| Cologne Germany -- do you know of the first given | | | | aerial bombs, but luckily didn't collapse. When the city |
| name of the oldest German city? Do you know how | | | | was in ruins -- see picture at -- it took some time to |
| long it took to build its Cathedral? Do you further know | | | | rebuild it, but afterwards its buildings and population |
| what its scariest natural disaster is? Read on... | | | | grew again. So since 1975, the population of Cologne |
| Cologne Germany (Köln) is the oldest so the first | | | | Germany always lays around 1 million inhabitants. |
| German city. When it became city in 50 A.D., it bore | | | | So much the Rhine of the city brought prosperity and |
| the name Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium (CCAA) | | | | quality of life, so feared is its flood. The worst flood |
| because of the Roman Empress Agrippina. | | | | ever registered occurred in February 1784. After an |
| Cologne is catholic and had a bishop as early as 313. In | | | | extremely long and cold winter the temperature |
| 785, it became the seat of an archbishop. The | | | | jumped deep down. The Rhine river had frozen over |
| Archbishop of Cologne was one of the seven | | | | and the thaw as well as the breaking open ice |
| Electors of the Holy Roman Empire. He ruled a large | | | | provided firmly for a record water level of 13,55 m. |
| area as a secular lord in the Middle Ages, but in 1288, | | | | That was ten meters above the normal level! |
| he was defeated by the Cologne citizens and forced | | | | The tides, on which heavy ice floes floated, |
| to move to Bonn. | | | | devastated far parts of the development of the banks |
| Cologne Germany was a member of the Hanseatic | | | | and all ships. 65 people died. The district Mülheim |
| League. It became a free city officially by 1475, but lost | | | | on the right Rhine side was completely destroyed. |
| its free status and regained its archbishopric during the | | | | In more recent time, a flood protection concept plans |
| French period. In 1815, at the Congress of Vienna, it | | | | the establishment of sheet pile walls. That should |
| became part of the Prussian kingdom. | | | | protect old town up to a level of 10 meters against |
| The start of building of Cologne Cathedral was in 1248, | | | | inundations. Still, old town consists of a magnet for |
| abandoned in the mid-1500s, and finished in 1880. That | | | | floods. |
| took 632 years; think about that... Just visit for a side | | | | Despite of this, Cologne is well-known as the Fun City |
| step to the history of Cologne Cathedral. | | | | of all German cities. You go into a tavern and do not |
| During the 19th and 20th century, Cologne incorporated | | | | know anybody, and you go out with a lot of friends. It's |
| numerous surrounding towns, so that it had a | | | | very easy to come in contact with Cologne people. In |
| population of 600,000 inhabitants by the time of World | | | | February, during Cologne Carnival, the whole Rhine land |
| War 1. | | | | celebrates for at least six days -- with tons of sweets |
| In World War 2, Cologne Germany was repeatedly | | | | and kisses. |
| bombed. The Cologne Cathedral received 14 hits by | | | | |