Guided Tours in Cologne and Surroundings
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Guided Citytours Cologne: Visit to archaeologic excavations

Undergroundtour
Under today's Cologne street level, the debris of 2000 years of urban culture is hidden. After World War II, before the reconstruction process set in, archaeologists revealed the remains of many impressive features. Some of them we will present to you during a walking tour in the "Cologne underworld".

We will see remains of the roman city wall and can admire the huge foundations. In the Middle Ages a shaft was added that served Archbishop Anno to escape. But why needed he to leave the city by this way?

The centre of the Cologne underworld is the Praetorium, the palace of the Governors of the Roman emperors. During four centuries, four palaces followed one another, the foundation walls of which still can be seen. From this spot, governors represented the power of the Roman Emperors - and enjoyed Roman luxury.
It is quite an experience to descend to a preserved piece of Roman sewer system and find out that the construction technique still is astonishingly up to date.

Furthermore, the excavations under the Romanesque church of St.Martin-the-Great are worth visiting. On the former roman island, the Romans had already in the 1st century A.D. buildings, later harbour halls were ereced here (2nd century). One of them was decorated in a special way. What was the buildung now used for? Just as interesting is a visit to the Mikvah, one of the oldest Jewish ritual baths in Germany.

Hidden in the shadows of the Cathedral you can discover a small gem: an early Christian Baptistry, one of the oldest in Germany. How were people baptised 1500 years ago, and why was the baptismal font outside the church? All these questions will be answered in a truly exciting excursion.

Finally you could discover a over 2000 year old Ubiermonument at the south-east edge of the later roman city wall. This Ubian Monument, Germany's second-oldest stone monument is up to this day a mystery: what was it actually used for? What did the romans intend to build here?

Undergroundtour - Short
During this guided citytour you will go through a part of the roman sewer and we get to know how perfect the romans organised a city and the infrastructure. It is impressive to regard the remains of the Roman governor's palace, the Praetorium. As the Romans were more than five centuries in Cologne, there were different palaces here. (Duration 1,5 h)

Undergroundtour - More comprehensive
If you have more time you can visit - apart of the roman sewer and the Praetorium - the medieval excavationsite under the romanesqeus church Great St. Martin.
Instead of having a look at this excavation site, you can visit the Mikwe or the Ubiermonument.

The more comprehensive tour will last 2,5 hours.

The Roman sewer and Praetorium are possible to see Tuesday - Sunday 10 h - 17 h (admission fee Euro 2,50 adult p.p.; children up to 18 years are free of charge. The excavation site under Great St. Martin is open Tuesday - Friday 10 h - 12 h, 15 h - 17 h, Saturday 10 h - 12:30 h, 13:30 - 17 h. Admission fee Euro 0,50 p.c.

You are accompanied by a guide who was trained according to the directives of the German Association of Tourist Guides (BVGD). Many of our guides meet the European training standards for guides (DIN EN 15565) and have a BVGD certificate DIN EN.

If you want to book this tour, please contact us.

If you want to get to know more about the Romans, or if you want to get a guided tour in the Roman-Germanic-Museum, have a look at our specialtours.