Historic Centre Cologne: History - united.

Historic Centre Cologne: History - united.

The Historic Centre is rewriting the history of Cologne: a unique ensemble of buildings is being planned in the immediate vicinity of the cathedral, creating an impressive location for the presentation of the rich history of our city.

The famous Cologne City Museum, the Curia House of the High Cathedral with the unique cathedral archives and the Romano-Germanic Museum with its archaeological treasures will all find a new home here.

By bringing these three institutions together, a strong signal is being sent out highlighting the connection between urban and ecclesiastical culture and history. This in turn generates new opportunities for cooperation between the city and the Cathedral to exploit the cultural potential and widen public appeal.

The modern building complex is one of Cologne's most ambitious construction projects and is located literally in the middle of the Via Culturalis. The new home for 2000 years of Cologne's city history will begin to take shape in 2023. Its scheduled completion date is 2028. The Historic Centre will be a place for communication and understanding, a house of reflection and a symbol of Cologne's identity. Where history becomes visible, it serves both the present and the future.

Design Staab Architekten GmbH / Volker Staab 2016 Competition
Client GbR Historische Mitte
Status in planning
Scheduled completion date 2028
Total floor space 19,655 m2
Use / Concept Building ensemble housing Cologne City Museum, the Curia House of the High Cathedral and the administration centre of the Romano-Germanic Museum

Dom Carré

Dom Carré

The Dom Carré, consisting of a hotel and luxury shops, is intended to be a space for people to stroll around or simply sit and relax. The Dom Hotel is scheduled to open in 2023.

Owner Zusatzversorgungskasse der bayerischen Gemeinden, represented by the Bavarian Pension Office
Design PFEFFER Architects and Engineers
Roof and facade design Ingenhoven Architects
Status under construction
Completion date 2023 (scheduled)
Use / Concept Hotel, retail
Website domcarre.com

Laurenz Carré

Laurenz Carré

In the heart of Cologne, in a prime location on Roncalliplatz in the north of the old town and virtually next door to the cathedral, a new quarter is being created where people can work, shop and live: the Laurenz Carré. Standing on the historic site of the former church of St. Laurence, this complex covering over 33,000 square metres will mark a new page in Cologne’s history. The future Laurenz Carré consists of six buildings bordering Unter Goldschmied Street, Roncalliplatz and Laurenzplatz, together forming a harmonious whole. With its mix of residential flats, offices, a hotel, shops and restaurants, it is predestined to become a lively urban quarter.

Project developer Gerchgroup
Design northern site kister scheithauer gross architects and city planners
Design southern site caspar.schmitzmorkramer
Status in planning
Scheduled completion 2023/2024
Total floor space 33,000 m2
Use / concept Offices, hotel (incl. integration of the listed Senatshotel), residential, retail, gastronomy
Website laurenzcarre.com

MiQua. LVR - Jewish Museum in the Archaeological Quarter Cologne

MiQua. LVR - Jewish Museum in the Archaeological Quarter Cologne

2000 years of city history is given a new home. The "MiQua. LVR-Jewish Museum in the Archaeological Quarter Cologne”, a world-class museum of outstanding cultural diversity, is being built on the Via Culturalis.

The name is short for "Museum in the Quarter", referring to the huge excavation site covering 6,000 m2 in the Archaeological Quarter of Cologne below Rathausplatz. Excavation started in the 1950s and since then a wealth of outstanding treasures have been uncovered and pieced together to create an impressive picture of Cologne's history - especially the Roman period, the Middle Ages and Jewish history. Thanks to the numerous finds, archaeologists have been able to identify the monumental Praetorium where the Roman governor once resided, the medieval Jewish quarter and the Christian Goldsmiths' Quarter. A new museum building is now being constructed on top of these historically sensational archaeological monuments, housing both permanent and temporary exhibition areas. The underground tour will offer unprecedented insights into the underground world, displaying the archaeological finds on site, including the medieval synagogue and a Jewish ritual bath, the Mikveh.

Client City of Cologne (future owner: LVR)
Design northern site Wandel Lorch Architects Competition 2008
Design southern site caspar.schmitzmorkramer
Status under construction
Scheduled completion Spring 2025
Total floor space 1,450 m2
Use / concept Museum of Jewish history, the building is being constructed above the archaeological zone as a "protective structure", illustrating the principle of archaeological layering.
Website miqua.lvr.de

Extension Wallraf Richartz Museum

Extension Wallraf Richartz Museum

An extension is being built on Rathausplatz for Cologne's oldest museum. The clearly defined structure with its elaborate brick façade ingeniously reflects its immediate surroundings: the main museum building designed by O. M. Ungers, the town hall and the Gürzenich concert hall. 1000 m2 of additional art exhibition space is being created on three levels. The extension is the finishing piece of the impressive architectural ensemble on Rathausplatz.

Design Christ & Gantenbein, Basle Competition 2013
Client City of Cologne
Status in planning
Total floor space 1,422 m2
Use / Concept Art museum with conference rooms and office space for municipal use in the block development; the glazed base of the museum opens up towards the urban outside space.
Website wallraf.museum