Get to the very art of Cologne
The German city has a vibrant new scene
VISITKÖLN has been in touch to say it has created a new Urban Art Map that invites locals and visitors to discover Cologne’s vibrant street art scene.
There are many reasons to visit Cologne, though I have to say that street art wouldn’t have been top of my list. But if you’re interested in this sort of thing, visit cologne-tourism.
com for more details. From my hotel room in the centre of Cologne I could see no graffiti, no street art. My window at the Excelsior was filled with the Cologne Cathedral. The Cathedral Church of Saint Peter, as it likes to be officially known, has been in the business of forgiving the sins of the Cologne people since the 12th century.
There are still parts of the building where the scaffolding is still up. The twin towers were only finished in the 19th century, and parts still need snagging. So this is arguably the longest running building project in the history of architecture. Never mind, it was worth it. Because this is one of the most splendid, noble buildings in the world. Its chief pride is the reliquary of the Three Kings, the Magi, whose remains are reputed to lie within the huge sarcophagus.
These relics have turned Cologne Cathedral into a place of pilgrimage in Christendom since the Middle Ages. Funnily enough, just as I was arriving, the sun shone through one of the stained glass windows and lit up a cobweb that ran across the Magi. A spider ran across and clearly trussed up a passing fly. But I don’t think it was a sign, or anything.
Even if you don’t go inside the cathedral, stand beneath the west face on the hour to hear the very loud clangs of Catholicism — the mighty bells. Now these aren’t just loud and sonorous; they are shudderingly and all encompassingly loud.
From matters spiritual, it was time to have a wander round the old city.
A short walk south from the cathedral will bring you to Hohe Straße (High Street), a pedestrian thoroughfare with brightly painted shops and cafes, improbably tall buildings in a narrow medieval street. It is an extraordinary mixture of outlets — from multi-national fast food cafes to elegant boutiques. My own favourite for lunch was Woyton an der Hohe Straße.
Options vary from different salads, imaginative soups to sandwiches and more. But there are plenty of specials — I went for fat plump scallops with pickled apple purée for a starter. My omelette came with rainbow carrots, onion purée, Lyonnaise potatoes, sauerkraut and a salad.
A meal at a Brauhaus, where wait staff, known as Köbes, bring you platefuls of cheap and filling food and small glasses of Kölsch, is a Cologne tradition. Kölsch is Cologne’s pale fermented beer. Brauhaus Früh am Dom, in the shadow of the cathedral, has long wooden benches around massive oak tables, and is a great place for an evening meal and some refreshment. Hold on to your pint though when the bells start ringing.
Time for more culture. The Römisch-Germanisches Museum pays tribute to the city’s Roman heritage, including the Dionysus mosaic — an utterly impressive and traditional Byzantine mosaic from the 4th or 5th century, depicting the chariot of Dionysus.
Museum Ludwig has art by Dalí and Warhol and the Wallraf–Richartz Museum specialises in fine art from the medieval period to the early 20th century.
Then of course, there is the Farina Fragrance Museum, situated across from Cologne City Hall. The factory was founded in 1709, and the focus is primarily on Eau de Cologne, naturally enough.