History · Cologne · Germany
8 historic sites to see in Cologne
The places that tell the story of how the city came to be.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Quick answer
Start with Cologne Cathedral, Wallraf-Richartz Museum and Old Town and Alter Markt. Together the 8 picks below take roughly 10–14 hours across 4 areas; 4 are free.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 8
- Free entry
- 4
- Time to see them all
- 10–14 hours
- Areas
- Cathedral, Old Town and Citywide
Historic sites in Cologne
Religious site · Cathedral
1.Cologne Cathedral
Inside are the gilded Shrine of the Three Kings, the 10th-century Gero Cross and a stained-glass window by Gerhard Richter made of thousands of coloured squares. Entry to the nave is free.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Architecture
- History
- Rainy day
Gallery · Old Town
2.Wallraf-Richartz Museum
The city's oldest museum covers European painting from the Middle Ages to the early 20th century, with the gold-ground altarpieces of the medieval Cologne School, Rubens and Rembrandt, and a strong collection of Impressionists and Post-Impressionists.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- Rainy day
- History
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Neighbourhood · Old Town
3.Old Town and Alter Markt
Brewhouses fill the ground floors, and the coloured houses of the Fischmarkt line up beneath Great St. Martin Church.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Food
- Photo spot
Religious site · Old Town
4.Great St. Martin Church
It is one of twelve major Romanesque churches in Cologne, and excavations beneath it reveal Roman warehouse foundations.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Architecture
- History
Religious site · Citywide
5.Romanesque churches walk
Highlights include St. Gereon with its decagonal dome, St. Maria im Kapitol with its carved wooden doors, and St. Ursula, whose Golden Chamber is lined with bones arranged in patterns.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Architecture
- History
- Off the beaten path
Museum · Innenstadt
6.EL-DE Haus (NS Documentation Centre)
In the basement, the original prison cells still carry inscriptions scratched into the walls by prisoners.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Rainy day
Museum · Old Town
7.Farina Fragrance Museum and 4711 House
A short walk away on Glockengasse, the 4711 house plays a carillon on its façade on the hour.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Shopping
- Rainy day
Museum · Innenstadt
8.Schnütgen Museum
Cecilia, one of the most atmospheric settings for medieval art in Germany.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Art
- History
- Rainy day
- Off the beaten path
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Cathedral | Cologne Cathedral | 1 hour |
| Old Town | Wallraf-Richartz Museum, Old Town and Alter Markt, Great St. Martin Church and Farina Fragrance Museum and 4711 House | 2 hours + 1–2 hours + 30 minutes + 1–1.5 hours |
| Citywide | Romanesque churches walk | 2–3 hours |
| Innenstadt | EL-DE Haus (NS Documentation Centre) and Schnütgen Museum | 1.5–2 hours + 1–1.5 hours |
Booking and timing
Of these 8, 4 free, 3 low cost, 1 mid-priced. None needs booking far in advance. The longest visit is Romanesque churches walk; group the rest by area to save travel time.
How to fit them into 3 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Cathedral and Old Town): Cologne Cathedral → Wallraf-Richartz Museum → Old Town and Alter Markt, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 2 (Old Town and Citywide): Great St. Martin Church → Farina Fragrance Museum and 4711 House → Romanesque churches walk, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 3 (Innenstadt): EL-DE Haus (NS Documentation Centre) → Schnütgen Museum, at least 3 hours.
The quietest months for queues
- January: highs of 5°C (41°F), about 11 rainy days, quiet crowds. Cold and grey but quiet; carnival societies hold sessions and balls ahead of the street carnival.
- April: highs of 15°C (59°F), about 9 rainy days, moderate crowds. Mild days and blossom along the Rhine; a good time for city walks and day trips.
- September: highs of 20°C (68°F), about 9 rainy days, moderate crowds. Pleasant and settled, good for walking and Rhine trips; trade fairs can push up prices.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Cathedral and Hauptbahnhof — The Dom, the main station and the start of the Hohe Straße shopping street
More of Cologne
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Cologne?
Cologne Cathedral. Begun in 1248 and finished only in 1880, the Gothic cathedral has twin spires of about 157 metres and one of the largest church façades in the world.
+Which of these are free in Cologne?
Cologne Cathedral, Old Town and Alter Markt, Great St. Martin Church and Romanesque churches walk.