Cologne Audio Tours

The Cologne Cathedral was started in 1248 and the builders ran out of money around 1560, leaving a massive construction crane rusting on the unfinished south tower for three centuries. It was finally completed in 1880 and was, for eleven years, the tallest structure on earth. It survived the World War II bombing raids that destroyed sixty percent of the city in 1942 alone, either through Allied targeting or architectural mercy depending on whose account you read, and its twin spires are still the first thing visible when arriving in the city by rail. Inside, the Shrine of the Three Kings, a golden reliquary from the 12th century containing what are claimed to be the remains of the Magi, makes Cologne one of the major pilgrimage sites of northern Europe.

Cologne was a Roman colony from 50 AD, capital of Germania Inferior under Emperor Nero, and the city whose name gave English the word 'cologne': the fragrance has been produced here since Johann Maria Farina opened his shop in 1709, and his name is still on the building on Obenmarspforten, twelve generations later.

The perfume was carried across Europe in flasks shaped like rifles and bullets so soldiers could bring it from occupied Cologne without arousing suspicion. It was called Eau de Cologne because that was where it came from.