举世闻名的科隆大教堂，以宏伟、雅致着称于世。高耸的双塔直插天际，是德国最大的教堂，也是科隆的标志。科隆大教堂与巴黎圣母院、罗马圣彼得大教堂并称欧洲三大宗教建筑。
科隆是举世闻名的香水产地，也是世界上最早研制成功人工合成香精的地方，以致人们有时也称香水为“科隆”。
科隆同柏林、汉堡一样，二战时，被盟军炸得只留下科隆大教堂。所有今日的现代建筑都是战后新建的。
Cologne is， in terms of population， the fourth largest city in Germany and largest city of the German state of North RhineWestphalia. It is one of the most important German inland ports， and considered the economic， cultural， and historic capital of the Rhineland. It is the 16th largest city in the European Union. At the end of 2004， Cologne，s population was 969，709， using the standard method of only counting persons whose primary residence (German： Hauptwohnsitz) was in the city. The city of Cologne includes those with nonprimary residences (German： Nebenwohnsitz) in its figure， raising it to 1，022，627.
Its location at the intersection of the Rhine (German Rhein) river with one of the major trade routes between eastern and western Europe was the foundation of Cologne，s commercial importance. In the Middle Ages it also became an ecclesiastical centre of significance and an important centre of arts and education. Cologne was severely devastated during World War II.
Cologne has one university， which has around 49，000 students (autumn semester 2004/2005) and is renowned for its economics faculty. In addition to the university， it has three colleges. Fachhochschule Kln (The University of Applied Sciences of Cologne) is， with 18，000 students， the biggest college in Germany. A total of 70，000 students study in Cologne.
Cologne also has a Roman Catholic archbishopric. Cologne cathedral (German Klner Dom)， a Gothic church， was designated a World Heritage site in 1996； it is the city，s major landmark and unofficialunofficial adj.非官方的， 非法定的， 非正式的 symbol. The city is 43% Roman Catholic， 18% Protestant and 39% with other religions or none. Until World War II and the following stream of refugees arriving from Eastern Germany， Roman Catholicism had a wide majority in Cologne.
Cologne has 31 museums. Exhibits range from archeologicalarcheological adj.考古学的 findings to contemporary painting. Alongside the established places of art exists a thriving arts scene， represented yearly at “Art Cologne”， Germany，s biggest arts fair.
The city occupies an important position in Germany，s television industry. Traditionally it has been home to Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR) - the biggest branch of Germany，s first public broadcaster ARD - and after the opening for privatisation of the media in the 1980s established itself as base for several commercial TV channels - RTL being the biggest and commercially most successful in Germany. Cologne today is home to a wide range of television and film production companies， even though Berlin has attracted parts of the media industry after reunificationreunification n.再统一， 重新团结.
Berlin also rivals Cologne regarding the cities， respective gay scenes. Cologne has long been known for its tolerance. The city had for long been a stronghold in Germany，s queerqueer n.同性恋者 adj.奇怪的， 可疑的，不舒服的 vt.搞糟 n.同性恋者 movement. Even though Berlin has drawn some of the attention， Cologne still boasts Germany，s biggest Gay Pride event (known here as Christopher Street Day) each year in July (attracting over 1 million visitors annually) and is home to a variety of LGBT organizations and businesses.
20% of Cologne，s population is nonGerman. 40% of these are Turkish.
Cologne is well known for its beer， called “Klsch”. Klsch is also the dialect of Cologne. It is jocularly said that Klsch is the only language you can drink.
The other liquid which Cologne is famous for is Eau de Cologne. At the beginning of the 18th century， Italian expatriateexpatriate vt.逐出国外， 脱离国籍， 放逐 vi.移居国外 n.亡命国外者 Johann Maria Farina (1685~1766) created a new fragrance and named it after his hometown Cologne， Eau de Cologne (Water from Cologne). In the course of the 18th century the fragrance became increasingly popular. Eventually， Cologne merchant Wilhelm Mülhens secured the name Farina， which at that time had become a household name for Eau de Cologne， under contract and opened a small factory at Cologne，s Glockengasse. In later years and under pressurepressure n.压， 压力， 电压， 压迫， 强制， 紧迫 of court battles his grandson Ferdinand Mülhens chose a new name for the firm and their product. It was the house number that was given to the factory at Glockengasse during French occupation of the Rhineland in the early 19th century， number 4711. In 1994， the Mülhens family sold their company to German Wella corporation. Today， original Eau de Cologne (German： Klnisch Wasser) still is produced in Cologne by both the Farina family (Farina gegenüber since 1709)， currently in the eighth generation， and by Procter & Gamble who took over Wella in 2003.
This year， Cologne will be witness to one of the largest meetings of the Catholic youth. The XX World Youth Day will take place from Monday， August 15， until Sunday， August 21.
Munich
文化古城——慕尼黑
慕尼黑位于阿尔卑斯山北麓前沿地带中部，多瑙河支流伊萨尔河上游河畔，历来是南欧通往中欧和北欧的要冲之一。人口130多万，为德国第三大城市。
慕尼黑以古老的教堂、宫殿和鲜美的啤酒闻名于世，也因曾是希特勒法西斯的巢穴而为世人所知。慕尼黑有“百万人口的超级村庄”之称，它没有玻璃和钢制的高层办公大楼，禁止在市中心建造超过36米的高楼，以保持其由众多教堂塔楼组成的独特风姿。
慕尼黑是一座非常美丽的城市，气候温和，物产丰富。这里有许多博物馆和中世纪古迹，到处是花草树木，是一座清静而典雅的艺术和文化古城。
慕尼黑已有800多年的历史。早在1000多年前，爱尔兰僧侣就已到这里布道传教，以后筑寺修院定居下来。慕尼黑在德文中的意思是“僧侣之地”。这里是德国宗教建筑最集中的地方。1880年后工商业迅速发展，成为国际展览和国际会议的中心。
慕尼黑有四多：第一是博物馆多。全市大约有50个公共博物馆和收藏馆，这是德国其他城市无法相比的。古绘画陈列馆是世界上最着名的绘画博物馆之一，展出欧洲14～18世纪的绘画。新绘画馆展出欧洲19世纪的绘画。还有皇家博物馆、珍宝博物馆，以及民间文化、木偶戏、乐器、摄影、电影和啤酒博物馆等。慕尼黑市中心的玛丽亚广场有玩具博物馆、德国狩猎和渔业博物馆、滑稽演员卡尔·瓦莱运博物馆。
第二是公园、喷泉多。伊萨河流经慕尼黑市，市内公园多、水多，有40个公园在200多个喷泉，如伦巴赫广场的维特巴赫喷泉，有100多年的历史。波尔多喷泉建立于1908年。勒歇尔圣安娜喷泉也有100多年的历史。至于小公园则更多，有英国公园、皇家公园、哈特曼公园等。
第三是雕塑多。魏特巴赫家族统治650年，使宫殿，王府建筑多为巴罗克和哥特式风格，是欧洲文艺复兴时期的典型代表作之一。各种雕塑更是比比皆是，栩栩如生。
第四是啤酒多。慕尼黑10月的啤酒节世界闻名。啤酒节源于1835年9月间巴伐利亚人举行的赛马、游行等活动。1995年在慕尼黑威森公园举行第162界啤酒节，国内设立了190个啤酒、小吃摊位。人们坐着长条木板桌椅，开怀畅饮慕尼黑啤酒。
慕尼黑也是世界着名的音乐城。全市有52座剧院，其中有巴伐利亚州立歌剧院、德意志歌剧院，以及以其崇尚浮华的洛可可式建筑而闻名的居维利歌剧院等，每年夏季都举办歌剧节。1985年启用的戈斯泰文化中心是最大和最好的音乐演奏场所。德国着名作曲家、指挥家理查德·施特劳斯就诞生在慕尼黑。