Germany’s fourth largest city has a history stretching back some 2,000 years to the time when the Romans founded a trading outpost along the Rhine River. Located in the heart of Rhineland, Cologne (or Koln to the locals) has always played an important role in the regional life of this part of Germany.

After the Romans left, the city became a centre for the worship of Ursula, the legendary woman who freed the city from the Huns during the Middle Ages. But Cologne is undoubtedly most famous for its stunning cathedral, simply called the Dom. At the time of its completion it was the world’s tallest structure and is still widely considered to be the finest Gothic building ever produced. Pilgrims came from all over the world to see the relics of the Magi, which the Dom was built to house in 1248.