Cologne, Germany Three pointed spires dominate the skyline of Cologne, Germany, from nearly every vantage in the city. The ornate gothic cathedral, built at the heart of the Roman plan’s concentric rings, looms over low-rise buildings and fanning arteries. More than 90 percent of the city was destroyed by Allied bombing raids during World War II, and as a result, the architectural tourist feels an inescapable sobering sensation. Rebuilding an ancient city in the course of a few decades created a varnish of brutal modernity, but scratching Cologne’s surface reveals a vibrant center of art and design. Photo 1 of 7 in Architecture Across Germany by Olivia Martin

Architecture Across Germany

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Three pointed spires dominate the skyline of Cologne, Germany, from nearly every vantage in the city. The ornate gothic cathedral, built at the heart of the Roman plan’s concentric rings, looms over low-rise buildings and fanning arteries. More than 90 percent of the city was destroyed by Allied bombing raids during World War II, and as a result, the architectural tourist feels an inescapable sobering sensation. Rebuilding an ancient city in the course of a few decades created a varnish of brutal modernity, but scratching Cologne’s surface reveals a vibrant center of art and design. Click here to read gallery owner and entrepreneur Martin Kudlek’s guide to his hometown, Cologne.

Cologne, Germany

Three pointed spires dominate the skyline of Cologne, Germany, from nearly every vantage in the city. The ornate gothic cathedral, built at the heart of the Roman plan’s concentric rings, looms over low-rise buildings and fanning arteries. More than 90 percent of the city was destroyed by Allied bombing raids during World War II, and as a result, the architectural tourist feels an inescapable sobering sensation. Rebuilding an ancient city in the course of a few decades created a varnish of brutal modernity, but scratching Cologne’s surface reveals a vibrant center of art and design.