Point of interest
Altstadt & Rheinpanorama (Old Town & Rhine waterfront)
in Cologne, Germany
Cobblestones, colourful gabled houses and brewhouses around Alter Markt and Heumarkt. From the riverbank the cathedral, the Romanesque Great St. Martin church and the town-hall tower form the world-famous Rhine panorama.
Where it is
The Old Town stretches along the west bank of the Rhine around Alter Markt, Heumarkt and Fischmarkt, between the cathedral and the Deutzer Brücke.
Address: Martinsviertel, 50667 Cologne
What it is
Among cobblestones, alleys and colourful gabled houses you find brewhouses serving Kölsch, restaurants and cafés. The Fischmarkt, with the church of Groß St. Martin, makes for the city's prettiest photos. The Rhine promenade is perfect for a stroll, including along the path beneath the Gothic arches of the Hohenzollern Bridge.
History
Cologne's Roman foundation in the 1st century began along this stretch of riverbank, and the Alter Markt grew on the silted-up Roman harbour. The medieval quarter was heavily destroyed in the Second World War and rebuilt over the following decades from historical records. The Fischmarkt already served the fish trade in the 12th century.