Dusseldorf to Cologne via the Rhine River

Ahhh. . .nothing quite like spring on the Rhine!

Cologne is the largest city along the Rhine River, with a population of 1 million. In former times the city was one of the most important settlements in the entire Roman empire and it still has remains from the Romans such as this Roman bath:

Other Roman remains include buildings, town walls, underground canals and an 80 km aqueduct which brought spring water to the town from the Eifel mountains. Charlemagne established an archbishopric here around 800.

The founding of the university in 1388 increased the city's signficance. This was followed by a great many burgher houses being build between the 14th and 18th centuries. From 1794 onward Colonge was occupied by troops of the French revolution until it came under Prussian rule in 1815. Under the administration of Lord Mayor Konrad Adenauer (1917-1933) the city gained even greater importance. Today Cologne, with its large-scale trade fairs, famous cathedral, perfume (eau de Cologne) and Koelsch beer, is one of the major traffic centers in Europe.

Interesting juxtaposition of new against the old.

The cathedral was begun in the year 1248 and its construction lasted for over 640 years (talk about your construction delays!). Constant work and renovation must be done on the cathedral and a local legend says that if construction ever ceases it will mean the end of cologne. The is one of the few structures not completely destroyed in WW II. Fully 95% of the city center was destroyed in the bombing raids and though the catedral was struck by numberous bombs, it remained standing even when all else had been destroyed.