Hundreds of Pictures of Cologne , Germany with map for tourists including : photos cologne cathedral, Gross St. Martin, St. Aposteln, St. Agnes, St. Ursula, St. Maria Himmelfahrt, Saint Andreas, Alter Markt.

A day's walk through the city of Cologne, Germany.

September 2005

Cologne : As soon as you enter Cologne the first thing that catches your attention is it's fabulous gothic cathedral, tallest of it's kind in the world that proudly stands tall over Germany's oldest city with all its innumerable cultural and historical treasures. Cologne as a city has world-famous museums and an active art scene. Whether you like street music on the Hohe Strasse or galas in the modern opera house, pavement painting on the cathedral concourse, old masters in the Wallraf Richartz, the annual music festival along the inner ring road or again the world famous carnival which takes place in its entire city all this becomes synthesized into a vivacious work of art in a cosmopolitan metropolis boasting more than a million inhabitants which, despite its size, has never lost its neighbourly character.

Cologne is, in terms of population, the fourth largest city in Germany and largest city of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. It is one of the most important German inland ports, and considered the economic, cultural, and historic capital of the Rhineland. It is the 16th largest city in the European Union. At the end of 2003, Cologne's population was 965,954, using the standard method of counting only those whose primary residence was the city. The city of Cologne adds those with non-primary residences, raising the figure to 1,020,603.

Its location at the intersection of the Rhine river with one of the major trade routes between eastern and western Europe was the foundation of Cologne's commercial importance. In the (The period of history between classical antiquity and the Italian Renaissance) Middle Ages it also became an ecclesiastical center of significance and an important center of art and learning. Cologne was badly damaged during World War II.

Cologne is well known for its beer, called "Kölsch". Kölsch is also the dialect of Cologne. It is jocularly said that Kölsch is the only language you can drink.
20% of Cologne's population is non-German. 40% of these are Turkish.

CLICK TO START YOUT VIRTUAL TRIP

1. You can start directly and view all 250 pictures of Cologne by clicking on one the map below showing the main portion of the city that I explored with my digital camera here

2. Go right to the links of your choice for the pictures of places of interest in Cologne found at the end of this page here

• WALK

A full sized map of Cologne can be downloaded here

• Direct links to places of interest

	Cologne Cathedral : The Cologne Cathedral is one of the best-known architectural monuments in Germany and has been Cologne's most famous landmark for centuries. The cathedral is under the administration of the Roman Catholic Church and is the seat of the Archbishop of Cologne. From 1880, when its spires were completed, until 1884 it was the World's tallest structure, losing its title at the completion of the Washington Monument in Washington DC. Cologne Cathedral remains the tallest Gothic structure in the world. Construction of the gothic church began in the 13th century and took, with interruptions, more than 600 years to complete. The two towers are 157m tall, the cathedral is 144m long and 86m wide. The cathedral is dedicated to Saints Peter and Mary.

	Gross St. Martin : This church is located not far from the Kölner Dom. The square tower of this church was completed in 1220, and the long part of the building was finished in the middle of the 13th century. Presently the tower (which is located at the crossing of the longitudinal and transverse naves) of the Groß St. Martin Church and the twin towers of the Kölner Dom mark the skyline of Cologne, when one views the city skyline from the east. In the Second World War, this church was destroyed; and, after the war, it was rebuilt. In the background of the picture, one can see the twin towers of the Kölner Dom; and, in the foreground, one can see a few beautiful old facades of houses and a couple of comfortable beer gardens, which are located only a few meters from the bank of the Rhine.

	St. Aposteln : St. Aposteln is a masterpiece of Romanesque-Hohenstaufen architecture, also because of its tri-conchal chancel in its harmonious form.The lozenge roof of the western tower is an archetype of Hohenstaufen architecture. In the building's central nave, the 11th century construction period can still be recognised from the coloured sandstone of the pillars. Just by the entrance, inside the church, the statues of the fourteen auxiliary saints are located, and in the east conch, valuable oak religious depictions dating back to the 14th century are on show. However, the most precious piece of church treasure is the Heribert Chalice dating back to the 13th century. It is carved on top with the Apostles, and the base is adorned with pressed medallions.

	St. Agnes : St. Agnes in Cologne is a catholic parish church. St. Agnes is after the cathedral the second largest church of Cologne. It is in the northern new city at the Neusser road. The building construction goes back to the donation of Peter Joseph Roeckerath They sketched the church in neo-gothic style, which was very popular in Cologne after the completion of the cathedral in particular. Model for the sketch was the Elizabeth church in Marburg. The building was established in brick building method and dazzled with bright color. The Columns, the portals and the tracery of the windows were emphasized with red sandstone. It is remarkable that in particular the tower in its conception does not avail itself of the gothic style only. The building of churches was finished 1901. Final works were made in 1924 to finish the crypt.

	St. Ursula : The Church of St. Ursula is located in (A commercial center and river port in western Germany on the Rhine River; flourished during the 15th century as a member of the Hanseatic League) Cologne in the (A picturesque region of Germany around the Rhine river) Rheinland. It is built upon the ancient ruins of a Roman Cemetery, where the virgins were supposedly buried. The Church has an impressive Reliquary created from the bones of the former occupants of the cemetery.
	St. Maria Himmelfahrt : An important work of jesuitic baroque in northwest Germany. Monument of anti-reformers. Built 1618 - 1629. After the damage of WW II it was meticulously restored in 1979 The only larger baroque church of Cologne was built for 1618 by Christoph Wamser from Aschaffenburg for the Jesuiter and completed only 1715. The inside of the church was arranged in the sense of the Gegenreformation in gotisierenden forms. After 1773 the Jesuitenorden was dissolved, the church was used starting from 1798 of the Frenchmen as temple of the reason. After the destruction by the war it was again developed by W. Schlombs and A. Goergen until 1979 in original form with baroque equipment and dreistoeckigem high age. The former 'Jesuitenkolleg', which was attached to the church, is used now as 'Erzbischoefliches Generalvikar'.

	Saint Andreas : Archbishop Bruno, Duke, the brother of Emperor Otto I (the Great) founded the collegial-church of St. Andrew in the second half of the 10th century. It was an early Romanesque church with a crypt, of which parts may still be seen in today's crypt. His second successor, Archbishop Gero, consecrated the church on the 3rd of May 974, dedicating it to St. Andrew and all the Apostles of Christ. There had already been a church on the same site in the 9th century dedicated to St. Matthew. The building of the present church in late Romanesque style was begun about the year 1200. It was erected as a basilica with three aisles and supporting piers, with a western facade situated in front, a tower at the crossing and a long choir. The transepts end in apses, which were at one time connected to vestibules on the east side through which the faithful entered the church. In the 14th century the walls of the side aisles were broken through and Gothic chapels were added. In the 15th century the Romanesque eastern choir was pulled down and the crypt demolished as a new choir was built in high Gothic style.

	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 here at 11.11am on the 11th day of the 11th month. This is when Cologne goes completely crazy and hoards of Jecken, or madmen, storm the town hall. Once Cologne's commercial centre, nowadays it is simply a focal point for tourists who flock here to witness the comings and goings around the Marktbrunnen fountain.

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