Cologne’s Old Town has a distinctive historical charm. Visitors are drawn by its rustic narrow alleyways lined with traditional old houses. Innumerable breweries, pubs and restaurants invite passersby to linger. Here you can enjoy a draft Kölsch beer or try Cologne’s typical Halver Hahn sandwich.
Located directly along the
Rhine, the Old Town, together with
Cologne Cathedral, the
Romanesque church Great St. Martin and the tower of the
historic City Hall, makes up the world-famous Rhine panorama. As you stroll through the narrow alleys, you will come across many museums, such as the
Romano-Germanic Museum, the
Wallraf Richartz Museum, the
Museum Ludwig and the Farina Fragrance Museum. You can also discover many monuments and fountains in Cologne’s Old Town, including the figures of
Tünnes and Schäl and the
Heinzelmännchen (Cologne elves) fountain. Historical remains, such as the Archeological Zone, the Old St. Alban Memorial, and the Stapelhaus invite you to go on an exciting journey of discovery into the city’s past.
As the centre of Cologne’s old neighbourhood of handicrafts and trade, Alter Markt and Heumarkt are major attractions for Cologne residents and visitors. Surrounded by many small restaurants and cafés, this area is an inviting place in which to relax in the sun during every season of the year.
