Cologne: A City Of Unique Charm And History

Cologne, or Köln, is a city in Germany that is known for its joyous attitude and party spirit. The city has a unique beer culture, serving up skinny 20cl glasses of Kölsch, a pale and hoppy beer that, like Champagne, must be made in Cologne to be granted the title. The city also has a taste for wine, with some of Germany's finest vineyards in the nearby Middle Rhine Valley. Cologne is also home to a thriving music and art scene, with highlights including Christopher Street Day, Musical Dome, the Wallraf Richartz Museum, and the Ludwig Museum, which features works by Picasso, Warhol, and Lichtenstein. The city's most famous landmark is the Cologne Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a world-class religious edifice.

The unique beer culture

Cologne's beer culture is so unique that former US President Bill Clinton once said, "Ich bin ein Kölsch" ("I am a Kölsch") after drinking a glass of Mühlen Kölsch beer.

Kölsch is a clear, light, and crisp lager that is warm-fermented with top-fermenting yeast, then conditioned at cold temperatures like a lager. It is the only beer in Germany to have a special protected geographical status, similar to Champagne in France. By German law, to be called a Kölsch, the beer must be brewed according to the Kölsch Konvention, the German purity law (Reinheitsgebot), and within 30 miles of the city.

The beer is served in small 20cl glasses called Stangen or Stange, which are relatively tall and narrow. The smaller serving size ensures the beer stays cold and is refreshed frequently. The glasses are made of thin glass, and it is customary to clink glasses from the bottom rather than the top.

The servers, known as Köbes, rush around with their circular trays, called Kranz, full of Kölsch, replacing empty glasses with full ones without waiting for an order. They keep track of how many beers each customer has had by marking beer mats on the table. This process continues until the customer indicates they don't want any more by placing the beer mat on top of their glass.

The Köbes' behaviour might be considered rude in other contexts, but it is part of the unique culture of Cologne's brewery restaurants. They wear a traditional brewery worker's outfit, including a blue knitted jacket with a high collar and a double row of black buttons, black trousers, a blue apron, and a leather pouch for money. Their manner might be cheeky, rude, dry, deadpan, hearty, or cheerful—it all depends on their mood.

Cologne's brewery restaurants have a long history, dating back 500 years. The city's oldest breweries include the Brauhaus Sion, which opened in 1511, the Cölner Hofbräu P. Josef Früh am Dom, and the Brauerei Päffgen, both of which are over 100 years old.

Some of the most popular breweries in Cologne include Früh, Reissdorf, and Gaffel. Früh is located in the classic Altstadt (Old Town) and sprawls across different buildings and floors with winding hallways and mismatched rooms. Gaffel's brauhaus is located right by the main train station and is a large, modern space with excellent food.

Cologne also has a microbrewery in Ehrenfeld that offers a wide range of brews and runs popular tasting sessions and tours.

The Rhine

Nearby is the Hohenzollernbrücke railway bridge, the busiest in the world. It's also one of Europe's many 'love-lock' bridges, with around two tonnes of locks on the south side of the 800-metre bridge. In some places, the locks have started to climb the bridge's steel railings. The Rhine is also home to some of Germany's finest vineyards in the Middle Rhine Valley.

Cologne is a city on the Rhine, and it boasts a thriving music and art scene. The city's attitude and party spirit are legendary, and at the root of this outlook are the Cologne Carnival, the Kölsch beer, and, of course, the cathedral. The Rhine is an essential part of the city's culture and identity.

The Belgian Quarter

At the heart of the Belgian Quarter is the Brüsseler Platz, or Brussels Square, dominated by the neo-Romanesque St Michael's Church. The square is a popular spot for people to hang out, with cafes, pubs, and restaurants nearby. The Belgian Quarter also offers a range of shopping options, from designer labels to small specialty shops and boutiques.

The Stadtgarten, a green space within the Belgian Quarter, is another highlight. It features a beer garden, a restaurant, and hosts concerts and other events throughout the year, making it a versatile and unique park setting.

Overall, the Belgian Quarter is a vibrant and fashionable district that has something for everyone, whether you're looking for great food, drinks, shopping, or just a pleasant place to relax.

The Ehrenfeld district

Ehrenfeld is a borough of Cologne, Germany, and is considered one of the city's coolest districts. It is known for its gritty, urban vibe, with colourful graffiti, trendy cafes, independent boutiques, and art galleries. Ehrenfeld has a diverse mix of residents, including artists, musicians, young professionals, and families. The district has a strong pull for more alternative people and skaters, with many shops selling skate and streetwear.

Venloer Strasse is Ehrenfeld's main artery and is known for its thriving nightlife scene. From cosy pubs serving craft beers to chic cocktail lounges and underground clubs, there's something for everyone after dark. The area is also home to the Cologne Central Mosque, the largest in Germany, designed by the famed architect Paul Böhm.

Ehrenfeld has a rich history, becoming a municipality in 1867 and a town in 1879 before being incorporated into Cologne in 1888. During World War II, an anti-Nazi resistance group called the Ehrenfeld Group operated from the district. Today, Ehrenfeld is a vibrant and diverse neighbourhood, known for its community spirit, acceptance, and bohemian vibes. It is a place where old and new collide, with former factories and working-class areas transforming into hip coffee shops, cocktail bars, and street food joints.

The district is also known for its thriving art scene, with street artists from around the world covering its walls in vast, colourful murals. Local graffiti collectives such as Captain Borderline have been commissioned to decorate the neighbourhood, and famous artists such as INTI and El Bocho have left their mark. Ehrenfeld is also home to K101, a World War II bunker-turned-street photography exhibition space, and the paint-covered railway arches near Ehrenfeld Station.

Ehrenfeld is a unique and compelling neighbourhood in Cologne, offering a mix of community spirit, artistic expression, and urban cool.

Cologne Cathedral

The construction of the cathedral began in 1248 but was halted around 1560 and left unfinished. Attempts to complete the construction began around 1814, but the project was not properly funded until the 1840s. The edifice was finally completed according to its original medieval plan in 1880, with the towers for its two huge spires giving it the largest façade of any church in the world.

Cologne's medieval builders planned a grand structure to house the shrine of the Three Kings and serve as a place of worship for the Holy Roman Emperor. Despite being left incomplete during the medieval period, Cologne Cathedral eventually became unified as "a masterpiece of exceptional intrinsic value" and "a powerful testimony to the strength and persistence of Christian belief in medieval and modern Europe".

The cathedral is a medieval building that was constructed very solidly from a structural perspective. However, continuous maintenance and renovation are required due to the characteristics of the different types of rock used. The filigree buttresses and arches are exposed to the elements and are susceptible to water damage, air pollution, and bird droppings. Acid rain, particularly from the 1960s onwards, severely affected the stones, turning them black. While pollution controls have been in place since the 1990s, the cathedral's stonemasons are still searching for a method to preserve the stones effectively.

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