Köln

Art and culture in Cologne have a long history under its two 160 m-tall spires. Not only is the city traditionally devoted to its cultural heritage, but in a special way it is open to the artistic avant-garde. Since the end of the 1960s, a thoroughly active gallery scene has marked the cultural profile of the metropolis on the Rhine, which nowadays is one of the most important places for international art dealing. Cologne offers a unique and varied museum landscape. The offering ranges from ancient to modern art, which is housed in the Museum Ludwig. Big city theatre on the other hand is to be found at the Cologne Playhouse, which has recreated the connection to the German elite under artistic director Karin Beier. Numerous private stages supplement the theatre scene. The Cologne Philharmonic serves up a diverse programme with the great works of its symphonic and chamber music repertoires, jazz sessions as well as folk and pop events, and the world of literature also feels at home in Cologne. Authors such as Heinrich Böll, Lew Kopelew and Günter Wallraff were and are closely associated with the city.