Historical buildings: the Cologne City Hall
The old town hall of Cologne is definitely a very important and popular sight in the cathedral city. It took a long, long time to complete the building! To be exact, even more than 800 years of construction came together! Incidentally, the Cologne town hall is also one of the oldest town halls in Germany. Documents relating to the first work on the Cologne Town Hall could be found as early as the middle of the 12th century.
According to old traditions, this is a building which was built on the remains of the Roman city wall and was initially located in the so-called Jewish Quarter. One of the first building elements of Cologne Town Hall dates back to 1330. First it was a Romanesque style, which was then replaced by a Gothic style.
The Tower
In 1414, the town hall received a very important and impressive upgrade, namely its remarkable tower. First, important documents and money letters were kept in the tower, which were strictly guarded. There was of course also a guard room with a fire watchman who had his watch point at a height of 61 meters. There was also a wine cellar or wine room, which was also in the tower.
On the east side of the town hall tower you will find the "Platzjabbek". It's a head with a slouch hat that's supposed to deliver a message. He embodies the self-confidence of the citizens and has been sticking his tongue out at people for several centuries! There is even a Glockenspiel in the Rathaus, which is also installed in the tower. The Cologne handicraft guilds donated more than 40 bronze bells! 24 melodies alternately sound 4 times a day. And what can you still find in the tower today? The gifts from Cologne's partner cities are kept there today.
The Arbor
The Renaissance arbor of the town hall was first mentioned in records from the calendar year 1404. It was then that the gazebo was installed. The current Laueben porch was established at the end of the 16th century and has been very stable ever since. Quite the opposite of the medieval vestibule, which unfortunately had to be demolished because it was dilapidated.
The entrance to Cologne City Hall is quite pompous: a glass swinging door is in the first place, followed immediately by a massive bronze door. There is a nice reception room in the foyer and there is also an information stand with flyers and maps of Cologne for tourists and visitors.
The foyer
The Cologne sculptor H. Gernot created glass swinging door wings and a heavy bronze door, which are used as the main entrance to the historic town hall. The foyer is a reception and relaxation room. The room is 7.6 meters wide, 3.30 meters high and 30 meters long. The room has stained glass windows on the west side and is tiled with beautiful reddish-brown clay tiles. In this room you will find the cloakroom, some seating areas and the information stand.
The Piazzetta
In 1794 the so-called French period began in Cologne. The council lost its power and by 1811 the City Hall of Cologne was owned by the French and the French state. At the Congress of Vienna in 1815 there were agreements and these meant that the city of Cologne belonged to the Prussians and the council was able to take its place in the town hall again. In 1863, a lot of restoration work and renovation work was carried out by the city master builder Julius Raschdorff. This changed the historical building fabric in some cases completely. Stairs were demolished and reinstalled elsewhere. During World War II, 90% of Cologne city center was destroyed. The town hall too. Modern town hall hall, which bears the name Piazzetta, could be generously planned. The devastation caused by the war now offered plenty of scope for new ideas. The Piazzetta has a very large floor area of 900 square meters and can therefore accommodate hundreds of guests.
The Senate Hall
An impressive room or hall is located on the top floor of the building. It's the Senate Hall. It looks particularly impressive due to the numerous valuable carvings from the 16th century. Another very important hall is the so-called Hansasaal. The Hanseatic League held conferences there as early as the early 14th century.
Located in the old town
The town hall is located in the Cologne old town, exactly on the Alter Markt and can be easily reached by public transport from the KVB (Kölner Verkehrsbetriebe). The subway station for line 5 is on the east side of the town hall. But the town hall is not that far away from the Ferienwohnung Köln... You can also easily walk there! Give us a try!
Accommodations in downtown Cologne!
You want to walk to the cathedral? You want to walk to the fair? Then book one of our Fewos Köln, then you can easily walk to Cologne Cathedral! Simply cross the Rhine over the Deutzer Bridge and stroll through the old town. In about 14 minutes you have reached the cathedral! We look forward to your inquiry!
