Cologne and music

History

History

For the music lover, the name Cologne is often associated with Baroque music ensembles, but this city of symphonic orchestras and concert halls is undeniably open to all kinds of music.

ORCHESTRES ET LIEUX

Oper Köln
www.buehnenkoeln.de
Like many concert halls in Germany, the Theatre was bombed in 1943. A new complex with a theatre and an opera house seating 1,346, a large café and terrace, was opened in 1957.
Cologne has always been an important venue for opera in Germany, renowned for the excellence of its productions (Mozart, Verdi and Wagner) among other reasons. The composer Lortzing belonged to the opera group. At the instigation notably of Otto Klemperer (director from 1917 to 1924) many new works have been perfromed here for the first time: Die Tote Stadt by Korngold in 1920 or more recently Die Soldaten by Zimmermann (1965). Other distinguished figures have been its musical director, includin Wolfgang Sawallisch and John Pritchard. Today, with Markus Stenz, this fine tradition is still being upheld and each eventful season boasts at least one world premiere.

Kölner Philharmonie
www.koelner-philharmonie.de
The Cologne Philharmonic has in a very short time become an essential stage in international musical life. Opened on 14 September 1986, the concert hall built in the form of an ancient amphitheatre, has excellent acoustics and perfect stage visibility. The imposing concert organ that stands the full height of the building is the work of Johannes Klais.
One of its strong points is the diversity of its programme of 370 concerts of major symphonic works and chamber music, jazz sessions and folk, pop and world music events.
The two orchestras in residence are the Gürzenich-Orchester and the WDR Sinfonieorchester. It is worth noting that each season, the Philharmonie hosts the top orchestras and leading artists of the moment, as a glance at the programme will tell you…

WDR Rundfunkorchester Köln & WDR Symphonie Orchester Köln
www.wdr.de/radio/orchester
The WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln and the WDR Runfunkorchester Köln are two orchestras that arose from the same musical history that is closely linked with the city.
In the beginning, the music loving middle classes of Cologne set up the Musikalishe Gesellschaft oder Akademie in 1743. The first concerts were performed. The merger with the Singverein gave rise to the Konzertgesellschaft in 1827. This began to receive financial support from the town council in 1888.
From 1926 its concerts were broadcast on the Radio in Cologne, which nevertheless maintained a small group of musicians for its own productions. In 1947, the WDR (West German Radio) moved to Cologne. Its permanent symphonic group was to be the WDR Sinfonieorchester. But the Radio always had its own orchestra, established the same year, the Kölner Rundfunkorchester (renamed WDR Rundfunkorchester in 1999).
The WDR Sinfonieorchester has had some great musical directors such as Christoph von Dohnanyi and Zdenek Macal (today it is Semyon Bychkov) and top guest conductors, including Claudio Abbado, Erich Kleiber, Herbert von Karajan, Georg Solti and Günter Wand. Its repertoire tends to be based on classical and romantic works, but it has also forged an international reputation for its performance of 20th-century works (Berio, Henze, Penderecki, Stockhausen, etc.)
The WDR Runfunkorchester under the baton of Michail Jurowski offers many popular concerts. Justus Frantz, Leopold Hager, Gustav Kuhn, Jan Latham-Koenig and Heinz Holliger have been among its eminent guests.
Rundfunkchor Köln (Choir), Big Band Köln (a famous electronic orchestra directed by Karlheinz Stockhausen) and Capella Coloniensis (Baroque ensemble) are also part of the WDR organisation.

Gürzenich-Orchester Köln
www.guerzenich-orchester.de
The Gürzenich-Orchester, founded in 1857, owes its name to the Gürzenich, the community hall of the medieval corporations of Cologne built in the 15th century, where Emperors, Princes and citizens held feasts. Many works have been specially written for the orchestra. For example, Brahms’ Double Concerto or Mahler’s Fifth Symphony. Since 1986, it has been in residence at the Philharmonie, performing around 50 concerts per year.

Kölner Kammerorchester
www.koelner-kammerorchester.de
Founded in 1923 by Hermann Abendroth, the orchestra then brought together members of the Gürzenich-Orchester and teachers from the Conservatoire who were already keen to do justice to the performance of Baroque music. A pupil of Abendroth, Helmut Müller-Brühl (musical director since 1964) maintained the orchestra’s international level by bringing in young soloists from international competitions and by collaborating with famous performers with whom it continues to record many CDs.

Musica Antiqua Köln
Founded in 1973, the orchestra was closely linked with musicologist Reinhard Goebel who set it up and directed it for over 30 years. Although the orchestra no longer exists, it has left a legacy of many recordings.

Concerto Köln
www.concerto-koeln.de
The ensemble, formed in 1985, specialises in performing on period instruments. It is recognised as one of the best so-called “Baroque” groups. It sometimes performs without a conductor, adapting its players to works from the 18th and 19th century, but is regularly conducted by René Jacobs, Marcus Creed, Evelino Pidò, Ivor Bolton or Emmanuelle Haïm all over the world. Its impressive discography boasts over 50 CDs including René Jacobs’ multi-award winning version of Giulio Cesare.

At a more or less international level, many other orchestras based in Cologne regularly play on period instruments, such as Camerata Köln, Concert Royal Köln, Die Kölner Akademie, Kölner Domchor, Kontraste Köln, Musica Fiata Köln, Sinfonietta Köln, and more.

Cologne is Germany’s oldest city. It owes its name Colonia to the Roman Empress Agrippina who stayed here and made it her “colony”. The fortified site was elevated to town status in the year 50 AD.
Because of its strategic importance at the outer fringes of the Roman Empire, it attracted thousands of merchants and became a centre for craft and commerce.
The Romans introduced the Christian religion and from the 4th century Cologne became an episcopal seat.
In 785, Charlemagne founded the archdiocese of Cologne and attributed secular political powers to the ecclesiastical dignitary: the archbishop went on to become one of the most powerful feudal lords of the Holy Roman Empire. From the 12th century, it became a Holy City by the grace of God and faithful daughter of the Church of Rome and the fourth most important Christian city after Jerusalem, Byzantium and Rome.
In 1164, Rainald de Dassel, chancellor and archbishop of the city brought the relics of the Three Wise Men to Cologne. It was then decided to build an enormous cathedral, “the largest structure north of the Alps” in which to house them. The first stone was laid on 15 August 1248, but the cathedral was not completed until 1880, with work being interrupted in the middle of the 16th century.
In the Middle Ages, the city experienced extraordinary development. It was the most densely populated and wealthiest cities of the German-speaking world, partly due to pilgrimages.
Cologne did not receive the official status of “free city of the Empire” until 1475. Shortly before that, it already played an important role within the Hanseatic League and was an important centre for commercial fairs. In 1388, the middle classes founded Europe’s first municipal university. It remains one of Germany’s most important universities today.

Occupied by the soldiers of the French Revolution in 1794, the city belonged to France from 1801 to 1815. At the Congress of Vienna in 1815, Cologne and the Rhineland were annexed to the kingdom of Prussia. In the course of the following years, it became the second largest city of Prussia after Berlin. Annexation to Prussia enabled the city to enter the industrial era. Its rise was curbed by the First World War but not stopped altogether. Cologne became a city of over 600,000 inhabitants. In 1917, Konrad Adenauer was its Mayor. He remained in this office until 1933, when he was driven out by the Nazi regime. At the end of the Second World War, over 90 % of the city centre was destroyed, the population had fallen from 800,000 to 40,000 inhabitants. After liberation by the American army, one of the first newspapers assessed the toll: “the city is one of the largest heaps of rubble in the world”. The old city was rebuilt from 1947 onwards - usually in a contemporary style. It was not until 1959 that the city’s population was restored to its pre-war level..
www.amb-allemagne.fr

Some Highlights

Some Highlights

Gardens & in the surrounding area

Der Kölner Dom
The Cathedral is the city’s symbol. It was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1998.
It is also the centre of the city, surrounded by the main railway station and the largest museums, the old town (Altstadt) extends towards the south, and the shopping district towards the southwest, with the Hohestrasse and the Schildergasse
It contains many treasures. The relics of the Three Wise Men were brought from Milan by Archbishop Rainald von Dassel in 1164, and this was the reason for the monumental transformation of the original church.
The bell dedicated to St Peter, known as Fat Peter (dicke Pitter) in the Cologne dialect, is the largest free-swinging bell in the world.

The medieval Fortifications
The Severinstor (Severin’s gate), the Eigelsteintor (gate with two towers, the most impressive gate, surrounded by a colourful district well worth a visit!) and the Hahnentor (gate of cockerels) are the only three gates of the city’s fortifications still remaining today (1180 – 1220).

Das Kölner Rathaus
Cologne boasts the oldest town hall in Germany, originally, built in the 12th century, and the present “Rathaus” in the 14th century. In it you will find no less than 130 statues, not forgetting the famous "Platz-Jabbeck", a large wooden grotesque figure that sticks out its tongue when the clock strikes the hour.

Kölner Brauhaus-Wanderweg
This walk takes you along the little backstreets of the old town, showing you churches that are as impressive as they are numerous, typical little squares filled with history and, of course, the traditional brewhouses, inviting you to quench your thirst with a glass of “Kölsch”.

Altstadt
The old town of Cologne corresponds to the site of the old Roman port, then built on an branch of the Rhine now silted up and gone. It was largely destroyed during the Second World War but the inhabitants of Cologne have lovingly rebuilt it, dominated by the Dom and Romanesque St Martin’s church.
These days the narrow streets lined with pointed-roofed houses in acid colours, with their countless little bistros and bars, are perfect for a stroll around. You can also relax in the park along the Rhine or drink a "Kölsch" in one of the traditional brewhouses.

4711 House
It is in this house that eau de cologne was invented by monks in the 19th century.
It was given the number 4711 by the French in 1794, who numbered all the private houses from 1 to 7404 in order to make it easier to find their way around,.

Weltstadthaus, by Renzo Piano
Renzo Piano designed the Weltstadthaus in 2005 for the Peek & Cloppenburg department store. Its glass walls are supported by a structure of wooden arches. Nearly every one of the glass panes is unique, and there are 7000 of them! The structure combines high transparency with a comfortable indoor climate in the summer.

Tanzbrunnen Square
”Why does one feel so well on the banks of the Rhine?” goes a popular German song. The Tanzbrunnen of Cologne will help you find an answer. This esplanade next to the Rhine offers an unobstructed panoramic view over the Rhineland city. A culture and leisure park with an outdoor area, a theatre and the “Rheinterrassen” restaurant, it will provide you with many pleasant hours of relaxation.

Shopping
Those who prefer to go shopping can stroll along the Ehrenstraße. The Mittelstraße between Rudolfplatz and Neumark also offers lots of more expensive and exclusive shopping opportunities. Finally, do not miss the biggest pedestrianised area in Cologne around the Hohe Straße, the Schildergasse and the Breite Straße.

Augustusburg Castle (Schloss Augustusburg)
13 km south of Cologne, Augustusburg Castle was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984. It was built at the request of Clemens August, a member of the princely family of Wittelsbach. Architects Johann Conrad Schlaun and François Cuvilliés were in charge of the building of this Rococo castle from 1725 to 1768.The most interesting point of the castle is its superb staircase designed by Balthasar Neumann. On the ceiling, a fresco painted by Carlo Carlone is a trompe-l’œil resembling a vault. As well as the twenty rooms, you can visit the castle’s magnificent garden.

Zoologischer Garten Köln
Cologne Zoo is one of the oldest zoological gardens in Germany, and is considered the most beautiful. It was founded in 1860 by the citizens of Cologne, who formed a joint stock company for the purpose. Over 7000 animals of 600 different species live there.

A trip on the Rhine
For the inhabitants of Cologne, the Rhine is as important as the Cathedral and the Carnival. You can choose between an excursion for a day, a few hours or an evening – a trip on the Rhine allows you to admire an unobstructed view of the centre of the city.

Altenberg Cathedral
Situated 30 km east of the city of Cologne, this was part of a Cistercian monastery founded in 1133. Construction of the church began in 1259.
This cathedral is one of the finest examples of pure German Gothic style. During the Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars, the monastery was closed down and the church was almost totally destroyed. In the middle of the 19th century, the population of Altenberg and the surrounding area decided to rebuild the church. They received aid from a generous donor, the King of Prussia, Friedrich Wilhelm IV. He financed nearly all of the construction on condition that the new church would serve both Protestants and Catholics.

Gardens & in the surrounding area

  Food & Drink

Festivals

The little town of Leverkusen
Picturesque fishermen’s cottages on the banks of the Rhine, medieval buildings and half-timbered houses. Barely a hundred years ago, this town was still a rural area.

Schloss Morsbroich
The Late Baroque moated castle which stands in a very beautiful park in the neighbouring town of Leverkusen is one of the most interesting museums of contemporary art from the 1950s to the present day.
Particular emphasis is placed on the trends of informal art, the Zero Group, Kinetic Art, Op-art and analytical painting. Also worth noting are the collection of lithographs with groups of works by Georg Baselitz, Blinky Palermo, Gerhard Richter and others.

Cologne/Bonn/Düsseldorf and surrounding areas:
This region boasts a vast network of footpaths (covering over 5000 km) crossing the nature reserve of Rothaargebirge, passing in front of the castles and forts of the Bergisches Land.
You can also savour the gastronomic delights of the castles of Bensberg and Lerbach in Bergisch Land, just after Cologne.

The city has a long-standing distinctive culinary tradition.
Among the specialities are potato cakes (Reibekuchen), Kölscher Kaviar (black pudding with onions), Halven Hahn (a light meal of rye bread and cheese), roast beef marinated in a sweet and sour marinade (Rheinischer Sauerbraten) which can be accompanied by “Kölsch”, the local beer brewed only in Cologne.

lit.COLOGNE: international literature festival
(from 29.2. to 9.3.2008) every year from the beginning of March, 10 days in which you can meet writers and listen to readings of literary works from all countries.

Cologne Carnival has been celebrated for 200 years and has an international reputation. Although the carnival season begins on 11 November at 11:11 a.m., the event culminates in the five “Crazy Days” between the Women’s Carnival day (Thursday) and Shrove Tuesday. This last day brings in around 1.5 million people to watch the procession. The high point of the day comes at the end of the procession, when the Prince, Peasant and Maiden cheer the public and shower them with “Kammelle” (sweets) and “Strüßjer” (little bunches of flowers).

Christmas markets:
Six exceptional Christmas markets await you: the picturesque Christmas markets in front of the Cathedral, on the Alter Markt and the Neumarkt, the Rudolfplatz market centred on fairy tales, the medieval Christmas market in front of the Chocolate Museum, and the floating Christmas market on a boat on the Rhine.

Christopher-Street-Day (CSD) is the biggest gay parade in Germany. It takes place in the first weekend of July. The tolerance and cultural diversity of Cologne’s inhabitants can be found in dialect expressions “Jede jeck es anders”(Everyone is different) or “Levve und levve losse”(Live and let live)

The “Ringfest” at the end of August, is the biggest open-air festival in the world. Every year, over 2 million visitors come to see stars and newcomers from all over the world in an exciting programme of live reggae, house, jazz, rock and hip hop.

www.willkommeninkoeln.de
www.allemagne-tourisme.com

Things to Do

Hôtels

Restaurants  

Köln Skulturenpark
A walk among sculptural and monumental works by 34 contemporary artists.
www.skulpturenparkkoeln.de

The Römisch-germanisches Museum (Germano-Roman Museum) illustrates the daily lives of the Romans in the Rhineland.
Among the jewels in this collection, you can see the biggest exhibition of Roman glassware in the world, as well as a collection of jewellery dating from the Roman period and the beginning of the Middle Ages.
www.museenkoeln.de/rgm

Wallraf-Richartz Museum / Foundation Corboud
Cologne’s oldest museum, it houses the biggest collection of paintings from the Middle Ages, from the Cologne School, as well as works dating from the 16th century.
The museum is arranged around various themes including Medieval art, Baroque art and 19th-century art, alongside Romantic, Realist and Impressionist paintings and magnificent sculptures.
www.museenkoeln.de/wrm

The Museum Ludwig was founded in 1976, when the Ludwigs donated approximately 350 works of modern art to the city. It was the first museum in Cologne to exhibit contemporary works of art. Here you can see a collection of unique works of art illustrating the major modern art movements, with artists such as August Macke, Marc Chagall and Henri Matisse. It also has a significant collection of American art with masterpieces by Jasper Johns, Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein.
In the same building you will find the “Agfa Foto-Historama” Photography Museum, which has one of the world’s most important collections on the history of photography.
www.museenkoeln.de/museum-ludwig

The Imhoff-Stollwerck Museum (Chocolate Museum) was founded and financed in 1993 by Dr Hans Imhoff. This independent museum, unique of its kind in the world, offers an insight into many aspects of the history of chocolate past and present.
www.schokoladenmuseum.de

Tanzarchiv Köln
A collection of the original costumes of German dancer and choreographer Harald Kreutzberg (1902 -1968) were the source of the creation of Cologne’s dance archives, on show since 1997 in the MediaPark. The interactive exhibition illustrates the history and development of dance.
www.sk-kultur.de

Excelsior Hotel Ernst
Domplatz
50667 Köln
Tel. +49 (0)221 2701 . Fax +49 (0)221 270 3333
www.excelsior-hotel-ernst.de

The EXCELSIOR HOTEL ERNST, overlooking the glorious spires of the gothic 'Dom' cathedral is known for its meticulous attention to detail and exquisite design. Each of the 142 rooms and suites has been decorated individually.
Some rooms feature a spectacular view of the famous gothic cathedral
A luxurious wellness-spa is also available.

Hotel Mondial Am Dom
Kurt-Hackenberg-Platz 1
50667 KOLN
Tel (49)221/20630
www.sofitel.com

Located in the heart of the Old Town, the Sofitel Cologne Mondial Am Dom combines French elegance and warm hospitality under one exclusive roof. 207 elegant rooms, Enjoy the convenience of this central location, close to the famous cathedral, the Rhine and the exhibition centre.

Hotel im Wasserturm*****S
Kaygasse 2
D-50676 Köln
Tel :+49 221 200 80
www. hotel-im-wasserturm.de

Exclusive, unique, a one-of-a-kind experience – the Hotel im Wasserturm, international luxury hotel in what used to be Europe’s largest water tower, is one of the most unusual hotels in Germany. Classified as a heritage site, you will find an extraordinary interior design of timeless modernity behind its 130 year-old walls.
Designed by the interior designer Andrée Putman, the first-class hotel was opened in 1990 and today presents itself in an elegant style.

Dom Hotel
Domkloster 2a
50667 Köln
Tél (49)(221) 20240 ·
www.starwoodhotels.com/lemeridien

Overlooking Cologne’s gothic cathedral, the Dom Hotel is just a short walk from the Rhine River and in close proximity to the banking district, the Cathedral Square, the Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Imhoff-Stollwerck Chocolate Museum. 124 guest rooms and suites
Two-star Michelin chef Michel Rostang, a native Parisien, brings his culinary expertise to Cologne with .Le Merou Restaurant, which owes its name to the concept of “seafood and more.”

Hopper Hotel et cetera
Brüsseler Straße 26
50674 Köln
Tel: 49 221 92 4400-0
www.hopper.de

Behind the monument protected walls of a 1893 built monastery the HOPPER Hotel et cetera invites you to stay in the centre of Cologne. The once spartan monk cells transformed into comfortable rooms awarded with three stars and surprise today with the noble design of the modern classics.

Hotel am Augustinerplatz
Hohe Strasse 30
50667 Köln
téléphone: +49 (0) 221.27 28 02-0
www.hotel-am-augustinerplatz.de

the hotel am augustinerplatz is located next to the lively pedestrian zones "hohe strasse" and "schildergasse" and in direct proximity to the historic centres.
the rooms and studios offer all comfort
The new bar Leon's is a popular place where guests and locals meet.

Hotel Hyatt Regency
Kennedy Ufer 2a
50679 Köln
Tel: +49 (0)221 828 1234 Fax: +49 (0)221 828 1370
http://cologne.regency.hyatt.com

Hyatt Regency Cologne is a luxurious cologne hotel situated on the right bank of the Rhine River. The Hotel offers a spectacular views of the Rhine, the old town and Cologne's world-famous Cathedral (Kölner Dom).

La Vision Wasserturm
Kaygasse 2
50676 Köln
Tel: 0221-2 00 80
www.hotel-im-wasserturm.de
French cuisine with Mediterranean influences – Chef: Hendrik Otto.
This Michelin-starred restaurant, decorated in a contemporary style, is situated on the 6th floor of the Hotel am Wasserturm – With a superb view over the city!

Gourmetrestaurant Dieter Müller Schlosshotel Lerbach
Lerbacher Weg
51469 Bergisch Gladbach
Tel: (02202 )2040
www.schlosshotel-lerbach.com
A magnificent castle in a wooded park.
Very creative and refined French cuisine, manorial luxury…

Café Reichard – Restaurant /salon de thé
Unter Fettenhennen 11
50667 Köln
Tel: 0221/ 257 85 42
www.cafe-reichard.de
Opposite the cathedral, an institution for 150 years.
A typical “Café-Haus”, offering a wide choice of home-made pastries and confectionary in several dining rooms with refined décors. Speciality: Baumkuchen

Peters Brauhaus – Biergarten am Alten Markt
Mühlengasse 1
50667 Köln
Tel. 0221 - 257 39 50
www.peters-brauhaus.de
A typical brewhouse with an impressive décor where wood is omnipresent, for a very “kölsch” ambience… Refined traditional German cuisine.

Em Krützche
Am Frankenturm 1-3
50667 Köln
Tel: +49(0)221-258 08 39
www.emkruetzche.de
A historic restaurant (400 years old in 1989) on the banks of the Rhine, in the city centre.
Highly reputed for its gourmet cuisine and its welcoming reception. The Delfter-Zimmer hosted the members of the G8 in June 1999.

Brauhaus Sion
Unter Taschenmacher 5-7
50 667 Köln
tel : 0221 257 85 40
www.brauhaus-sion.de
At the foot of Cologne Cathedral, an authentic brewhouse which has been in the same family since 1912.

www.allemagne-tourisme.com
www.willkommeninkoeln.de
www.museenkoeln.de
www.skulpturenparkkoeln.de
www.schokoladenmuseum.de
www.sk-kultur.de
www.tourismus-koeln.de
www.wdr.de
www.photos-voyage.com
www.germanwings.com
www.amb-allemagne.fr
www.koeln.de
www.lebendige-stadt.de