It's hard to believe, but Cologne has been around since before our era. The first military settlement on this place was founded by the famous Roman commander Marcus Agrippa. Later, the city became the capital of the province of Lower Germany, and so began its rich and rich history.
Years passed, rulers changed, and now Cologne can boast not only sights, but also modern infrastructure. There are many enterprises and factories here. Cologne has the largest hockey stadium, the largest concert hall in Germany, a unique quarter "Media Park" and much more. So a weekend trip to Cologne will be very busy.
Cologne is a million-strong city. And the population of its entire agglomeration with its satellite cities is more than 2 million. The local dialect is noticeably different from the literary language, but people with a good command of German have no problems.
Some of the cultural sights are restored replicas. Many buildings were destroyed in bombing raids during World War II. But the main architectural monument, the Cologne Cathedral, miraculously survived and was preserved. The construction of this masterpiece of Gothic architecture was started in 1248. Inside the cathedral there is a unique crucifixion of Hero, which became a prototype for many later crucifixions.
