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EL-DE Haus
Cologne's Third Reich history is poignantly documented in the EL-DE Haus, which takes its curious name from its builder Leopold Dahmen. In 1935 it became the local Gestapo prison where scores of people were interrogated, tortured and killed. Inscriptions on the basement cell walls offer a gut-wrenching record of the emotional and physical pain endured by inmates.
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Gross St Martin
Cologne's medieval heyday is reflected in its wealth of Romanesque churches, which were constructed between 1150 and 1250 and survived largely intact until WWII. About a dozen have been rebuilt since and offer many unique architectural and artistic features. Winning top honours for most handsome exterior is Gross St Martin, whose ensemble of four slender turrets grouped around a central spire towers above Fischmarkt in the Altstadt.
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Kölner Dom
Cologne's geographical and spiritual heart and its main tourist attraction is the magnificent Kölner Dom. With its soaring twin spires, this is the Mt Everest of cathedrals. It's packed with an amazing array of art treasures, and its elegant proportions and dignified ambience leave only the most jaded of visitors untouched.
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Kölner Dom South Tower
For an exercise fix, climb the 509 steps up the Dom's south tower to the base of the steeple that dwarfed all buildings in Europe until Gustave Eiffel built a certain tower in Paris. A good excuse to take a breather on your way up is the 24-tonne Peter Bell (1923), the largest working bell in the world. As you might imagine, views from the 95m platform are fabulous…
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St Ursula
If you look at Cologne's coat of arms, you'll see what looks like 11 apostrophes but in fact represents the Christian martyrs St Ursula and 10 virgins. The church of St Ursula stands atop the Roman cemetery where the virgins' remains were allegedly found. In the 17th century, the richly ornamented baroque Goldene Kammer (Golden Chamber) was built to house their relics.
Showing 1-5 of 5 results
