Cologne, German Köln, fourth largest city in Germany and largest city of the Land (state) of North Rhine–Westphalia. One of the key inland ports of Europe, it is the historic, cultural, and economic capital of the Rhineland. Cologne is the seat of a university and the see of a Roman Catholic archbishop. Its cathedral, the largest Gothic church in northern Europe, was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1996; it is the city’s major landmark and unofficial symbol

A large proportion of Cologne’s area consists of parkland, woods, lakes, sports facilities, and open areas. Two major park systems follow roughly the concentric patterns of old fortifications around the Innenstadt. The first is just outside the Ringstrassen and includes (from north to south) zoological and botanical gardens, the Stadtgarten, and the Volksgarten. Cologne has an extensive range of things to do with a selection of places to eat and drink, adventures and activities, plan your stay and visit to Cologne.