Discover Cologne with Mobility in Mind: The City Center

This accessible route is suitable for people in wheelchairs or using walkers, as well as for families with strollers. It connects major attractions via paths that are as accessible as possible and invites both tourists and Cologne residents to explore the city center on their own. The GPX file can be downloaded to a mobile device for navigation.

• Starting point: Cologne Tourism Visitor Information Center at the Cathedral
• Length: 2.45 km
• Elevation gain: 20 m uphill, 10 m downhill
• Maximum gradient: 3%
• Maximum gradient: 2%
• Surface: Mostly paved and easy to ride on; short cobblestone sections
• Curbs: Lowered curbs were taken into account during planning
• Seating Primarily on Schildergasse, Breite Straße, and Offenbachplatz

Accessibility and Services

Routes and Navigation
The route was planned with a view to enabling users to navigate as independently as possible. It runs primarily along paved, easily navigable paths. Short sections may be slightly cobblestone. The digital GPX file helps you navigate.

Restrooms
You can find locations and information about public restrooms on the AWB website.
Please check there in advance for accessibility and current opening hours.

Stops and Breaks
The following dining options, among others, are available along or near the route:

• FRÜH am Dom
• -Hard Rock Cafe Cologne
• -Tuscolo
• KaffeeFleck at the Thalia Bookstore
• Schmittchen

Since entrances, furnishings, and restroom facilities are subject to change, we recommend contacting the respective establishment for confirmation.

Current Information on Accessibility
Additional information on wheelchair-accessible entrances, restrooms, and facilities is available on the Wheelmap online map.

Please note: Construction sites, events, outdoor dining, or malfunctioning elevators may temporarily affect accessibility. Therefore, please check the current situation before setting out, if possible.

The 14 stops

1. Cologne Cathedral
Cologne Cathedral is the city’s landmark and a masterpiece of Gothic architecture. Its monumental façade, intricate stonework, and centuries-long construction history make this UNESCO World Heritage Site an impressive starting point for the route.

2. Wallrafplatz
Located right next to the cathedral, the lively Wallrafplatz connects the historic center with the shopping streets. It is named after Ferdinand Franz Wallraf, whose collection laid the foundation for Cologne’s museum scene.

3. Hohe Straße
Even in Roman-era Cologne, one of the most important thoroughfares—the *Cardo Maximus*—ran through here. Today, Hohe Straße follows this historic route through the city center and is one of Cologne’s most famous shopping streets.

4. Schildergasse
Where Hohe Straße and Schildergasse meet, the forum of the Roman city once stood. The street owes its name to medieval sign and coat-of-arms painters; today, it is characterized by large stores and a lively urban atmosphere.

5. Antoniterkirche
This unassuming church on Schildergasse houses a moving work of art: Ernst Barlach’s “The Floating One.” The sculpture, featuring the facial features of Käthe Kollwitz, commemorates the victims of war and tyranny and is regarded as a powerful memorial to peace.

6. Neumarkt
Neumarkt is one of Cologne’s central squares and transportation hubs. Around the Romanesque Church of St. Aposteln, shopping and culture converge—complemented by the oversized ice cream cone “Dropped Cone” by Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen.

7. DuMont Fountain
The fountain on Breite Straße was erected to mark the 100th anniversary of the DuMont publishing house. It commemorates Cologne’s long tradition as a city of publishing and media, as well as well-known newspapers such as the “Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger” and the “Express.”

8. The Mouse and the WDR
In front of the WDR building stands a sculpture of one of Germany’s most beloved television stars: the Mouse. Since 1971, she has been imparting knowledge in an entertaining way through her comedy and educational stories—and even greets her audience in numerous languages and dialects.

9. 4711
Glockengasse is home to the flagship store of 4711, one of Cologne’s best-known brands. The historic façade tells the story of the house number that gave the Eau de Cologne its name; inside, the history of the fragrance is vividly presented.

10. Cologne Opera and “Liebe deine Stadt”
Architecture, music, and art converge at Offenbachplatz. The 1950s opera house is also known for Keith Jarrett’s legendary “The Köln Concert,” while Merlin Bauer’s lettering “Liebe deine Stadt” invites visitors to take a fresh look at the built environment.

11. KOLUMBA and Madonna in the Ruins
The KOLUMBA Art Museum impressively combines modern architecture with the ruins of the former St. Kolumba Church. The neighboring chapel, “Madonna in the Ruins,” creates a quiet place where history, art, and memory converge.

12. Cologne City Museum
Housed in the former Franz Sauer fashion house, the Cologne City Museum tells the story of Cologne from emotional and surprising perspectives. Its modern, inclusive exhibition concept underscores its commitment to making culture accessible to as many people as possible.

13. Minorite Church
The Gothic Minorite Church is closely associated with two significant figures: Adolph Kolping championed the causes of journeymen craftsmen and the socially disadvantaged, while the theologian Johannes Duns Scotus shaped European intellectual history.

14. MAKK and Cologne’s Museum Founders
The tour concludes at the Museum of Applied Arts in Cologne, or MAKK for short. Its collections offer diverse perspectives on design and everyday culture; at the same time, the venue pays tribute to Ferdinand Franz Wallraf and Johann Heinrich Richartz, who played a decisive role in the development of Cologne’s museum landscape.

Guided Tour and Information
Those who prefer to explore Cologne with a guide can book a city tour along the accessible route. Further information and booking options are available at the Tourist Information office at the Cathedral.