25Hours at the discovery of Köln, its Dom and the famous Eau de Cologne, among others…

 

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Taking advantage of the boon of a building requiring a buyer, following the departure of the Gerling insurance company, the 25Hours hotel group seized the opportunity to invest this historic listed building in the heart of the business area, the Friesen Viertel, with pronounced curves and a certain personality.

The result, a building renovated by renowned architectural design entities O&O Baukunst, who designed the building, and Studio Aisslinger, for the more artistic part, converted the company’s spectacular rotunda, originally occupied by the Insurance Gerling, in a set worked around the theme of “retro-futurism”. A specific order from this company mogul, to the visionary architect of the time Franz Heinrich Sobotka to imagine those generous lines around this concrete rotunda.

The result, after many months of renovation, is amazing. Once you walk inside, you think as if you were in a rocket, ready to fly to the moon. An authentic counter where you would have the opportunity to write on a typewriter, while your friend stops at the souvenirs shop, with full of surprises… and your colleagues are busy in the huge co-working space or in the conference center with its spacecraft portholes. 

A real world apart in the center of Cologne, where you would just need 15 minutes to reach the famous cathedral of Cologne, the Dom and its adjoining international Thalys train station.

A galaxy that invites you to invest in its various satellites including the one inspired by the conquest of outer space.
Many points scattered throughout the hotel mean this aspect. Like this cosmonaut model neglected in the lobby, waiting for a passing visitor to pose in his company.
A real spatial staging illustrates this position with a cosmonaut straight back from the moon, he looks a bit tired by this long trip!

Your journey in this cosmic space continues at altitude thanks to the various disco atmosphere lifts available for you to climb into your rooms or in the common areas that overlook the city of Cologne.

For your part, do not worry, your resort will also offer a first-class panorama of the city’s strongly post-war architecture, even from your bathroom, which is sheltered by wooden windscreens. When the night falls, if you leave the curtains open, you will admire the charm of a city at night and will be directed by a blue clock of the future, which you can eventually turn off if its light disturbs you.

A minimalist atmosphere where the functional reigns. Indeed, you will have as decoration and at the same time of utilitarian, some objects which will make you the visit of the city of Cologne very pleasant. Thus a Freitag bag will facilitate your shopping trips and a bike will be ready from your room and can be completed by another model possibly to borrow gracefully at the reception.

Indeed, the traffic in Cologne is much by bike or on foot because the places of tourist interest are close to each other and the 25Hours Hotel is a 10-minute walk from the train station. But if you want to get some time out of the city and explore the surroundings of Cologne, know that you could also borrow one of the two Austin Mini for a journey 4 hours!

Those are not the only facilities offered by the establishment since you could also borrow a camera to immortalize your memories on electronic snapshots (photo credits: Alex Plato).

After your full day of sightseeing, why not relaxing at the sauna located at the top of the building?

A place of rest conducive to meetings with your neighbors of the hotel, accompanied by tea at discretion available at the fountain.

You would be relaxed enough to face the evening that could naturally extend to the Neni restaurant, overlooking the 25Hours Hotel and the city in addition. This concept of Israeli and Lebanese fusion cuisine is present in many hotels of the group as a partner institution.
The present configuration offers you here a terrace that bypasses the whole Circle, like its colleague in Düsseldorf, what to play hide and seek with your friends.

On the menu, the traditional menu cooked up by the Neni‘s inspired teams, that you many find in many other restaurants of the 25Hours chain.
The menu includes great classics like mezze reworked with homemade sauces like hummus, tahina and grilled Mediterranean vegetables and sweet potato fries.

In addition, other typical dishes of Jerusalem or surroundings promise you strong sensations, unequaled… To accompany Israeli wines or champagne according to your mood! The dessert promises to be just as promising! The trio allows you to taste the bestsellers such as cheesecake, tiramisu and sesame tahina ice cream, all revisited by the very inspired cooking team. It must be certain that you have never tasted them! Just as much as the view of Cologne that is breathtaking at night!

A digestive or a cocktail, direction to the Monkey Bar, on the same floor, including a theme on monkeys as the name suggests, starring the creative cocktails of the mixologist Joerg Meyer. A nice way to end the night!

The next morning, your breakfast brunch is still waiting for you at Neni, certainly your restaurant the day before! On the program, hummus with three flavors, various German breads to fill up with buckwheat and cereals, omelettes and fresh salty such as cheese, cold cuts and fish from the North (salmon and herring). It is certain that you will appreciate to accompany this plate composed of a fruit salad and a cup of sparkling wine!

Once refreshed, the city of Cologne awaits you. Heavily damaged during the bombings of the Second World War, nevertheless it contains many treasures.

25Hours Hotel Koeln The Circle / Adress : Im Klapperhof 22-24, 50670 Köln, Germany / Phone : +49 221 162530

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Like this famous cathedral, also called the Dom of Cologne…

Located in the heart of the city, the Cathedral stands on the banks of the Rhine river, which runs through the city and near the central station. This Gothic catholic church is also consecrated as Cathedral of the Archbishopric of Cologne. With its 157 meters high and 533 steps, it is the second highest church in Germany and the world for its towers, after the main church of Ulm.

Cologne becoming the religious capital of a vast region from the southern Belgium to Bremen. Around 850, a fire destroyed the original church, a vast project of religious replacement building occurred there, referred as the “old Cathedral”. In 1164, this church, meanwhile embellished, receives the relics of the Three Magi, brought from Milan by Rainald von Dassel.

The monument which shelters them would have been realized between 1181 and 1230 by the workshop of Nicolas de Verdun, this shrine of the three Magi is a reliquary installed in the center of the choir.

Large (it is more than 2 meters long), it is made of oak, covered with gold, silver and copper, representing seventy-four characters, wearing blue inscriptions, watermarks and precious stones.

More than a thousand gems, semi-precious stones and pearls are set in the shrine, with gems and three hundred antique cameos. As it is settled on an altar table, it is the largest reliquary altar in Europe. The reliquary is the destination of a pilgrimage each year, settled on January 6, during a procession of the Sternsinger.

 

The first gothic Cathedral project dates back to 1220. The assassination of the archbishop adjourned the project. The idea was taken again in 1247. The new bedside was put in service in 1265. The consecration finally took place on September 27, 1322.

The Cathedral had many uses including a granary, in 1794, when the French army entered in Cologne.

A huge effort to complete this gigantic building was pursued through the centuries. Unfortunately, disturbed by the fourteen bombs that crashed on the Cathedral during the Second World War. The vault was completely destroyed and one can thus observe that the northern part of the facade presents weaknesses consolidated by bricks. The bedside was only returned to worship in 1948.

It was not until the late 1950s that the cathedral is fully restored but remains in constant maintenance. This is how the entrance fees for access to the towers allow the financing of its works.

A real climb for the bravest to reach the last level and enjoy the view from the bell tower, and the panorama of the city!

Cathedral of Cologne (Kölner Dom), Domkloster 4, 50667 Köln, Germany