This year, Open Monument Day celebrations across Germany gather under the theme "Architectural Truths. Living Witnesses to History." Around 600 events explore more than 160 different topics – and Cologne is part of it, with Open Monument Day festivities set for September 7 and 8. At a time when AI-driven falsification and manipulation increasingly shape our reality, architectural monuments serve as crucial anchors to truth, bringing the city's rich history and iconic landmarks vividly to life. Those who explore Cologne's architectural heritage will discover far more than its celebrated churches: Roman treasures line the ancient city walls and extend beyond Roman Cologne's historic boundaries, preserved in museums and in the streets themselves. Despite the devastation of World War II, medieval structures have endured remarkably well. The historic Town Hall and the Gürzenich will welcome visitors, while Haus Balchem and the traditional tavern on Frankenwerft offer windows into centuries past. Several gates and towers from the medieval fortifications remain accessible to visitors. More recent chapters are told through residential compounds and villas in Cologne's former outlying districts, alongside political monuments like the Bismarck Column and repurposed industrial architecture – halls and towers that now serve new purposes while preserving the character of the cityscape. The newest addition to Cologne's architectural heritage? The Deutschlandradio tower in Cologne-Raderthal, registered just this summer.

www.stadt-koeln.de/leben-in-koeln/kultur/tag-des-offenen-denkmals