1. Located on the Rhine, Cologne is Germany’s fourth-largest city and one of the oldest cities in                          

    country too.

2. Cologne’s impressive Cathedral is Germany’s second largest religious building. Every year 

    thousands of tourists climb the 509 steps to the top and their efforts are suitably rewarded 

    with a magnificent view of the city and its surroundings. For a while, after its construction in 

    1880, the cathedral was actually the highest structure in the world.

3. Cologne is known as the city of churches, with 12 large Roman churches located within the 

    medieval city walls.

4. It is home to a museum dedicated entirely to chocolate! 

5. Cologne has a top-quality array of cultural attractions. It is home to over 40 museums and     

    more than 110 galleries.

6. Every year in July, Cologne hosts Germany’s largest high-altitude musical firework display - the 

    “Cologne Lights” (Koelner Lichter"). The impressive display and accompanying party         

    atmosphere attract hundreds of thousands of visitors each year.

7. Cologne has its own beer, which is known as Kölsch. The name Kölsch is protected by law so 

    that only beers brewed in and around Köln can bear the name. It’s a pale, straw-coloured beer 

    that is said to be refreshing and sweeter than other German beers.

8. Cologne is home to one of Europe’s largest Pride events. During the first weekend in July every 

    year, more than half a million participants and visitors come together in Cologne’s city centre 

    to party. Besides having fun, the event does focus on current political issues, which are 

    always expressed through the parade’s theme.

9. According to new rankings, Cologne’s Schildergasse is Germany’s most visited shopping 

    boulevard. Bustling with over 13,280 visitors per hour, it just beat Munich’s “Kaufingerstraße”     

    to the top spot. The whole city is known for its abundance of shops, and is simply a haven for 

    anyone who likes to shop…

10. Cologne was the hometown of Italian expatriate Johann Maria Farina, who created a fragrance     

     and named it after the city. Eau de Cologne or “water from Cologne” is still famous the 

     world-over, and still produced in Cologne today.