by Anthony Shaw

Created on: March 01, 2010

Nordrhein-Westfalen is the largest of the German states. It is about the same size as the US State of Maine. It ís densely populated though, with approximately 18,000,000 people living in a relatively small area. It has known something of a economic slump in recent years, following the decline of traditional heavy manufacturing industries, but remains still Germany's most powerful economic state in absolute terms.

It has many important cities, but from the perspective of the tourist we would do best to start with Cologne ("Köln" in German). If you arrive by train at Cologne's major railway station, you cannot fail to notice its major attraction. Standing right next to the station, in all her glory, is Cologne Cathedral. It is a magnificent example of Gothic architecture. It was started in 1248, but was only fully completed in the nineteenth century. It is now a World Heritage site, as designated by UNESCO. It also has been labelled "miraculous" as it was hit many times by bombs during the Second World War, but did not collapse, while much of the surrounding part of the city was flattened.

It has many hotels in varied price ranges, but you would be advised always to book well in advance as it one of Germany's most visited cities, and often serves as a centre for various events at the large Trade Fair Hall. Booking early is also particularly recommended during the Carnival season in February (this is true for the whole state of Nordrhein-Westfalen, but particularly true for Cologne). 

There are many restaurants of varied types in the centre and the suburbs of the city, and local beer (Kölsch) is well worth trying. 

The arts scene is also well represented, the Cologne Philharmonic orchestra has an excellent reputation, and there are also a number of concerts performed by choirs that have an excellent reputation through the country.

Cologne's great rival is the neighbouring city of Düsseldorf, which is a 20 minute ride away on the Inter City Express train. It is a city that is well known throughout Germany as one of the country's shopping capitals. Particularly well-known is the Königsallee, where many up-market fashion and jewellery shops are to be found. Many fashion shows are held in the city throughout the year - those interested should contact the city's tourist information office, or check on the internet for details.

That Nordrhein-Westfalen is changing face can be seen

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