The Moment I Left the Station, I Was Standing at a “Giant’s” Feet
I took the ICE (high-speed train) from Berlin to Cologne Central Station. The instant I stepped out, an enormous structure appeared out of nowhere—so massive it stole my words: Cologne Cathedral (Kölner Dom).
Seen under a bright blue sky, its overwhelming scale and the intricate carvings covering its façade are almost dizzying. More than 600 years of time felt compressed into a single presence—quietly standing there, heavy with history.
Cologne Cathedral: A “Giant” That Changes Faces by Day and by Night
At night, everything changes. The cathedral’s silhouette floating in the darkness isn’t just “majestic”—it’s powerful enough to inspire awe. Step inside, and the noise outside feels like a lie: a deep silence, a ceiling that seems to stretch toward heaven, and stained-glass light spilling onto the floor. The whole space is wrapped in something unmistakably sacred.
Cologne Style: Kölsch and a Serious Chunk of Meat
After being overwhelmed by the cathedral, I headed to the Altstadt (Old Town)—a picture-book-pretty area with colorful houses lining the Rhine.
In Cologne, you can’t skip the local beer: Kölsch. It’s served in small 200ml glasses—about the size of a Japanese bottled-beer glass. And the moment you finish one, the waiter immediately sets down a fresh glass with a confident thunk. If you want to stop, you place your coaster on top of the glass—that’s the signal for “I’m good.” It keeps your throat happily refreshed.
And here is Kölsch’s strongest partner:
Schweinshaxe—a classic German dish: pork knuckle roasted until the skin turns perfectly crisp. It arrives as a true “block of meat,” often with a knife stuck into it, and the visual impact is almost as intense as the flavor. One bite and the savory juices spread across your mouth—and suddenly, you can’t stop drinking.
Bonn, the Former Capital — Visiting the Hometown of a Musical Genius
About 30 minutes south of Cologne by train, I also made a quick trip to Bonn, once the capital of West Germany. It’s the city where the great composer Ludwig van Beethoven was born and raised.
In the city center, the pale pink building known as Beethoven-Haus is his birthplace. Inside, it’s a museum filled with exhibits that feel astonishingly close to him—handwritten scores, instruments he actually used, and more. It’s a true pilgrimage site: moving not only for music lovers, but for anyone.
Bonn itself feels compact and gentle. There’s none of the stiffness you might imagine from the title “former capital.” In front of the University of Bonn, students were playing soccer on a wide lawn—an easy, peaceful scene. Compared to Cologne’s energy, Bonn’s time flows slowly. That, I think, is its charm.
At the End of the Journey
Berlin’s artistic edge, Hamburg’s sea wind, Stralsund’s beautiful red bricks—and the cheerful Rhineland spirit alive in Cologne and Bonn. Germany showed a completely different face from city to city.
Heavy history, great beer, and Schweinshaxe—these two cities were the perfect place to close out my Germany travels.
It’s already been ten years since I left Germany. Looking back, I’m reminded again how many truly precious experiences I was able to collect. If I ever get the chance to return, I’d love to visit Dresden and Munich as well. It was a small trip, but one that stayed with me.
コメント