Bonn is one of the most populous cities in the Cologne Lowland, second only to Cologne in terms of population. Despite its size, it retains the comfortable, easygoing ambiance of a small town, with largely low-rise buildings, a picturesque old town, and plenty of vegetation. It is about 28 kilometers south of Cologne, up the Rhine river, and contains a plethora of museums and areas of interest.
From 1949 until 1990, Bonn served as the de facto capital of the pre-reunification Federal Republic of Germany (“West Germany”). Many federal entities still have their headquarters in the city, and it is a popular destination for large-scale exhibits and conferences. Bonn is also the birthplace of Ludwig van Beethoven, who is commemorated by a number of monuments and events across the city.
If you like atmospheric little towns with a large student population and a rich culture, you might consider visiting Bonn. Because of its street culture, which includes numerous cafés and beer gardens in the summer, it is known as Italy’s most northern city. It’s also a convenient starting point for day journeys to Cologne, Düsseldorf, the lovely Rhine, and the Eifel area.
MAIN SITES
Beethoven’s birthplace is on Bonngasse, close to the market square. The Old City Hall, located next to the market area, was erected in 1737 in the Rococo style under the reign of Clemens August of Bavaria. It serves as a greeting area for municipal visitors as well as the mayor’s office. The Kurfürstliches Schloss, designed as a house for the prince-elector but currently serving as the main building of the University of Bonn, lies nearby.
The Poppelsdorfer Allee is a tree-lined boulevard that was home to the city’s first horsecar. It links the Kurfürstliches Schloss to the Poppelsdorfer Schloss, a castle erected in the first part of the 18th century as a resort for prince-electors and whose grounds are now a botanical park (the Botanischer Garten Bonn). This axis is broken by a railway line and the Bonn Hauptbahnhof, which was built in 1883/84.
The Beethoven Monument is located on the Münsterplatz, which is surrounded by the Bonn Minster, one of Germany’s oldest churches.
The three tallest structures in the city are the WDR radio tower in Bonn-Venusberg (180 m), the Deutsche Post headquarters known as Post Tower (162.5 m), and the former building for German members of parliament Langer Eugen (114.7 m), which is currently the new site of the UN Campus.
TOURIST INFORMATION
- Bonn Information, Windeckstraße 1, 53111 Bonn (street between the post office and Karstadt), +49 2 28-77 50-00. M-F 10AM-6:30PM, Sa 9AM-4PM, Su 10AM-2PM. The tourist information center provides practically all of the assistance that a visitor may want. They also provide leaflets in English concerning walking trips. There are also ticket sales for the theater and the opera.
