Today saw us visit the city of Cologne with the excursion being a walking tour after we were dropped off at Monheim and had a brief bus ride to the city centre. Cologne is an interesting mix of old and new and could easily be known as the city of churches. Whilst the highlight is the cathedral there are at least a dozen famous Baroque churches around the city. Unfortunately, we had the "guide from hell" today who was rude to the group and gave little that could not be read on the internet.

Germany's fourth-largest city was founded by the Romans in 38 BC and given the lofty name Colonia Claudia Ara Aggripinensium. Cologne (or Koln) is now a 2,000-year-old city spanning the Rhine River in western Germany and the region's cultural hub. The inner city of Cologne was completely destroyed during World War II. The reconstruction of the city followed the style of the 1950s, while respecting the old layout and naming of the streets. Thus, the city today is characterized by simple and modest post-war buildings, with a few interspersed pre-war buildings which were reconstructed due to their historical importance.

Cologne Cathedral (Kölner Dom) (Cathedral of St. Peter and St. Mary) is a building of superlatives that is the centre and hallmark of this city on the Rhine. The cornerstone of this Gothic cathedral was laid on the Feast of the Assumption of Mary on 15 August 1248. The previous building was no longer deemed impressive enough to house the remains of the Three Wise Men. Because of these relics, the cathedral became one of the most important places of pilgrimage in Europe. Its two massive towers have dominated the city's skyline since their completion in 1880. At 157.38 metres, the northern tower is 7cm taller than the southern one. The cathedral has a length of almost 145 meters and at its widest point measures more than 86 meters. The front facade is dominated by two 157 meters high towers. The exterior is beautifully decorated with statues, pinnacles, gargoyles, and flying buttresses. The Cathedral's oldest doorway is the Petersportal, built between 1370 and 1380 and decorated with statues. The cathedral covers almost 8,000 square metres of floor space and can hold more than 20,000 people. Due to the building's impressive Gothic architecture, the shrine of the Three Wise Men, the outstanding stained-glass windows, and the many other important works of art, UNESCO declared Cologne Cathedral a World Heritage Site in 1996. The Dom is Germany's largest cathedral and must be circled from the outside to truly appreciate its dimensions. See its lacy spires and flying buttresses create a sensation of lightness and fragility despite its mass and height.
As with most Gothic cathedrals, the shape of Cologne Cathedral is that of a Latin cross. There are a phalanx of pillars and arches supports the lofty nave. Soft light filters through the medieval stained-glass windows, and a much-lauded recent window by contemporary artist Gerhard Richter in the right transept. A kaleidoscope of 11,500 squares in 72 colours, Richter's abstract design has been called a 'symphony of light'; in the afternoon especially, when the sun hits it just so, it's easy to understand why. The oldest window in the cathedral - known as the Älteres Bibelfenster (Old Bible Window) - is in the chapel of the Three Magi.
The pièce de résistance among the cathedral's bevy of treasures is the Shrine of the Three Kings behind the main altar, a richly bejeweled and gilded sarcophagus said to hold the remains of the kings who followed the star to the stable in Bethlehem where Jesus was born. The bones were spirited out of Milan in 1164 as spoils of war by Emperor Barbarossa's chancellor and instantly turned Cologne into a major pilgrimage site. The shrine is the largest reliquary in the Western world decorated with thousands of jewels and beads. Other highlights include the Gero Crucifix (970), notable for its monumental size; the choir stalls from 1310, richly carved from oak; and the altar painting (c 1450) by Cologne artist Stephan Lochner.

Cologne Rathaus. The first documentary mention dates back to 1135-1152 making this Germany's oldest city hall. The building itself bears testament to different architectural styles from various periods - from Gothic to Renaissance and even elements of post-war architecture. The tower was decorated by 130 stone figures. Unfortunately, most of them did not withstand the weathering of the following centuries however there is one cheeky statuette that stretches out its bare buttocks to us and has its genitals in its mouth — a popular motif in the Middle Ages against prevailing ideas of morality or order dictated by the authorities.

St Andreas Church. The church of St. Andrew is very close to Cologne Cathedral, and it's one of the famous Romanesque churches in the city. It was consecrated in the year 974, and during the 12th century it was rebuilt in Romanesque style.

The Alter Markt is a historic marketplace near the city hall. The square is popular for its many cafés with outdoor terraces. At the middle of the Alter Markt stands the Jan-von-Werth-Brunnen, a fountain erected here in 1884 in honour of Jan von Werth, a successful general during the Thirty Years' War. The fountain, created by the German sculptor Wilhelm Albermann, shows the general on top of a tall pedestal. At the foot of the pedestal are allegorical statues of the Kölner Bauer and Kölner Jungfrau, representing valor and purity. Reliefs depict the story of Jan von Werth and Griet, whom Jan had fallen in love with. Griet rejected Jan - a simple farmboy - since he wasn't wealthy. Dejected, Jan joined the army where he was able to reach the rank of general. Years later he married to a noble lady. When Jan triumphantly arrived back in Cologne at the head of his cavalry he saw Griet, who was full of regret, still unmarried since no rich man had proposed to her. Old and wrinkled she muttered the words 'Oh, Jan, if only I had known'. There's a moral in here!

Back to the ship for lunch before we wandered out for the afternoon.

Skulpturenpark Köln - Cologne Sculpture Park. The 2,300 m2 public park features works by German and international artists and is described as a "place for the exploration of contemporary sculpture". There is no admission fee and the works are changed every 2 years. A lovely way to spend a couple of hours before we headed back to the ship.