Part IV: Southern and Western Germany in .NET framework

Generator QR-Code in .NET framework Part IV: Southern and Western Germany

Visitors to this lively metropolis on the Rhine, Germany s fourth-largest and oldest city, are immediately struck by Cologne s cheek-by-jowl juxtaposition of the very old with the very new You can see Roman ruins in an underground parking garage, a dizzyingly ornate Gothic cathedral beside a modern museum complex, and a humble Romanesque church wedged in among luxury shops On a ten-minute walk in Cologne, you can traverse 2,000 years of history Cologne (pronounced koeln) offers far more than just Germany s largest cathedral, although that is spectacular and reason enough to visit The range of Cologne s museums and the quality of their collections make it one of the outstanding museum cities of Germany Music, whether it s a symphony concert in the modern philharmonic hall, an opera at the highly regarded opera house, or a boisterous outdoor concert in the Rheinpark, is likewise a vital component of life here The city also is famous as the birthplace of eau de Cologne Cologne traces its beginnings to 38 bc, when Roman legions set up camp here As early as ad 50, the emperor Claudius gave the city municipal rights as capital of a Roman province In addition to its substantial Roman legacy, the city boasts 12 major Romanesque churches Older than the cathedral, the churches drew medieval pilgrims from all across Europe to Holy Cologne, one of the most important pilgrimage cities in medieval Christendom Like Munich, Cologne is a city that likes to have fun, and a huge student population keeps it buzzing and vital The K lner themselves are refreshingly relaxed and down-to-earth in how they enjoy their city Every year they welcome millions of visitors, many of whom come to attend the giant international trade fairs held in the Cologne Messe, or trade-fair grounds Ancient traditions are annually renewed in the city s raucous pre-Lenten Carnival (called Fasching), a time of masked balls, parades, and general delirium When the weather turns warm, visitors and citizens alike stroll along the Rhine promenades and flock to outdoor taverns and restaurants to enjoy the pleasures of a K lsch, Cologne s unique and delicious beer, and a substantial meal of typical Rhineland cuisine

Cologne s Carnival, the city s fifth season, is one of the most eagerly anticipated events in Germany The season officially lasts from New Year s Eve to Ash Wednesday The city buzzes with masked balls, parades, and general delirium Natives call this citywide celebration Fasteleer or Fastelovend

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Cologne (K ln)

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Cologne is one of the major cities in western Germany, and getting there is easy by train, car, or plane

Cologne s airport, Konrad-Adenauer-Flughafen K ln/Bonn (% 02203/ 40-40-01; wwwairport-cgnde), is located 14km (9 miles) southeast of the city Direct flights arrive from most major European cities The fastest and simplest way to get into the city is by taking an S-Bahn train

(S-13) from the new airport train station directly to the Cologne main train station It runs from 5 am to nearly 2 am The trip takes 20 minutes; the fare is 3 ($405) A taxi from the airport to the city center costs about 25 ($34)

Cologne is a major rail hub, so reaching the city from anywhere in Germany or the rest of Europe is easy Frequent daily trains arrive from Berlin (51 2 hours), Frankfurt (21 2 hours), and Hamburg (41 2 hours) The Cologne Hauptbahnhof is in the heart of the city, next to the cathedral For train information and schedules, call German Rail at % 11861 or visit wwwbahnde

Cologne is easily reached from major German and European cities The A3 autobahn connects the city to the north and south, while the A4 autobahn travels east and west