Cologne Hotels, Cologne Flights and Travel to Cologne:

The night of 31 May 1942 was not a good one for Cologne, the major industrial city on the River Rhine. That was when the Royal Air Force hit the city with the first thousand-bomber raid launcher on Germany, killing nearly 500 people, amking tens of thousands homeless, and flattening a large part of the city. And that wasn’t the worst of it, for Cologne suffered over 250 air raids in World War II and the city was completely destroyed.

This devastating experience explains why modern Cologne, whilst respecting pre-war street layouts and names, is largely built in a not-altogether-pleasing 1950s architectural style. When older buildings are seen, they have been entirely reconstructed to resemble the originals because of their historical importance. Included on the list are a dozen important Romanesque churches and landmarks like the Gurzenich Hall, and this rebuilding process was not completed until the 1990s.

Miraculously, the magnificent Cologne Cathedral – though hit 14 times by bombs – did not collapse and now, fully restored, has become a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Begun in the 13th century, this massive church with enormous twin spires was not finally completed until 1880, when it was briefly the world’s tallest building. Within may be bound the extraordinary 13th century golden sarcophagus believed to contain the remains of Three Wise Men. Other treasures include the large 10th century crucifix carved for Bishop Gero and the 13th century Milan Madonna sculpture.

Cologne Temperature Chart :

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Temp °C	2	2	6	9	13	16	18	18	15	11	6	4

Average daily temperature °C

Of course bland 1950s buildings and reconstructed monuments are not all Germany’s oldest city has to offer. There is some striking modern architecture like the square Kolm Turm, a prominent high-rise building. And Cologne remains a cultural powerhouse, with a vibrant arts scene, renowned annual carnival, over 30 museums and hundreds of galleries.

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