History & Religion

Period of prosperity  |  Cologne today  |  Timeline  |  City of faith

Cologne is the oldest of the major German cities. Its name goes back to the Romans, who gave their city the name of »Colonia« in 50 A.D.

Milestones in Cologne's history

Milestones in Cologne's history

Date	Event
2006	Five games of the Soccer Worldcup 2006 are played in the RheinEnergieStadion in Cologne.
2005	On the occassion of the 20th World Youth Day more than one million people come to Cologne. Pope Benedict XVI. also visits the catholic youth festival.
2003	The ICE (InterCity Express) trains reach Frankfurt on the new Cologne-Rhine/Main high-speed railwayline; an underground ICE railway station beneath Cologne/Bonn Airport is opened one year later.
1999	Cologne becomes »Summit City«: The political leaders of the western industrial nations and Russia (G8) meet in Cologne.
1998	The Kölnarena (since 2008 Lanxess Arena), Germany's largest multifunctional events forum for over 18,000 visitors, creates a new dimension in the German music and show scene.
1998	Gothic year. 750th anniversary of the laying of the foundation stone of Cologne Cathedral.
1986	Opening of the cultural centre on the Rhine with Wallraf-Richartz Museum/Museum Ludwig and the Philharmonic.
1985	Year of the Romanesque churches.
1984	Rhine Embankment Tunnel. Cologne is once again directly on the Rhine.
1975	Due to the communal territorial reform Cologne becomes a city of one million inhabitants.
24.8.1972	The restored historical Town Hall is reopened.
13.10.1946	The first post-war city council is freely elected.
1942 -1945	90 % of the city centre is destroyed during the 2nd World War, 72 % of the municipal area.
1925	The American automobile pioneer Ford starts its production in Cologne.
1922	Foundation of Koelnmesse.
1881	Demolition of the mediaeval city wall and extension of the city (until about 1914)
1880	Completion of the Cathedral.
1842	Restart of construction work on the Cathedral.
1823	The new Festival Committee organizes the first Rose Monday Parade in Cologne Carnival.
1815	Cologne and the Rhineland become part of Prussia.
1794	Cologne is occupied by the French revolutionary troops. Cologne becomes part of France.
1560	Construction of the Cathedral is suspended.
1553	Foundation of Cologne Stock Exchange, one of the oldest in the world.
1475	Cologne is granted the status of a free imperial city (de facto already since 1288).
1396	Proclamation of a new city constitution (»Verbundbrief«).
1388	Foundation of Cologne University as the first municipal university in Europe.
1360	First Cologne fair ordinance.
1355	Confirmation of Staple Rights by Emperor Charles IV. Cologne's citizens control trade on the Rhine.
1288	Battle of Worringen, Cologne becomes a free city.
1248	Laying of the foundation stone of Cologne Cathedral under Archbishop Konrad of Hochstaden.
1180	Third extension of the city. With approx. 40,000 inhabitants, Cologne is the largest city in the Empire.It is protected by a new city wall.
1164	Transfer of the remains of the Three Magi from Milan to Cologne.
about 950	First extension of the city to the Rhine.
881	Normans plunder the city.
870	The Carolingian Cathedral is completed.
about 800	Emperor Charlemagne raises the bishopric of Cologne to the status of an archbishopric.
about 460-510	Cologne is integrated into the kingdom of the Ripuarian Franconian kings (today France and West Germany).
about 310	Emperor Constantine builds a bridge over the Rhine in Cologne, the military fortress Deutzis built on the right bank of the Rhine.
50 A.D.	At the request of his wife, Empress Agrippina, who was born here, Emperor Claudius grants the settlement city rights. The town is given the name »Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium« (CCAA). Via interim versions (Cöllen, Cöln) the subsequent name of Köln developed.
38 B.C.	Probable foundation of »oppidum Ubiorum« following the resettlement of the Ubi on the leftbank of the Rhine by Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa.
about 300 B.C.	The Teutons reach the Lower Rhine and expel the Celts who had settled there.
about 3000 B.C.	Makers of band ceramics settle in the Cologne region.

Rome's imperial governor resided here and the city quickly developed into one of the empire's most important trade and manufacturing centres north of the Alps. The Romans also brought Christianity to Cologne and it quickly became a diocesan town.
Following the confusion of the transitional period in which the city came under the rule of the Franks, Charlemagne founded the archbishopric of Cologne in 785. The Archbishop of Cologne, one of the most important feudal lords in the Holy Roman Empire, became Chancellor for Italy (11th C.) and Elector (14th C.). In the Middle Ages the city experienced a new heyday; from around the 12th to the 15th Century it was the most populous and one of the richest cities in the German-speaking world.
Since 1288 and their military victory over the archbishop and ruler of the city, the citizens of Cologne took political and economic power into their own hands, even though Cologne's status as a free imperial city was only confirmed de jure in 1475. In 1388 the citizens established the first municipal university.

Period of prosperity

Cologne quickly played a leading role as a member of the Hanseatic League and a centre of commercial fairs.
Cologne's unique churches, the remains of its city walls and numerous civic buildings (town hall, Gürzenich, Overstolzenhaus and many more) as well as countless works of art are living proof of the riches and the devoutness of »Hilligen Köln« (Holy Cologne).
Following the discovery of the New World, the introduction of new forms of business and trade routes and the emergence of the nation states in Europe, Cologne experienced an economic decline lasting into the 19th Century. The city's political power also waned; in 1794 Cologne was occupied by French revolutionary troops and in 1815 became a part of the kingdom of Prussia. With the industrial revolution, the opportunities of which were quickly recognized and taken by the city, with the gradual incorporation of large parts of the region around it; with prudent communal politics under Prussia and later the German Reich, favoured by the newly-awakened national enthusiasm for Cologne's mediaeval past, a powerful new revival of the city began, a revival which continues today – despite the terrible consequences of two World Wars.

Cologne today

Cologne presents itself today, against the background of its long and chequered history, as

• an art and trade fair city of world class
• a key centre of transport and business in Western Europe

and last but not least, a vital, charming city in which its great past and the present, commerce and culture create a fascinating blend and where the people – not only at the famous Carnival – like to laugh and to live and let live.
It comes, therefore, as no surprise that the city regularly attracts more visitors: Cologne Cathedral is the most-visited building in Germany. The old Roman saying is confirmed once more:
»Anyone who has not seen Cologne, has not seen Germany«. Because there is an amazing amount to see in Cologne.

  Timeline:

City of Faith

Colonia Claudia ara Agrippinensium: the official founding name of the ancient city of Cologne. The suffix »ara« (lat. ­altar) ­already designates Cologne as a religious centre. On the Capitol Hill there was a temple for the Roman trio of Gods Jupiter, Juno and Minerva. (Now St. Maria in the Capitol).

Christianity arrived on the Rhine in the 3rd century. The first recorded Bishop of Cologne was Maternus in 313. Even in the high Middle Ages Cologne was already so called »holy Cologne« and was known as the largest trading centre that side of the Alps. Today around 40% of the inhabitants are Catholic, 20% Evangelical and 10% Muslim. The remaining 30% fall into Christian Free Churches (Methodists, Old Catholics, the Salvation Army, etc.) and other religions as well as residents with no professed religion.

The Catholic church has been established in the city for almost 1700 years, and it has characterised the city not merely architecturally through Cologne’s trademark, the Cathedral which, compared to other tourist sights in Germany, attracts the most visitors.
However, the city is regarded as being very liberal in religious matters.