Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: Venloer 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". The "Helios AG für elektrisches Licht und Telegraphenanlagenbau" was a company founded in 1882, had its headquarters in the city of Ehrenfeld, which was incorporated into Cologne in 1888. The company, named after the Greek God, was very innovative in electrical engineering but entered financial difficulties after the turn of the century. Siemens and AEG took over Helios. Later the company was aquired by aviation pioneer Arthur Delfosse, renamed "Kölner Industrie-Werke", and cars were produced here. The company finally closed down in 1930. The lighthouse towering over the factory buildings was a kind of trademark for die Helios AG. The logo can still be seen on the walls here. Actually Helios AG has indeed constructed lighthouses on the North Frisian Islands and the mouth of the Weser river.

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". The "Helios AG für elektrisches Licht und Telegraphenanlagenbau" was a company founded in 1882, had its headquarters in the city of Ehrenfeld, which was incorporated into Cologne in 1888. The company, named after the Greek God, was very innovative in electrical engineering but entered financial difficulties after the turn of the century. Siemens and AEG took over Helios. Later the company was aquired by aviation pioneer Arthur Delfosse, renamed "Kölner Industrie-Werke", and cars were produced here. The company finally closed down in 1930.

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". Heavy machinery occupies a part of the Venloer Strasse, as large renovations are underway in the house behind. "Metzgerei Reintgen", a butchery that had been here for many decades, has closed down. Maybe the discount markets plus vegetarism of the younger people made it impossible for the family to continue the business. "Blumengarten", the flower shop to the right seems to be in full blossom. www.blumengarten-koeln.de

I'm witnessing the complete vanishing of gumball-machines. When I was a kid, these vending machines decorated every fourth or fifth facade. Cigarette-machines were just everywhere, as just everybody smoked. At least any male adult, I only remember female nonsmokers. Things changed. Even I quit smoking nearly 20 years ago. And many others did, so that now after the gumball-machines, cigarette-machines entered the "red list of vanishing items". Obviously all public vending machines are used as places to leave messages. Young urban nomads are probably able to decipher and understand them.

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". A great motto. I´ll try that! At first I had the impression, that "Kleiderei", located at Venloer Strasse in Cologne-Ehrenfeld, was just another second hand / vintage shop, but it is not. Here people don´t buy but rent clothes. Flatrate! kleiderei.com/