A Tale of Two Cities

The first thing tourists see when they emerge from the Cologne train station is a massive concrete plaza, leading to the Dom or the famous Cathedral of Cologne. And at once the visitor is right in the centre of Cologne. That’s the way it is in Cologne. You arrive, you’re there, and you feel you are right in the midst of the city’s life. The city is home to one of the most beautiful churches in Europe, the Dom, or the Cologne Cathedral, as the rest of the world knows it.

It is not difficult to see why.  The real centre of Cologne is around the cathedral. A tour of discovery starts there. Into the many and famous Romanesque churches which surround the city. Or into the Altstadt (old town area). Or into many of its pedestrian plazas. Wherever you go you will see the soaring towers of the cathedral showing you the way back.

The Domplatte, the largest concrete plaza that surrounds Cologne Cathedral, is one of the windiest and draftiest spots in the city. Here a sudden breeze is enough to send hats flying and when the heavens open – an all too common occurrence in Cologne – the rain lashes the open square, the flags flutter violently in the wind, while pedestrians, their umbrellas blown inside out, hunch forward as they struggle to make their way ahead.

And, yet this plaza, which links the railway station and the Cathedral, two major museums and the shopping district, the Dom Hotel, Brauhous Fruh, and the majestic old café Reichardt, is one of the liveliest areas in the whole city. In the summer tourists and tramps, street musicians and pavement artists, pickpockets and priests, strollers and skateboarders all throng the square. And on the highest holiday of the Cologne Carnival, Fasching, crowds of swaying revelers cheer the huge procession – complete with bands and jesters in fabulous costumes – as it passes the Cathedral. Famous Koelsch beer flows like water of the Rhine. The Fasching carnival here is reputed to be the best in Germany, with revelers reaching their highest pitch during the weekend before Ash Wednesday (in February).

The guided tour covers other interesting sites like the Rathaus (City Hall), Medieval City Wall, Roman Tower and a number of Churches with their imposing façade like St. Gereon, St. Andreas, St. Maria etc as well as a few museums.

We had other idea and traced back to the Domplatte to visit one most important icon of the city. Just a step further from Café Reichardt is another historic building whose blue and gold neon sign throws light on the Domplatte at night. The steel and glass façade of the Blaugold-Haus (Blue and gold house) not only bears witness to the architectural experiments of the 1950s. The colours of the façade, and the company logo ‘4711” emblazoned on it, are the trademarks of the largest producers of Koelisch Wasser, which made the city’s name known far and wide. The fragrant Eau de Cologne was brought to the city on the Rhine from Italy by Johann Maria Farina, who sold it as a remedy for every conceivable infirmity, from strokes to the plague. By 1709 the Farina's company was distributing its Eau de Cologne to customers worldwide, including Queen Victoria and the King of Prussia.

Satisfied with our trip to Cologne we proceeded towards Bonn, Cologne’s twine city on the Rhine. It’s the gateway to the romantic middle Rhine region. Till recently the city was also the capital of the German republic, but it also has much more to offer. In the heart of Bonn, the Old Town Hall can be found on the triangular market Place. The building provides the setting for the colourful hustle and bustle around the fruit and vegetable market (everyday except Sunday) and for events put on for the cultural festival “ Bonn Summer” from May to September.

Our next stop was a visit to Poppelsdorf Schloss (castle). Architecturally, the magnificent castle reflects elements of both French and Italian styles. Nature lovers are recommended to enjoy the wealth of rare plants and trees in the Botanical Garden surrounding this palace.

The birthplace of Ludwig von Beethoven is situated in the Bonngasse. Beethoven’s House is now the museum containing numerous fascinating articles from the great composer’s time in Bonn and Vienna.

It is a good idea to take a look at the surrounding countryside during your stay in Bonn. The charms include palaces, castles, rolling hills and magnificent vista and off course chances to sample famed wines of the region.

Most German cities have a hectic pace dominated by business executives. The twin- cities of Bonn and Cologne offer a kind of charming diversion, where a visitor can take a break and enjoy the cityscape. The motley mixture of people here, all doing their own things in harmony with one another, reflects the soul of Cologne and Bonn, whose happy–go-lucky spirit has not been subdued by German seriousness and Prussian discipline.