Cologne - Neusser Straße

Cologne is the fourth-largest city in Germany - and one of the oldest. A Germanic tribe, the Ubii, had a settlement here, this was named by the Romans "Oppidum Ubiorum". In 50 AD, the Romans founded "Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium", the city then became the provincial capital of "Germania Inferior".

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During WWII Cologne was bombed in 262 separate air raids. The first ever 1,000 bomber raid by the RAF ("Operation Millenium") was conducted on Cologne in May 1942. In April 1945, when the American armee reached Cologne, the city was completely ruined. About 90% of all houses in the inner city were - gone. In 1939 Cologne had had a population of more than 700.00. In spring 1945 there were only about 40.000, living in the ruins. So the very most houses and facades in the ctity of Cologne are - young.

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The Neusser Straße of today follows the antique Roman road, that once connected "Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium" (Cologne) with Novaesium (Neuss). During the Industrial Revolution of the 19th century, with its tremendous population increase, the city of Cologne grew along the existing roads. Just north of the medieval citywall the Agnesquarter (Agnesviertel) developed around the Neu-gothic Agnes Church (completed 1901). The impressive "Erft-Haus", seen here, was erected in 1905.