Destinations Menu
RSS
GERMANY | Cologne, Germany Travel Guide
Thursday, November 28, 2024
1 Of 5
A Brief History of Cologne
Martyrdom of St Ursula at Cologne (1411) at the Wallraf-Richartz Museum in Cologne, Germany
A Brief History of Cologne
Cologne was formally founded in AD 50, when Emperor Claudius’ wife Agrippa attached her name to her place of birth. The former military camp became a city known back then as Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium (CCAA) – Colonia eventually became Köln in German, Cologne in French, but survived in several Latin languages. In the fourth century, Emperor Constantine made Cologne a bishopric, placing it firmly on the path to become a major religious center.
After the Romans left, Cologne came under the control of the Franks. Charlemagne upgraded it to an archbishopric and more than 150 churches were built here during the Middle Ages – the most famous, the magnificent Gothic Dom that took 600 years to complete. After Emperor Friedrich Barbarossa had confiscated the relics of the Magi in Milan, he donated them to Cologne in 1164. This started Cologne’s role as pilgrimage center, second only to Rome for much of the Middle Ages.
The temporal powers of the archbishop were broken in the 13th century and after that Cologne developed rapidly as a trade and commercial center. In the Hanseatic League, it was second only to Lübeck. In terms of population, it was the largest city in Germany for more than a millennium until Berlin surpassed it in the late 19th century.
Cologne became a Free Imperial City in 1475 and remained independent until the French occupied the city from 1794 to 1814. Thereafter it became part of Prussia. During World War II, 90% of the old town and 70% of the surrounding area were destroyed by air raids. Like St Paul’s in London, the Dom somehow survived with relatively minor damage. The city’s population dwindled from more than 800,000 at the outset of war to only 45,000 directly afterward as people fled the city.
Cologne rapidly recovered after the war as one of the leading industrial cities in Germany. It also houses media giants, such as the broadcasters RTL and WDR, as well as several publishers. It is a vibrant city with a diverse cultural life and art scene. For many diplomats, Cologne made life bearable when they were posted to sleepy Bonn nearby during the Cold War era.
Last updated May 26, 2011
Explore the Destination
Amenities and Resources
Overview
Hotels(15)
Restaurants(3)
Attractions(12)
Activities(6)
Map 
Weather Forecast
- Reported on:
Thu, 11/28/2024 - 03:20
- Reported on:
Trending Themes:
Guides to Popular Ski Resorts
-
Ischgl is a small mountain village turned hip ski resort, with massive appeal among the party-hearty young crowds. It is... Read More
-
Andorra la Vella is its own little world, and not just because it’s a 290-square-mile independent principality (a fifth the... Read More
-
Bariloche (officially San Carlos de Bariloche) is the place to be seen. It is to Argentina what Aspen is to the... Read More
-
Aspen is America's most famous ski resort. And that's an understatement. For, as a ski complex, Aspen is unsurpassed. Its... Read More
-
Zermatt is a small but glamorous mountain resort town, with a population of approximately 5,700. It is one of Switzerland's... Read More
-
St. Moritz is a glitzy, alpine resort town in the celebrated Engadin Valley of Switzerland, with huge notoriety as the... Read More
-
Lake Tahoe is the premier lake resort of America, and the largest alpine lake in all of North America. It is an absolutely... Read More
-
St. Anton, Sankt Anton am Arlberg in German, is Austria's premier ski-bum resort! It's actually a small village cum... Read More
-
Kitzbühel, a small, Tyrolian resort town in the Kitzbüheler Alps, comes with international renown and huge snob appeal, and... Read More