Executive summary by darmansjah
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city (after Berlin,
Hamburg, and Munich), and is the largest city both in the German Federal State
of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of
the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.
Cologne is located on both sides of the Rhine River. The
city's famous Cologne Cathedral (Kölner Dom) is the seat of the Catholic
Archbishop of Cologne. The University of Cologne (Universität zu Köln) is one
of Europe's oldest and largest universities.
Cologne was founded and established in the first century AD,
as the Roman Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium in Ubii territory. It was the
capital of the Roman province of Germania Inferior and the headquarters of the
military in the region until occupied by the Franks in 462. During the Middle
Ages it flourished as one of the most important major trade routes between east
and west in Europe. Cologne was one of the leading members of the Hanseatic
League and one of the largest cities north of the Alps in medieval and
renaissance times. Up until World War II the city had undergone several other
occupations by the French and also the British. Cologne was one of the most
heavily bombed cities in Germany during World War II. The bombing reduced the
population by 95% and destroyed almost the entire city. With the intention of
restoring as many historic buildings as possible, the rebuilding has resulted
in a very mixed and unique cityscape.
Cologne is a major cultural center of the Rhineland; it is
home to more than thirty museums and hundreds of galleries. Exhibitions range
from local ancient Roman archeological sites to contemporary graphics and
sculpture. The Cologne Trade Fair hosts a number of trade shows such as Art
Cologne, imm Cologne, Gamescom, and the Photokina.
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