a 25-mile travel south of Düsseldorf, traces its beginnings to 38 B.C., when Roman legions set up camp here. As early as A.D. 50, the emperor Claudius gave it municipal rights as capital of a Roman province. In the early Christian era, a bishopric was founded here and a number of saints were martyred, including the city’s patron, St. Ursula. During the Middle Ages, as Cologne became a center for international trade, Romanesque and Gothic churches were built with prosperous merchants' gold.

Today, there’s much to see from every period of the city's 2,000-year history, from old Roman towers to a contemporary opera house. But Cologne is also a bustling modern city and is in the process of quietly becoming Germany’s fine-art capital.