COLOGNE, GERMANY
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. It is one of the oldest cities in Germany, having been founded by the Romans in the year 38 BC.
Cologne lies on the River Rhine. The city's famous Cologne Cathedral is the seat of the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Cologne. The University of Cologne is one of Europe's oldest universities.
Cologne has several museums of many kinds. The famous Romano-Germanic Museum features art and architecture from the city's distant past. Several orchestras are active in the city, among them the Gürzenich Orchestra and Musica Antiqua Köln, as well as several choirs, including the WDR Rundfunkchor Köln. Cologne was also an important centre of electronic music in the 1950s and again from the 90s onward. The public radio and TV station WDR was involved in promoting musical movements such as Krautrock in the 70s. There are several centers of nightlife, among them the Kwartier Latäng and the nightclub-studded areas around the Friesenplatz and Rudolfplatz.
Cologne is a major cultural center of the Rhineland and has a vibrant arts scene. Cologne is home to more than 30 museums and hundreds of galleries. Exhibitions range from local ancient Roman archeological sites to contemporary graphics and sculpture. The city's Trade Fair Grounds are host to a number of trade shows such as the Art Cologne Fair, the International Furniture Fair (IMM) and the Photokina. Cologne is also well-known for its celebration of Cologne Carnival, the annual reggae summerjam, and the gay/lesbian pride festival Christopher Street Day (CSD).
Cologne carnival is one of the biggest street festivals in Europe. In Cologne, the carnival season officially starts on 11 November at 11 minutes past 11 a.m. with the proclamation of the new Carnival Season, and continues until Ash Wednesday. But the so-called "Tolle Tage" don't start until Weiberfastnacht or, in dialect, Wieverfastelovend, which is the beginning of the street carnival. Hundreds of thousands of visitors flock to Cologne during this time. Generally, around a million people are celebrating in the streets on the Thursday before Ash Wednesday.
Cologne Cathedral is the city's famous landmark and unofficial symbol. It is a Gothic church, started in 1248, and completed in 1880. In 1996, it was designated a World Heritage site; it houses the Shrine of the Three Holy Kings that supposedly contains the relics of the Three Magi . Residents of Cologne sometimes refer to the cathedral as "the eternal construction site".
The Farina fragrance museum is situated across from the town-hall, and near the famous Wallraf-Richartz-Museum in the Obenmarspforten street in Cologne. Founded in 1709, John Maria Farina opposite the Jülichs Place is the eldest fragrance factory still standing and has house the registered office since 1723.
The museum provides over several floors a very detailed insight into the production methods of perfume throughout the various stages. The focus is primarily laid on Eau de Cologne, and you will therefore discover some particular technical devices such as distillation apparatus which were once used. In addition to the equipment, you will also be able to witness the evolution thanks to various pictures and documents which help trace back history. Moreover, as copyright didn’t exist in those days, a great deal of imitations and forgeries of Eau de Cologne rapidly appeared on the market and a certain number of them are also presented in the museum. Further details as to the changes in the manufacturing of Farina Eau de Cologne are also on display.
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