Tag des offenen Denkmals

Cologne will once again showcase its rich heritage landscape during a special weekend on September 12 and 13: More than 160 historic sites will open their doors for Open Monument Day®.

This year’s nationwide theme, “NetzWERKE: Monuments & Infrastructure,” invites you to discover entirely new aspects of architectural culture and 2,000 years of the city’s history, while also spotlighting professional associations, guilds, clubs, and other networks.

Join us as we stroll along historic streets, through parks and our “green lung,” across bridges, and through city gates. Or hop aboard one of the historic vehicles from various centuries that will be on display.

Experience open libraries, art centers, and radio stations, as well as structures dedicated to protection and preservation. Hospitals, as well as fortifications and bunker complexes dating from antiquity to World War II, will open their doors.

A glimpse through doors that are usually closed

Many of Cologne’s historic sites are not accessible—or only accessible to a limited extent—in everyday life. On Open Monument Day®, gates, courtyards, church portals, factory grounds, and bunkers open up—exclusively and free of charge. With over 160 monuments open to the public, there’s something for everyone: a wide variety of guided tours, lectures, discussions, musical events, and personal conversations.

Open Monument Day® in Cologne is organized by the Cologne City Museum and the Office for Monument Protection and Preservation of the City of Cologne. It is part of Germany’s largest cultural event, coordinated nationwide by the German Foundation for Monument Protection. This diverse program was made possible by the dedication of numerous committed citizens, monument owners, initiatives, and associations.

The program is available online at: Open Monument Day | Cologne City Museum