In 1164, Frédéric Barberousse offered the city of Cologne some Relics of the Wise Kings from Milan. Since then, pilgrims have come here. In 1248, a new cathedral was begun, inspired by those in Paris, Reims and Amiens. Its construction lasted more ..

20C art takes pride of place in this museum. The Expressionist movement is charted in detail and particular attention is paid to German art in the inter-war period. The Surrealist section has works by Max Ernst, born in Brühl, near Cologne. Important..

This unique collection of medieval paintings from Cologne culminates in the late-Gothic works by Stefan Lochner and his contemporaries. The German, Italian, Flemish and Dutch Schools represented bear witness to the pan-European dimension of religio..

Capital of the Roman province of Lower Germany, Cologne was a very prosperous place between the 1 and 4C. Here, reminders of that period include the Mosaics of Dionysos and the Philosophers . But the museum is famous for its Mausoleum of Lucius P..

This old Romanesque church houses a museum devoted to religious art from the 6 -19C. Don't miss the wooden madonnas that illustrate the «tender style» in the Cologne statuary. The Saint Hieronymus and Lion is one of the masterpieces of wooden s..

This collection of art from the Far East was founded in 1909 and is the oldest of its kind in Germany. It covers periods from the Stone Age to the 20C. In particular, see the Chinese bronzes chinois (16 -12C BC) and Buddhist sculptures and painting..

This museum holds some precious religious objects and a collection of holy art from the Middle Ages. One of the centrepieces of the collection is the Madonna of the Rose Bower by Stefan Lochner.

Situated in the middle of the Jewish quarter, this building has a 16 metre high Gothic tower with a peal of bells and an Italian Renaissance Pavilion forming the porch. The names of the surrounding streets (Jugengasse, Salomonsgasse) show the exist..

This museum shows the development of functional aesthetics in craftwork from the Middle Ages to postmodernist design. As well as a large collection of furniture, textiles and sculptures , the section on ceramics shows the various productions fro..

This building stands on the foundations of a Roman temple and is typical of late Ottonian architecture. The trefoil shape of the choir and transept is the oldes of its kind in Cologne. The church is also worth the detour for its crypt that is the sec..

With its panoramic platform, this is a great place to see Cologne from above and for spotting the main monuments and churches, before you set about exploring the city at ground level.

This unusual museum, housed in a port customs building, resembles a boat heading out to see. You are greeted by a 3 metre fountain of chocolate, and through a varied collection including a cacao tree greenhouse, porcelain and silver recipients and ol..

The originality of this church resides in its elliptical layout and the addition in 1220 of a decagon situated between its two towers. Inside, see the sarcophagus of Gereon housed in the crypt with its 11C mosaic paving. Also note the 13C fresc..

Built in the 10C, this is an example of Ottonian architecture. Inside, admire the flamboyant Gothic rood screen . In the crypt and the right side stand the tombs of archbishop Bruno of Cologne (10C), broth of Otton the Great and Empress Theophania, ..

This museum has displays of extremely valuable photos alongside old photographic equipment.

After the War, the foundations of this Praetorium were restored. The praetor's palace (1 -4C) presents some fissures that suggest that the last building on this spot fell down, and the vestibule contains figurines, cloth and bowls from the Roman er..

Built in the early 13C, this church was transformed two centuries later by the construction of a choir with a glass reliquary based on that in Aix-la-Chapelle. Admire the late Romanesque murals and the rich stalls (1430).

This festival hall, one of the first secular Gothic buildings (1441-1444), served as a model for many town houses. Used since the Middle Ages for receptions and banquets, it has been one of the main carnival sites since the 19C.

Between 1935 and 1945, this building housed the Gestapo headquarters. It was used as a prison for opponents of the regime and interrogations were carried out here. The inscriptions prisoners made on the walls of the narrow cells remain as striking te..

This church has a painted cycle (30 scenes) by Stefan Lochner illustrating the martyrism of St Ursula, who was killed by the Huns in the 5C. The gold room (1643) in the southern end of the church is made up with reliquary busts from the 14 -17C a..