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Founded by the Romans, still characterized by its 2000 years of history, Cologne is the oldest of the major cites in Germany . The distinctive and original city, with over a million inhabitants and its own dialect, annually attracts millions of visitors – and that is not just during its famous carnival. Cologne boasts of mighty Romanesque churches, medieval houses, lively shopping streets, super-modem architecture, museums and art galleries and a major trade fair venue. Visitors to the city will understand why Cologners abroad tend to feel homesick!
The name Cologne goes back to the Romans who actually gave their city the name ‘Colonia’ in 50 A.D and the German name of Köln’ has stuck since. Rome’s imperial governor resided here and the city quickly developed into one of the empires most important trade and manufacturing centers north of the Alps. The Romans also brought Christianity to Cologne, but it was not till the middle ages that it became one of the richest cities in the German-speaking world. It has not looked back since despite the terrible consequences of the two world wars.
Today cologne is a world-class art and trade fair city and guided tours to the Old Town should be on every tourists list. The city offers tours to its magic cathedral and the Old Town with its beautiful squares and its historical monuments and houses and there is no better and cheaper way to experience the old Roman town. Another favorite is the Roman Germanic Museum. This is one of the most loved in Germany – it houses artifacts from the Roman times – the Dionysus mosaic, Poblicus’ tomb and a the largest collection of Roman glass worldwide. Then there is the Wallraf-Richartz Museum which exhibits artwork from 1250 to 1900. One of the highlights are paintings of Kölner Malerschule" of the middle ages with works of Stefan Lochner as well as paintings of Dürer, Cranach, Rubens or van Gogh. And finally, the Schnütgen Museum concentrating on religious art.
And lastly there is the boat trip on the Rhine.
Making a boat trip on the Rhine is one of the duties for every Cologne-visitor, especially when the weather is high. Three shipping companies offer several trips of various durations and offer a panoramic view of Cologne’s beautiful old town. Don’t miss it.
The Stadium
The Müngersdorfer Stadion was the predecessor of the RheinEnergie Stadium, which will now host 2 games for the World Cup 2006 event. It is also the home of 1. FC Köln.
In 2000, city council of Cologne announced that they would reconstruct the stadium. Construction work began after the club's last home game in 2001, and has continued through till in 2004.
The stadium was inaugurated with a game between Germany and Belgium.
The owner and constructor is Sportstätten GmbH, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the city.