Cologne is Germany’s fourth largest city and the largest city of the federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia. Founded in 38 BC it is also one of the oldest German cities.

The most famous building in Cologne and the city’s iconic landmark is Cologne Cathedral, a World Heritage Site.
Even though the foundation stone of the cathedral was laid on August 15th, 1248 the cathedral wasn’t completed before 1880. During WW2 72% of the city centre were destroyed but the cathedral survived and can still be seen from nearly everywhere in the city centre and many other places. The towers with a height of about 157metres (the north tower is 7cm higher than the south tower) dominate the city’s skyline.

The cathedral houses the Shrine of the Three Kings that is said to contain the relics of the Three Magi.

Cologne © Rolf H./flickr.com

But apart from Cologne Cathedral there are twelve Romanic churches in Cologne, as well as other medieval buildings and three of the formerly twelve city gates. The Cologne City Hall established in the 12th century is the oldest German city hall still in use. In the 15th century the Renaissance style loggia and tower were added.

Cologne also boasts 36 museums and more than 100 art galleries. And it is a green city too with many parks and gardens. Besides several bridges crossing over the Rhine there also is the Cologne Cable Car connecting the two banks of the Rhine near Cologne’s Zoo Bridge (Zoobrücke).

And Cologne is of course famous for its beer, the Kölsch. The top-fermented beer is served in typical glasses and is part of the Cologne culture. The best place to drink Kölsch certainly is one of the small brew houses you can find everywhere in the city.

Aachen, North Rhine-Westphalia is not only easily to reach but also a city to enjoy and a walk in the city centre is quite formidable.

Aachen Cathedral/Dom © flickr/Jim Linwood

The cathedral was the first German architectural monument on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites. It was not only the coronation church of more than 30 German kings and 12 queens but also the burial site of Charlemagne.
The Shrine of St Mary resting in the choir of the church dates from 1220-1239 and contains the four great Aachen relicts: St Mary’s cloak, Chirst’s swaddling clothes, St John the Baptist’s beheading cloth and Christ’s loincloth. Every seven years the relicts are put on display during the Great Aachen Pilgimage.
Seven of the eight bells of the cathedral date back to the year 1659. The biggest was melted down in WW2 but replaced in 1958.
Very impressive is also the cathedral’s treasure chamber with its unique collection of sacral art treasures from the late Antique, Carolingian, Ottonian and Staufian epoch.

Worth a visit is the Couven Museum offering its visitors an insight into the life in the city during the 18th and 19th century. Visitors can see high-quality furniture, fine chimney pieces and Italian stucco work. The museum also houses the Adler-Apotheke (pharmacy). In the pharmacy chocolate has been produced for the first time in 1857.

The gothic town hall of Aachen was built in the early 14th century on the foundation of the ruined palace of Charlemagne. In the 17th and 18th century it was converted into a baroque building. In the two fires of 1656 and 1883 the town hall was severely damaged. The north façade is decorated with the statues of 50 German rulers, 31 of them crowned in Aachen. Inside the building visitors can see the Coronation hall with its famous Rethel frescoes dating back to the 19th century, and the copies of the Imperial Crown Jewels and the gothic and baroque furniture.

Elisenbrunnen/Elisa Fountain © flickr/heipei

Especially at night the Elisenbrunnen (Elisa Fountain) is great to look at as it is beautifully illuminated. According to plans of Cremer and Schinkel it was built in 1827 and still today visitors can try the healing thermal waters from this fountain. Many famous visitors have visited Aachen spa over the centuries as can be seen on marble name plates.

Aachen has many restaurants offering international as well as regional cuisine. Visitors should try the typical Aachener Printen, mustard from Monschau and ham from the Eifel region.

Aachen also is a good starting point for trips to Belgium or the Netherlands and even the North Sea is not too far away.
At the Aachener Radstation near the main station bikes can be rented and even a special electric bike for the disabled is available but should be booked in advance under tel.: +49(0)241/450 195 02.

North Rhine-Westphalia

Bochum:

Deutsches Bergbau-Museum
With more than 400,000 visitors, the German mining museum is the most important in the world. Here you can learn almost everything about mining. www.bergbaumuseum.de

Eisenbahnmuseum

In Bochum-Dahlhausen the railway museum is located. You can see numerous locomotives and railway carriages. www.eisenbahnmuseum-bochum.de

Engelskirchen:

Baumwollspinnerei mit E-Werk

The factory of Friedrich Engels, the father of the famous socialist, also was one of the first power houses in Germany.  Here you can see how electricity changed our lives. www.eisenbahnmuseum-bochum.de

Essen:

Zeche Zollverein

The most beautiful coal mine in the world, the Zollverein World Heritage site, today is a famous industrial monument. It attracts about 800,000 visitors every year. Exhibitions of all sorts offer a huge variety of attractions for adults as well as children. www.zollverein.de

Paderborn:

Heinz Nixdorf MuseumsForum

HNF is the world’s biggest computer museum. High-tech exhibits can be tested by the visitors. You can go on a journey not only through German information technology. www.hnf.de

Ratingen:

Textilfabrik Cromford

This was the first textile factory in Europe built in 1783/84 by Johann Gottfried Brügelmann. He got the construction plans for “waterframes”, special spinning frames, in Cromford, England. www.industriemuseum.lvr.de

Solingen:

Gesenkschmiede Hendrichs

Solingen is famous for quality knives and scissors. In the Museum you can still see how they were produced. www.industriemuseum.lvr.de

Wuppertal:

Schwebebahn

Since 1901 the suspension railway is an important urban transport system. You shouldn’t miss it. Unfortunately it is out of service until April 2010! www.schwebebahn.de