About this experience
I invite you to immerse yourself in the atmosphere of the Medieval Cologne: its streets, filled with cafe tables, will lead you to the Gothic masterpiece - Cologne Cathedral, the Romanesque church of St. Martin, and the town hall. You will find familiar faces among the sculptures on the tower, see a mysterious little figure, look for whimsical characters on the facades of houses, and explore the excavations in the Jewish Quarter. The whole excursion-walk will be accompanied not only by historical stories, but also by medieval legends and intriguing plots.
What to expect
Cologne - a city with a two-thousand-year history. Epochs changed, rulers changed, different tribes settled in this place, conquerors invaded the peaceful life of settlers or townspeople one after another, but the city rose anew from ruins and ashes each time. The strategically advantageous position once established by the Romans was too good to let trade and crafts flourish, temples be built, houses and roads constructed, and life continued despite adversities and destruction.
Let's immerse ourselves in the life of Medieval Cologne: we will start with the Gothic cathedral of St. Peter and the Virgin Mary, then walk to the beginning of the Hohenzollern railway bridge to admire the city panorama. From there, we will observe the main landmarks: the cathedral, the Romanesque church of St. Martin, and the town hall tower.
Then we will descend the stairs to the Rhine embankment, walk to St. Martin, enjoy the cozy square to the east of the church, with narrow houses with steep roofs, in front of which there are numerous cafe and restaurant tables.
We will then wander through the narrow alleys of the medieval city with numerous benches, cafes, beer bars, and restaurants. At one point, this part of the city was an island and a peninsula. While strolling through Cologne, be sure to look up to see everything: we will encounter whimsical faces with fangs on some houses. First, I will tell you the legend about them, and then about their true purpose.
The narrow alleys will lead us to the Hay Market, from there we will reach the Old Market - a square with numerous restaurants, cafes, bars, and a fountain. We will learn who the main hero of the fountain composition is, and what his fate is. We will see the grand building facing the square - the famous town hall, the pride of the townspeople, a monument to their victory over the patricians. And by the clock, we will try to see a little figure, more precisely, the face of a little man, who... But why write about it? It's better to see with your own eyes and hear with your own ears, isn't it?
We will try to identify some acquaintances among the many sculptures on the tower. I will take you to the excavations in the former Jewish quarter, tell you everything I know about the altar of the local chapel, which was once adorned with a triptych by Lochner with Cologne saints. We will then examine it carefully in the cathedral.
I could go on endlessly talking about my favorite medieval city, be prepared for what else awaits you: Gürzenich, the story of the city's savior from conquerors, the Hay Market, the Roman city wall, the Capitol Hill, an amazing church, the Three Wise Men Gate, the cloister, the crypt, and much more.
Who is this tour for
For those who love history and architecture, for those who enjoy wandering the streets of cities, immersing themselves in the local atmosphere.
