In April/May 2018, Debra and I cruised the Rhine River for eight days on the Viking Mani. We sailed from Basel, Switzerland to Amsterdam, the Netherlands, with port stops in Germany, France and the Netherlands. Click HERE to read a short introduction about this fantastic cruise.
This story, which is part of a series, is about our day in Cologne, Germany, the fourth port of call on our cruise.
This story, which is part of a series, is about our day in Cologne, Germany, the fourth port of call on our cruise.
Cologne, Germany (May 2, 2018) We set sail from Koblenz during the early morning hours. It was now 8 a.m. and I was on the top deck of the Mani to watch as we navigated the last few miles to Cologne’s port, about 70-miles upriver from Koblenz. The temperature was 60 and the sky mostly sunny when we arrived in Cologne. It was great weather, to be sure!
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Cologne (Koln in German) is the 4th largest city in Germany (pop. 1 million), and the largest city on the Rhine River. It traces its roots back more than 2,000 years, when Rome founded Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium. “Colonia” translates to “colony,” hence the name Cologne.
The city served as a military air command headquarters In World War II and was heavily damaged by more than 250 Allied air raids that dropped over 45,000 tons of bombs. Today, Cologne is a major cultural center for the Rhineland, with more than 30 museums. It is also home to the University of Cologne, one of Europe’s oldest and largest universities.
Historic Old Town
This morning, Debra and I went on a guided walking tour through Cologne’s historic Old Town. From the Mani, we walked along the riverfront where we passed tall townhouses with ground-level restaurants. These owners certainly weren’t shy about colors, were they?! And just past the townhouses, we spotted the 12th century Great St. Martin Church, with four turrets, one at each corner, surrounding a soaring central tower. The church was heavily damaged during the bombing raids; restoration was completed in the 1980s. An interesting note about this Romanesque church: The site on which it was built was thought to be a first century Roman sports-training complex.
The city served as a military air command headquarters In World War II and was heavily damaged by more than 250 Allied air raids that dropped over 45,000 tons of bombs. Today, Cologne is a major cultural center for the Rhineland, with more than 30 museums. It is also home to the University of Cologne, one of Europe’s oldest and largest universities.
Historic Old Town
This morning, Debra and I went on a guided walking tour through Cologne’s historic Old Town. From the Mani, we walked along the riverfront where we passed tall townhouses with ground-level restaurants. These owners certainly weren’t shy about colors, were they?! And just past the townhouses, we spotted the 12th century Great St. Martin Church, with four turrets, one at each corner, surrounding a soaring central tower. The church was heavily damaged during the bombing raids; restoration was completed in the 1980s. An interesting note about this Romanesque church: The site on which it was built was thought to be a first century Roman sports-training complex.
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We slipped through a narrow alleyway to reach Alter Markt (Old Market), the former marketplace of Cologne. Today, this pedestrian-only square is lined with shops, cafes, and restaurants. The fountain in the center of the square was built in 1884 to commemorate Jan von Werth, an army general who served in the Thirty Years’ War. The tallest structure on the square, about 200 feet high, was the tower of the 15th century city hall, erected by the city’s Guilds as a symbol of their leadership following their victory over the nobility. Debra and I marveled at the architecture on the square, a mix of older and newer styles.
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Within 10 minutes we reached the Gothic-style Cologne Cathedral. The first foundation stones were laid in 1248, but the cathedral took more than 600 years to complete, as there was too little money and too little interest for a long time. The nearly 500-foot twin spires, which were completed in 1880, made the Cathedral the tallest twin-spired church in the world. Somehow – divine intervention? – the Cathedral survived the massive Allied-bombings. UNESCO added the Cathedral to its list of World Heritage sites in 1996.
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Inside the Cathedral, Debra and I walked down the narrow center aisle that led to the quire, a special seating area for clergy and church choir. The first thing we noticed was the soaring height (more than 140 feet!) and architectural symmetry of the nave, the central part of the cathedral. It was stunning!
We saw beautiful tapestries by 17th century Flemish artist Peter Paul Rubens, Renaissance-style mosaic glass windows more than 500 years old, the Altar of the City Patrons painted in the 15th century, and the piece-de-resistance, a golden sarcophagus that was said to contain remains of The Three Kings. Debra and I were of one mind: The cathedral was beautiful!
We saw beautiful tapestries by 17th century Flemish artist Peter Paul Rubens, Renaissance-style mosaic glass windows more than 500 years old, the Altar of the City Patrons painted in the 15th century, and the piece-de-resistance, a golden sarcophagus that was said to contain remains of The Three Kings. Debra and I were of one mind: The cathedral was beautiful!
Back outside, I spotted an artist using the hard surface of the plaza in front of the cathedral as his canvas. I was not sure who the subject of his chalk portrait was; possibly it was the artist himself, as I detected a strong resemblance. I watched for a while, fascinated by how he used his fingers to blend the chalk colors. His art could only be temporary, lasting as long as the weather was dry or perhaps until the plaza was power-washed. I wondered how many times, over the course of a month, he started his next masterpiece.
Our guided tour was over, and Debra and I were on our own to return to the ship. We wandered in and out of a few gift stores as we walked, one of which sold Eau de Cologne, meaning “Water from Cologne”. It was the real thing – the perfume that was formulated in Cologne by the Italian perfume maker Giovanni Maria Farina in the early 1700s. The company he founded was now run by his eighth-generation descendants. I asked Debra if she would like a bottle. Guess what? She didn’t care for the scent, which saved me a few euros!
As we neared the Mani, we stopped at one of the many cafes along the Rhine for drinks on the patio – a hot chocolate for Debra and a locally brewed beer for me. And who walked by? Why, it was Marius, a young fellow from Munich who we met on the Mani. The three of sat for a while and chatted; we learned about Marius and his family, and he about us. That was one of the things that Debra and I cherished about cruising – the opportunity to meet interesting people from different countries and cultures. What we’ve learned over the years is that we were more alike than different, despite what the media wanted us to believe. (Mild cynicism about the media, I guess!) After a while, we began the short walk to the ship.
As we neared the Mani, we stopped at one of the many cafes along the Rhine for drinks on the patio – a hot chocolate for Debra and a locally brewed beer for me. And who walked by? Why, it was Marius, a young fellow from Munich who we met on the Mani. The three of sat for a while and chatted; we learned about Marius and his family, and he about us. That was one of the things that Debra and I cherished about cruising – the opportunity to meet interesting people from different countries and cultures. What we’ve learned over the years is that we were more alike than different, despite what the media wanted us to believe. (Mild cynicism about the media, I guess!) After a while, we began the short walk to the ship.
Royal Palaces
Debra and I had lunch on the Mani, and after lunch, Debra opted for some R&R while I joined 40 fellow-passengers on a tour of two palaces located in Bruhl, about 12 miles south of Cologne. These palaces were among the 26 palaces built for Archbishop Clemens Augustus in the first half of the 18th century. Can you imagine – 26 palaces for one person?!
Augustusburg Palace, which was built on the ruins of a Medieval castle, looked magnificent! The architectural style, we learned, was Rococo. In fact, this palace, which took more than 40 years to complete, was the first Rococo structure in Germany.
Debra and I had lunch on the Mani, and after lunch, Debra opted for some R&R while I joined 40 fellow-passengers on a tour of two palaces located in Bruhl, about 12 miles south of Cologne. These palaces were among the 26 palaces built for Archbishop Clemens Augustus in the first half of the 18th century. Can you imagine – 26 palaces for one person?!
Augustusburg Palace, which was built on the ruins of a Medieval castle, looked magnificent! The architectural style, we learned, was Rococo. In fact, this palace, which took more than 40 years to complete, was the first Rococo structure in Germany.
We walked up the long drive and entered through a door on the left wing of the palace. Much to my chagrin, we were greeted by a prominent sign that told us we were not allowed to take photos inside. Aargh! Fortunately, when I returned home I found a LINK to a gallery of 12 photos, including 10 photos of the inside of the palace, so that you could see how beautiful the interior was: grand staircases, spectacular chandeliers, colorfully muraled ceilings, detailed marble reliefs, period furniture, and more. As you will see – as I saw walking through the palace – all the rooms were quite ornate and truly a show of great wealth. My favorite area was the two-story reception foyer (top middle photo on the gallery), which was filled with columns, statues, frescoes, ceiling reliefs, and marble from floor to ceiling. Perhaps not how I would decorate my foyer at home, but I must say that it was stunning!
As we exited the palace, we walked toward a large side terrace, where we had a scenic view of the extensive gardens. There were manicured trees and hedges, fountains and pools, and even a moat. Magnificent!
As we exited the palace, we walked toward a large side terrace, where we had a scenic view of the extensive gardens. There were manicured trees and hedges, fountains and pools, and even a moat. Magnificent!
We boarded the bus for the short drive to the hunting lodge (and smaller palace) Falkenlust. Construction started in 1729 and was completed in 1737. Here’s an interesting piece of trivia that our guide shared with us: This site was chosen because it was on the path of migrating herons, a prey preferred by the trained falcons owned by Clemens Augustus.
Again, we weren’t allowed to take photos inside Falkenlust, and again I found a LINK to a photo gallery.
There was a pretty chapel on the grounds, built in 1730 and dedicated to Saint Mary of Egypt. I was able to take a photo of the inside of the chapel through a window. Yes!!!
There was a pretty chapel on the grounds, built in 1730 and dedicated to Saint Mary of Egypt. I was able to take a photo of the inside of the chapel through a window. Yes!!!
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UNESCO added both palaces and their grounds to its list of World Heritage sites in 1984.
Back on board the Mani, Debra and I had dinner and drinks, and shared travel stories with the other passengers at our table. As the conversation waned, we heard the captain announce that we were ready to set sail for our next port of call, Gorinchem, located in the province of South Holland. Debra and I stood on the top deck of the Mani, where we watched the sail-away, with the Rhine River illuminated by the city lights. What a great ending to a wonderful day!
Back on board the Mani, Debra and I had dinner and drinks, and shared travel stories with the other passengers at our table. As the conversation waned, we heard the captain announce that we were ready to set sail for our next port of call, Gorinchem, located in the province of South Holland. Debra and I stood on the top deck of the Mani, where we watched the sail-away, with the Rhine River illuminated by the city lights. What a great ending to a wonderful day!
