Agneskirche church – a symbol of love built to last
The undisputed queen of Cologne’s Agnesviertel neighbourhood, St. Agnes is the second largest church in the city’s Neustadt-Nord district after the cathedral. As well as being a local landmark, it’s where the neighbourhood gets its name from. In turn, the church – a magnificent neo-Gothic structure with a distinctive 62-metre spireless tower – was named after the wife of its benefactor, Peter Joseph Roeckerath. When he commissioned its construction six years after Agnes passed away in 1890 at the tender age of 44, he had it officially consecrated to Saint Agnes in memory of his wife. The naming of the church was an act of love.
As you saunter through Agnesviertel, you quickly start to wonder, “What’s not to love?” about this place. With unique shops, a lively weekly market, wide-ranging dining options, secluded green spaces and resplendent buildings, there’s plenty to explore. True, it has the odd eyesore (it’s not alone in Cologne), but there are loads of architectural highlights too. If you enjoy admiring period buildings, try Weißenburgstraße, Blumenthalstraße, Ewaldisstraße or Neusser Straße and the Oberlandesgericht (higher regional court) on Reichensperger Platz (built 1907–11).
A cup of coffee and a bite (or two) to eat
If you haven’t already stopped off at the “Pico Coffee” kiosk on Neusser Platz to enjoy the view of St Agnes Church, head for Café Elefant at Weißenburgstraße 50 to take in the atmosphere – and a slice of cake! For those looking for something more savoury, it’s worth popping over to Neusser Straße 81, opposite the church’s western entrance, where a new branch of Oruc Kebap has just opened. The original branch, in the Latin Quarter, opened in 1988 and has an excellent reputation.
The higher regional court and Fort X: monumental in size and history
In his essay Hülchrather Straße Nr. 7, Heinrich Böll described the higher regional court as “the large palace with the sprawling facade”. The neo-baroque colossus takes up an entire block. The essay’s title is no coincidence – it’s the address of a building around the corner where the Cologne Nobel laureate in literature lived from 1969 to 1982.
Fort X, which you get to via Hülchrather Straße, is slightly smaller but no less impressive. The fort was once one of eleven in Cologne’s Prussian-era fortification ring in today’s green belt. Hidden away here is a rose garden – a real haven of chill in the city and definitely worth a stroll around (May to October). Sportier vibes are to be had at Lentpark, where you can take a dip in the natural pool in the summer and skate around the elevated ice rink (4.5 metres above the ground) in the winter. A skatepark and a slackline park in the green belt complete the local sports facilities.
Culture and art in the Agnesviertel neighbourhood
From here, you can either walk down to the riverbank, exploring the wine museum and contemporary art of the outdoor Skulpturenpark on the way. Or amble southwards along Neusser Wall and Neusser Straße, back into Agnesviertel. This part of the district is bustling with shops for everyday needs, cafés, brewery pubs, secondhand stores, boutiques like Mrs Goodwill, Cologne-made fair fashion at Lanius and the well-stocked Agnesbuchhandlung bookstore. Leaving this route, at Weißenburgstraße 15 a surprise awaits those familiar with local folklore – the Heinzelmännchen elves have been given a facelift by Cologne artists Heike Haupt and Anton Fuchs! Measuring 35 centimetres in height, their bronze Heinze figurines started appearing along the Heinzweg trail in 2015 and can already be found at more than 20 spots across the city.
Ebertplatz square: change in the making
To the south, Neusser Straße eventually leads to the expansive Ebertplatz square. Some would say it’s famous, some infamous. Both sides are right. In the summer, you can sit in the sun here, sipping on a drink from a former shipping container as you chill and watch the water dancing in the fountain. Creative, alternative art spaces like Gold+Beton have set up here, and there are concerts, fetes and festivals. But there are also drugs and crime on a scale that can’t be ignored. That’s set to change, though, thanks to a community of creatives and locals working hard to revamp the square’s image.
The stuff of legends: King Georg and Le Moissonnier
Two legends lie a mere stone’s throw away. Over a period of many decades, King Georg built a cult status on the Cologne nightlife scene, winning awards for its live programme. In 2019, a new owner took over, bringing a new look and a new jazz bar concept. On the fringes of the neighbourhood, Le Moissonnier and its two Michelin stars shone brightly on Krefelder Straße for several decades too. In 2023, Liliane and Vincent Moissonnier decided it was time to bid adieu to all the stress, closed the restaurant and opened a French bistro in its place with no intention of earning any stars. The Michelin inspectors took a different view and promptly awarded it a star again in 2024.
Culinary highlights
But you don’t have to reach for the stars or deep into your pocket to fill your tummy in Cologne’s Agnesviertel neighbourhood. There’s down-to-earth Italian food at Bar Celentano at Maybachstraße 145, superb vegan duck at Vietnamese-style Ngon Veggie on Sudermannplatz, croissants some would sell their grandma for at Goodchild Café on Sudermannstraße and fabulous, multiple-award-winning cocktails at Toddy Tapper. On the tapas front, Salera at Balthasarstraße 1 has recently found a fervent following with its Fish’n’Chips by Salera takeaway hatch. Tucking into your fish outside, you can admire the modern counterpart to St Agnes Church across the street – St Gertrude’s, which was completed in the 1960s based on plans drawn up by Gottfried Böhm. It’s a combination of contemporary and classic that works well in the Agnesviertel district. The old fire station, Feuerwache, is another excellent example. In addition to a varied programme of cultural events and a wide range of courses and family activities, they regularly run a flea market (considered by many to be one of the city’s nicest) in the courtyard. (It’s not taking place at the moment because they’re refurbishing the courtyard. Make sure you check the website).
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