Cologne (Koln): The major city in western Germany’s industrial heartland, its best known sight is the mighty Gothic Dom. This Cathedral has a rich history, dating back to the 4th Century. The nearby old town has interesting monuments, squares and other traces of its 2000 year history. Right next to the Cathedral is the Roman-Germanic Museum, built over and around a floor mosaic from between 220-230 ACE; the mosaic depicts the Greek God of Revelry, Dionysus, in a dance scene portrayed with flower and animal motifs. This mosaic belonged to the dining hall of a Roman city villa which had over 20 rooms.
The museum further portrays everyday life in the former Roman city of Cologne. Artifacts, tools, eating utensils and weapons are displayed as is the largest Roman blown glass collection in the world. There are a lot of excellent museums in Cologne, including the Cologne City Museum, (middle ages to present); Museum for East Asian Art, (treasures of Japan and China); Archbishops Diocese Museum, (sacramental art, history and main church themes plus graves, crosses, sculptures and monstrance). The "Madonna with Violets" by Lochner is here.
At the EL-DE House, a history of prison and prisoners is preserved. The Gestapo ran a small prison here where they interrogated, tortured and murdered captives. Also in this interesting, if not disturbing, museum is a permanent exhibition about the Nazi era in Cologne.
The Museum Ludwig is a Modern Art treasure house; the Wallraf Richartz Museum (WRM) houses much of the sacramental artworks from Cologne’s churches and cloisters during Napoleon’s occupation. Also presented are impressionists’ works of Swiss collector Gerard Corboud’s private collection.
My favorite museum in Cologne has to be the Chocolate-Museum Imhoff-Stollwerck. You can follow the production process on site of table chocolate and pralines. You monitor the entry of raw materials into the process by viewing the greenhouse in which their own coca beans grow. Finished chocolate flows out of a fountain; nibbling is allowed, indeed, preferred. On computer screens you can view old chocolate ads. The museum restaurant, with its view of the Rhine, offers hearty meals and chocolate desserts. Visit their site here.
Cologne has a broad spectrum of cultural attractions. The Radio Symphony Orchestra of the Hessischer Rundfunk and the Museum Society attract guests and guest performers from around the world.
