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 Summer in the city |
Richard-Wagner-Street (Am Aachener Weiher) Cologne, NRW 50674 Germany +49 (0)221 500 0614 / +49 (0)221 508 0427 http://www.biergarten-aachener... |
When the sun is out, locals flock in their thousands to Cologne's beer gardens, which can seem a bit like holiday camps on hot summer weekends. One of the most popular is Aachener Weiher, set in a park close to the university and not far from the centre of town. Its location makes it a great place to take a break and cool off with a glass of Kölsch beer. Snacks like sausages and salad are also served. If you manage to stay sober, the nearby Museum of East Asian Art is also worth a visit. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: Martin Donath |
 Photo: Fabian Huber |
 Great but hidden park in Ehrenfeld |
Parkgürtel (Escher Straße) Cologne, NRW 50739 Germany |
Unfortunately, the Blücherpark is rather loud, due to the fact that the autobahn is right nearby, otherwise this park is really marvelous: Spacious lawns with plenty of room to laze around and soak up the sunshine, a nice rose-garden guarded by two stone lions, and tree-lined promenades to provide a bit of shade. For children there's a football pitch surrounded by trees, as well as table tennis facilities. The highlight of the park is the small pond in the middle, with ducks and frogs and even sunbathing turtles! On one side of the pond is the rose-garden, on the other the Kahnstation beer garden, which opens at 2p. Here you can also rent a boat for a romantic row around the pond. Review © 2007, Wcities |
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Biggest forest in central Cologne |
Dürener Straße (Lindenthal) Cologne, NRW 50931 Germany |
The Stadtwald stretches over more than 200 hectares, and is a pride to its name. Visitors entering the eastern part can recover from the stresses of every-day life among a plantation of trees which are over a hundred years old. A variety of leisure activities is possible: the wildlife enclosures are open to the public and rowing-boats can be hired for use on the pond. A large play-area offers fun for younger visitors. In the western and more recent part of the park there is the six-hectare Adenauer pond with a jogging-track. Several restaurants and beergardens offer a choice of refreshments. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: optochris |
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Park with adjacent popular café-bar & beer garden |
Venloer Straße 40 Belgisches Viertel Cologne, NRW 50672 Germany |
Cologne's oldest park is the Stadtgarten, laid out between 1827 and 1829 and altered constantly until the end of the 19th century. Throughout its history, it has offered Cologne's poorer inhabitants a free opportunity for relaxation during their leisure hours. Nowadays, the park has ancient trees and lawns for all the sunbathers in summer. The Stadtgarten restaurant and regular jazz and electronica events in the Studio 672 downstairs provide good entertainment. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: wcities |
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Cologne's Only Immunity Archway |
Lichhof Altstadt Cologne, NRW 50676 Germany |
The Three King's Archway was erected in 1310 in a Gothic style and is today the only Immunity Archway of the city. Immunity Archways are the gates to monasteries and convents. It is said that everyone who walks through the gate will enjoy immunity from any adversaries while on the church grounds. You'll find the Worship of Three Holy King's, which dates from the 14th century, on the top part of the gate. The original was, however, later exchanged for a copy because it was so valuable. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: wcities |
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Theme park in Brühl |
Berggeiststraße 31 Cologne, NRW 50321 Germany +49 2232 3 6200 http://www.phantasialand.de |
Phantasialand proudly calls itself 'Europe's most unique theme park'. The wild water rapids, mystery castle, Hollywood tour, space centre and Colorado adventure are just some of the attractions. Everything is located in a large, leafy park which is almost worthy of a visit in itself. Restaurants such as Alt Berlin, Don Pedro and Chinatown offer a variety of food and drink. Picnic areas are provided if you wish to bring your own, more affordable snacks. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: Michael Fernando Jau |
 Photo: BehELOh |
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The Flora—nicest and biggest park in Cologne |
Amsterdamer Straße 34 Cologne, NRW 50735 Germany +49 (0)221 5 6089 x0 http://www.stadt-koeln.de |
The Botanical Garden, also called the Flora, can be found right next to the Cologne Zoo and the aquarium. The nicest way to get there is to take the Rheinseilbahn, the cable car that runs above the Rhine, which lets you out almost in front of the entrance. A visit here is free, and is surely worth the trip. A green expanse covering 11.5 hectares is there for you to enjoy. Now nearly 150 years old, the gardens were previously located directly behind the Hauptbahnhof, but were forced to move because of industrialization. Luckily, the park is now much larger, and since 1920 has been combined with the botanical garden. The entrance is grand, with iron gates, a palace-like reception building and a pond - complete with fountain. There are also various greenhouses, including a tropical house, succulent house and a sub-tropical house. Those with green thumbs will be particularly enthused. Another highlight is the scent-garden, a paradise for the sense of smell. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: bettyfrascati |
 Photo: bettyfrascati |
 Photo: Mario Dietrich |
 Photo: Paul Cowell |
 Photo: Britta Koch |
 Photo: Martin Koch |
 Photo: Joachim Gross |
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A wide open space |
Kreuznacher Straße/Kierberger Straße Raderberg Cologne, NRW 50968 Germany |
The Vorgebirgspark is seldom empty in summer. Walking on the grass is allowed and the inhabitants of Cologne take full advantage of the opportunity. Whether you want to jog, to cycle or just to relax, everything is possible. Children are catered for by the play-area in the south of the park, and in the north there is a popular paddling-pool. The park, which was laid out at the beginning of the 19th century, also has a rose garden, a herb-garden and stands of trees. Review © 2007, Wcities |
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Cologne's oldest Lutheran cemetery |
Weyertal Sülz Cologne, NRW 50937 Germany |
The first Lutheran cemetery in Cologne was the Geusenfriedhof, which is first mentioned in records from the year 1576. The word Geusen means roughly beggar. Those who followed the religious Reformation were originally buried in unconsecrated ground, until donations made the construction possible. Nowadays, the Geusenfriedhof is a park. Review © 2007, Wcities |
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Landscapes in miniature |
Düsseldorfer Straße Teil des Carl-Duisberg-Parks / Leverkusen Cologne, NRW 51061 Germany |
In the Flittard district, the visitor can enjoy the miniature landscaping of the Japanese gardens. The gardens are admittedly quite a long way out of the city centre on the right-hand side of the Rhine, but it is certainly worth the detour. These magnificent gardens are part of the Carl-Duisberg-Park, which belongs to Leverkusen, and contain blossoming camelias, magnolias and flowering cherry-trees. The gardens are divided into different areas; a tea-garden, a landscape garden and the miniature landscape. The visitor wanders under red gateways and over bridges, past Buddhas, dragons and ducks(both live and in bronze). Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: matticgn  |
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Old Jewish cemetery |
Judenkirchhofsweg Deutz Cologne, NRW 50679 Germany |
If you go for a stroll round Deutz, then take a trip to the Jewish and Israeli Cemeteries. The earliest grave dates back to 1699. The cemetery is divided into old and newer sections and consists of graves from the 18th and 19th centuries. The way the Jewish gravestones are looked after is very different to the German – stones are traditionally placed on the gravestones instead of wreathes or flowers. The graves look much wilder and to some extent more romantic too and families retain the plots forever, having to renew them only every 15 years. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: matticgn |
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See and be seen on the Ring |
Kaiser-Wilhelm-Ring Cologne, NRW 50670 Germany |
The Kaiser Wilhelm Ring begins at the Christophstraße / Mediapark stop and runs towards Hansaring. The best section is about 100 metres, which the Bürgersteig makes into a little pedestrian zone. It is bordered on one side by designer furniture shops and by a green area with a fountain on the other. Since 1971, the Fischbrunnen has also graced this lovely stretch, where you will see fish, mussels and snails and which adds to the holiday feeling, especially in the summer. Park benches all around invite you to relax. The reason for the greening of this spot was the original residential development plan for this part of the Ring. Today, you will find the major insurance companies have their offices there. Review © 2007, Wcities |
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Cemetery with memorial for AIDS victims |
Lichhof Altstadt Cologne, NRW 50676 Germany |
The Lichhof, which means mortuary in German, is a former but wonderfully kept cemetery of a Cologne church. No-one is buried here anymore but a conspicuous Memorial stone, a basalt, keeps the memory of the dead alive. It was erected in 1994, only a few metres from the church's choir, funded by the Cologne Stonemason's Guild. A Poem by the Stuttgart lyricist Gitta Benasseni can be found on the column. It remembers a Cologne citizen who died of Aids. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: wcities |
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Resting place for the living and dead |
Aachener Straße Cologne, NRW 50933 Germany http://www.melatenfriedhof.de |
It was Napoleon himself who in 1800 ordered that all burials should take place outside the city walls - in accordance with the burial traditions of Ancient Rome. As a result of this, the new central cemetery was opened on the site of a disused lepers' house a decade later. The name Melaten is taken from the French 'malade' or 'sick'. The cemetery contains numerous old trees which are home to all kinds of birdlife, and between the trees lie two centuries-worth of graves and tombs, including many of the city's best known inhabitants. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: elektrant |
 Photo: andre |
 Photo: kubatodi |
 Photo: Moritz Guth |
 Photo: Stephan Nägele |
 Photo: Christian P. Stobbe |
 Photo: Christian P. Stobbe |
 Photo: Oliver Ludwig |
 Photo: heXXenbalg |
 Photo: Nina Osmers |
 Photo: Alexander Boden |
 Photo: Werner Krause |
 Photo: Espresso5000 |
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Relaxing on the right bank of the Rhein |
Rheinparkweg Deutz Cologne, NRW 50679 Germany +49 (0)221 2213 0400 (Tourismus) |
The Rheinpark was established in 1913 and today is a well-loved resting place for the citizens of Cologne. Various leisure time offers tempt you, for example the Claudius-Therme, an exclusive thermal bath, or a play area for the children. The Rheinpark was twice used as the show space for the national garden show and representative traces of this event still remain. Sculptures and plastics are on view as you stroll around. The Tanzbrunnen entices you with many open air events and concerts. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: Andreas Gerdes, skalarsoft.com |
 Photo: Stephen Roden |