The River Rhine,top 3 cities to visit part 3

Cologne is the fourth largest city in both the German Federal State of North Rhine Westphalia and the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan area, and is a major European City. The urban settlement, of what is today Cologne, dates back to 38BC. The city's location on the Rhine River, placed it at the intersection of the major trade routes between the east and west, which was an important part in it';s growth. During WW II the city endured over 262 air raids, and the center of the city was almost completely destroyed. After the war the city was slowly rebuilt, in the 1980's and 1990's it's economy prospered due to the growth of Media Companies - both in the private and public sectors - as can be seen in the new Media Park which is a focal point in the city center; and also it's diverse traffic infrastructure which makes it one of the most easily accessible metropolitan areas in Central Europe.

The city has many outstanding Landmarks, foremost among them

1. Cologne Cathedral is the city's most famous monument. It is a Gothic Church that was started in 1248 and completed in 1880. In 1996 it was designated a "World Heritage Site", inside is the shrine of the Three Kings which is said to contain the "relics of the Three Magi". The church has the second tallest Spire and the largest facade of any church. Visitors can climb the 509 stone steps of the spiral staircase to the viewing platform 322 feet above the ground. In 2005 Pope Benedict XVI visited the Cathedral as part of World Youth Day.

2. Twelve Romanesque Churches. These buildings are outstanding examples of medieval church architecture, some of which go back to Roman times. Many of them had to be reconstructed, due to damaged received in WWII.

3. Cologne City Hall - Kölner Rathaus - was built in the 12th century and is the oldest city hall - in Germany - still in use.

4. Medieval City Gates. Of the original 12 city gates that were once part of the walled fortification of the city of Cologne, only 3 are still standing - "the Eigelsteintor" - has two large half towers - that have been restored and now form part of the entrance to the museum; the"Hahnentor" is near many hotels and restaurants; much of the "Severinstor" was destroyed to make way for the "Ring", the interior of the gatehouse can be visited.

5. The Cologne Ring are boulevards in the city and with their Medieval gates are known for the nightlife to be found there.

6. Schildergasse street connects the Neumarkt Plaza to the Hohe Strasse shopping street, they are known as the busiest shopping streets in Europe.

Cologne has many famous museums, the Roman Germanic Museum features art and architecture from the city's past, while the Museum Ludwig, has one of the most important collection of modern art, including a Picasso collection. Several Orchestras are active in the city, and there is an annual literary festival.

Cologne is famous, not only for it's beer, but also for the "Eau de Cologne" which was created there by Johann Maria Farina in the 18th century; and the Cologne Carnival, one of the largest street Festivals in Europe. Carnival season usually starts in November and continues until the Thursday before Ash Wednesday, when the street carnival begins with people dressed in costumes dancing and drinking in the streets.

As with all the cities in Germany. Cologne is circled by a freeway belt, the intercity and high-speed trains, and is one of the popular stops for the River cruises along the Rhine. The International Airport at Cologne/Bonn services the city.

A visit to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cologne will give lots more information. Also be sure to read my other two hubs on http://gogogo.hubpages.com/hub/The-River-Rhine-top-3-cities-to-visit-part-1 & 2. and my hub http://gogogo.hubpages.com/hub/Fairytale-Castles-and-Old-world-towns-along-the-Rhine-River