|
|
 |
| |
|
Home > Travel Germany > Germany Destinations > Cologne (North Rhine Westphalia)
Cologne (North Rhine-Westphalia)
Germany or the Federal Republic of Germany is located in Central Europe with Berlin as its capital city. The German language was once the lingua franca of central, eastern and northern Europe. It is a member state of the United Nations, NATO, North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the G8, Group of 8, and the G4, Group of 4, nations, and is a founding member of the European Union. It is the European Union's most populous and most economically powerful member state. Germany is one of the largest European economies and the third largest economy in the world in real terms.
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city after Berlin, Hamburg and Munich, and is the largest city both in the German Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than 12 million inhabitants. It is one of the oldest cities in Germany.
Cologne lies at the River Rhine and the city's world famous landmark and unofficial symbol Cologne Cathedral, the Kolner Dom is seat to a Roman Catholic Archdiocese, just as important to the city as its specially brewed Kolsch beer. Cologne University is one of Europe's oldest universities and internationally renowned for its economics department.
The first urban settlement on the grounds of what today is the center of Cologne was Oppidum Ubiorum, which was founded in 38 B.C., Before Christ by the Germanic tribe Ubii. Cologne became acknowledged as a city by the Romans in 50 A.D., Anno Domini, by the name of CCAA, Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium. During the time of the Holy Roman Empire the Archbishop of Cologne was one of the seven Electors and one of the three ecclesiastical electors.
Cologne is the economic and cultural capital of the Rhineland and has a vibrant and thriving art scene. Cologne plays a paramount role in Germany's television industry as the home to a large and smaller media, television and film production companies. Cologne is also famous Fragrance-Museum Farina House, the birthplace of Eau de Cologne.
Tourism in Germany has expanded since the end of World War II, and many tourists visit Germany to experience a sense of European history. The countryside exhibits a pastoral aura, while its cities exhibit both a modern and classical feel.
Back to Germany Destinations
|
|
|
|
|
|
|