Seaport and capital city on the island Of ZEALAND facing Sweden 20 km (12 miles) away across the Oresund, the principal entrance to the Baltic Sea. Founded in the 13th century, it was attacked by Sweden in the 17th century and bombarded by British ships during the Napoleonic Wars. In the mid-19th century the ramparts within which it was still confined were largely removed. It has a beautiful waterfront, the setting for the well-known statue of Hans Andersen's Little Mermaid, and along the coast of the Oresund modern developments complement older villas. Canals and moats add to the attractions of the city.
There is a rich architectural heritage, from the Dutch Renaissance of the Borsen (Stock Exchange) and Rosenborg Castle, through the Baroque style of Our Savior's Church and Charlotte Borg Castle, now the seat of the Art Academy, to the rococo of Amalienborg Palace and the classical style of late 18th-century town houses, offset by imaginative contemporary architecture such as the Carlsberg brewery's bottling plant.
The city centre is distinguished by the university, dating from 1497; by Christiansborg the seat of government which was rebuilt after a 19th-century fire; by the national theatre (with its old-established ballet); by the massive brick city hall with its famous astronomical world clock; and by the Tivoli Gardens, a summer amusement park. Other places of interest include the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek (Egyptian, Greek, Etruscan and Roman collections); the Toy Museum; Rosenborg Castle; the Circus Building and Zoo; the Zoological Museum; the Open Air Museum; and the City Museum and National Art Gallery.
Manufactures include ships, furniture, clothing, silverware and porcelain from the 200-year-old Royal Copenhagen factory. There is an airport and a harbor, which includes a 50-year-old free port, which profits from the large Baltic hinterland.
Locals hypothesize that the legacy of Italian blood and culture in Cologne, colonized by the Romans more than 1500 years ago, makes the people more jovial and lighthearted. Cologne is the largest city on the Rhine.
Kolsch is not only the dialect spoken here but, also the name of their own top-fermented beer. There are more than 4,000 pubs, restaurant's and brewery taverns in Cologne.
Unlike many of the world's large cities, Cologne, with a population of over a million, gets better every day, there are more things to do and see, more new and innovative buildings... more
Travel is an opportunity to learn, whether geography, languages, history or other subjects.
Cologne is situated on the beautiful Rhine River.