Some 2000 years ago, Cologne was a thriving Roman city with temples, paved roads, an aqueduct and stone houses. Nobody knows how much of its ancient history still lurks beneath the modern city, but plenty of what’s been dug up already can be admired in the Römisch-Germanisches Museum (roemisch-germanisches-museum.de; adult/concession €6/3).
Sculptures and ruins displayed outside the entrance are merely the overture to a full symphony of Roman artifacts found along the Rhine. Highlights include the giant Poblicius tomb (AD 30–40), the magnificent 3rd-century Dionysus mosaic, and astonishingly well-preserved glass items. Insight into daily Roman life is gained from toys, tweezers, lamps and jewelry, the designs of which have changed surprisingly little since Roman times.
Plenty of remnants of the Roman city survive around the museum, including a street leading to the harbor and two wells. Other vestiges from the ancient settlement include a Roman arch from the former town wall outside the Dom and the nearby Römerturm.
