Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium 🇩🇪

You can step back into history when you explore Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium, the ancient Roman colony that developed into modern-day Cologne, Germany. Originally established as a settlement for the Germanic Ubii tribe, this historic colony served as the provincial capital and military headquarters for Germania Inferior. When you wander through the old city today, you will discover fascinating ancient remnants from a vibrant urban center that once housed around 20,000 residents.

Make sure to see surviving sections of the 3rd-century Roman city wall, which originally stood around eight meters high and two and a half meters wide. You can also view the foundation walls of the Praetorium, the governor's administrative palace, situated beneath the Spanish Building of the Cologne City Hall. At the nearby Romano-Germanic Museum, you will find preserved ancient steles, grave goods, and the arch of a former city gate featuring the original CCAA inscription.

From the grid-style street layout around the Alter Markt and Heumarkt areas to engineering feats like the 20,000-cubic-meter daily water supply from the Eifel Aqueduct, this ancient capital lets you experience authentic Roman heritage along the Rhine.

What to see at Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium

• Former city gate arch with the inscribed "CCAA" letters in the Romano-Germanic Museum
• Ancient foundation walls of the governor's Praetorium under Cologne's Spanish Building
• Surviving 3rd-century Roman city wall ruins once measuring eight meters high
• Historic Roman grid-style layout preserved around the Heumarkt and Alter Markt areas

Visiting tips

Visit the Spanish Building at Cologne City Hall to view the surviving subterranean foundation walls of the Roman Praetorium.

How long: 1-2 hours · Best time: Morning

How to get there & what’s nearby

Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium is easy to reach on Cologne’s public transport, and pairs naturally with Wallraf–Richartz Museum and Cologne Central Mosque. For where to stay, the weather and full itineraries, see our Cologne travel guide.