Timeline of Cologne

The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Cologne, Germany.

Prior to the 14th century

 * 13 CE - Germanicus headquartered in Cologne.
 * 15 CE - Town becomes administrative capital of Germania Inferior (approximate date).
 * 50 CE - Romans establish Colonia.
 * 80 CE - Eifel Aqueduct built.
 * 90 CE - Population: 45,000.
 * 260 - Cologne becomes capital of Gallic Empire.
 * 310 - Bridge built over Rhine.
 * 313 - Catholic diocese of Cologne established (approximate date).
 * 451 - The Huns under Attila sack Cologne.
 * 459 - Ripuarian Franks take power.
 * 475 - Becomes the residence of the Frankish king Childeric I.
 * 716 - Battle of Cologne.
 * 795 - City becomes Archbishop's see.
 * 960 - Great St. Martin Church founded.
 * 974 - St. Andreas Church consecrated.
 * 980 - Church of St. Pantaleon consecrated.
 * 1003 - Deutz Abbey founded.
 * 1065 - St. Maria im Kapitol built.
 * 1106 - Church of the Holy Virgins built (approximate date).
 * 1114 - Coat of arms of Cologne in use.
 * 1160 - St. Cäcilien church built (approximate date).
 * 1182 - City expands with suburbs and ramparts.
 * 1184 - Richerzeche formed (approximate date).
 * 1201 - The city joined the Hanseatic League.
 * 1227 - St. Gereon's Basilica built.
 * 1247 - St. Kunibert church consecrated.
 * 1248 - Cologne Cathedral construction begins.
 * 1250 - Great St. Martin Church built.
 * 1259 - Konrad von Hochstaden (Archbishop of Cologne) expels the Richerzeche.
 * 1260 - Church of the Minorites built (approximate date).
 * 1288 - Battle of Worringen.

14th–18th centuries



 * 1322
 * Cologne Cathedral choir consecrated.
 * Municipal archive in operation (approximate date).
 * 1334 - Cologne Charterhouse founded.
 * 1388 - University of Cologne established.
 * 1396 - Constitution of Cologne in effect.
 * 1400 - Gothic artist known as "Master of Saint Veronica" active (approximate date).
 * 1414 - Jews expelled.
 * 1447 - Gürzenich built.
 * 1450 - Dreikönigsgymnasium founded.
 * 1466 - Ulrich Zell sets up printing press.
 * 1473 - Work on Cologne Cathedral west front and towers suspended until 19th century
 * 1475 - City becomes free imperial city.
 * 1569 - Cologne City Hall building expanded.
 * 1583/88 - Cologne War a religious conflict.
 * 1584 - Apostolic Nuncio established.
 * 1586 - Battle of Werl.
 * 1608 - Protestants banished.
 * 1626
 * Bertram Hilden sets up printing business.
 * Witch trials begin (approximate date).
 * 1709 - Eau de Cologne launched by Giovanni Maria Farina.
 * 1734 - Gazette de Cologne begins publication.
 * 1783 - Theater an der Schmierstraße built.
 * 1794 - Population: 40,000.
 * 1795 - City directory published.
 * 1796 - City annexed by French First Republic.
 * 1798
 * University of Cologne closes.
 * Kölnische Zeitung newspaper begins publication.

19th century

 * 1801 - Treaty of Lunéville incorporates the city into France.
 * 1802 - Hänneschen puppet theatre founded.
 * 1815 - Prussians take power, viz Congress of Vienna.
 * 1823 - Rosenmontag (carnival) begins.
 * 1827 - Gürzenich Orchestra Cologne formed.
 * 1839 - Stollwerck confectionery established.
 * 1840 - Gürzenich Orchestra Cologne active.
 * 1842
 * Rheinische Zeitung begins publication.
 * Central-Dombauverein zu Köln (Central Cathedral Building Society) recommences construction work on Cologne Cathedral after 400 years.
 * 1848 - Neue Rheinische Zeitung begins publication.
 * 1849 - Population: 94,789 in city; 497,330 in region.
 * 1850 - Conservatorium der Musik founded.
 * 1853 - Diözesanmuseum founded.
 * 1857 - Hotel du Dome opens.
 * 1859
 * Cathedral Bridge built.
 * Köln Hauptbahnhof opens.
 * 1860 - Zoo founded.
 * 1861
 * Wallraf-Richartz Museum and Glockengasse Synagogue built.
 * Population: 120,568 in city; 567,435 in region.
 * 1863 - Hotel Ernst opens.
 * 1864 - Flora park laid out.
 * 1872
 * Theater in der Glockengasse built.
 * Zimmermann bakery in business.
 * 1874 - Wolkenburg (Köln) restored.
 * 1876 - Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger begins publication.
 * 1877 - Cologne Stadtbahn opens.
 * 1880 - Cologne Cathedral completed.
 * 1885
 * Population: 239,437.
 * City walls dismantled.
 * 1888 - Bayenthal, Ehrenfeld, Lindenthal and Nippes incorporated into city.
 * 1890 - Public Library established.
 * 1894 - Main station rebuilt.
 * 1900 - Population: 370,685.

1900-1945

 * 1902 - Theater am Habsburger Ring built.
 * 1904 - Oper der Stadt Köln formed.
 * 1905 - Population: 428,503.
 * 1906 - Schnütgen Museum founded.
 * 1908 - 21 September: Mathematician Minkowski delivers "Raum und Zeit" lecture on spacetime.
 * 1910
 * Kalk and Vingst incorporated into city.
 * Population: 516,527.
 * 1911 - Hohenzollern Bridge built.
 * 1913 - Rheinpark and Köln Messe/Deutz station open.
 * 1914 - Werkbund Exhibition held.
 * 1917 - Konrad Adenauer becomes mayor.
 * 1919
 * Consulate of Poland opens.
 * Population: 633,904.
 * 1921 - Jawne school built.
 * 1925 - Population: 705,477.
 * 1926
 * Airport opens.
 * Kölner Werkschulen established.
 * 1928
 * Messeturm Köln built.
 * Polish Consulate relocated to Frankfurt, and replaced by a Polish Consular Agency in Cologne.
 * 1930
 * Polish Consular Agency closed.
 * November: Flood.
 * 1934 - University of Cologne reopens.
 * 1938 - Kristallnacht.
 * 1939 - Nazi camp for Sinti and Romani people established (see also Porajmos).
 * 1940 - Bombing begins.
 * 1942 - III SS construction brigade (forced labour camp) established by the SS. Its prisoners were mostly Poles and Soviets.
 * 1944
 * May: III SS construction brigade camp relocated to Wieda.
 * 12 August: Ford-Werke subcamp of the Buchenwald concentration camp established. Its prisoners were mostly Soviets.
 * 15 August: Köln Stadt subcamp of the Buchenwald concentration camp established. Its prisoners were mostly Eastern Europeans.
 * 27 September: Westwaggon subcamp of the Buchenwald concentration camp established. Its prisoners were mostly Soviets.
 * 25 October: Köln Stadt subcamp of Buchenwald dissolved. Prisoners deported to the main Buchenwald camp.
 * November: Ehrenfeld Group executed.
 * November: 1. SS-Eisenbahnbaubrigade subcamp of the Mittelbau-Dora concentration camp based in Cologne.
 * 1945
 * February: Ford-Werke subcamp of Buchenwald dissolved. Prisoners deported to the main Buchenwald camp.
 * February: 1. SS-Eisenbahnbaubrigade subcamp relocated from Cologne.
 * March: Westwaggon subcamp of Buchenwald dissolved. Many prisoners deported to the main Buchenwald camp, dozens managed to escape.
 * American troops capture city.

1946-1990s

 * 1946 - Kölnische Rundschau begins publication.
 * 1947
 * 27 March: Food protest.
 * Sport University founded.
 * Nordwestdeutschen Rundfunk orchestra formed.
 * 1949
 * Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger resumes publication.
 * Cologne Furniture Fair begins.
 * 1950 - Photokina trade fair begins.
 * 1951 - Cologne Bonn Airport opens.
 * 1954
 * Italian Cultural Institute in Cologne founded.
 * Cappella Coloniensis formed.
 * 1955
 * February–March: City co-hosts the 1955 Ice Hockey World Championships.
 * Gaffel Haus rebuilt.
 * 1957
 * Central Station rebuilt.
 * Opera house built.
 * Cable Car begins operating.
 * City hosts Bundesgartenschau (national horticulture biennial).
 * 1960
 * Stadtwerke Köln established.
 * Population: 803,616.
 * 1964
 * Express (German newspaper) newspaper begins publication.
 * School massacre.
 * Forstbotanischer Garten created.
 * 1967 - Kölner Kunstmarkt begins.
 * 1971 - Cologne University of Applied Sciences formed.
 * 1973 - Association of Islamic Cultural Centres headquartered in city.
 * 1976 - Gebühreneinzugszentrale and Museum Ludwig established.
 * 1977 - Gesellschaft für Anlagen- und Reaktorsicherheit headquartered in city.
 * 1981 - Colonius tower built.
 * 1983
 * April: Flood.
 * Akademie för uns Kölsche Sproch established.
 * 1984
 * Centrum Schwule Geschichte established.
 * Turkish-Islamic Union for Religious Affairs headquartered in city.
 * Feminale film festival begins.
 * 1985
 * Käthe Kollwitz Museum opens.
 * St. George's School founded.
 * 1986 - Islamic Council for the Federal Republic of Germany headquartered in city.
 * 1988 - NS Documentation Center established.
 * 1990 - Academy of Media Arts Cologne established.
 * 1991 - Cologne Conference (television and film festival) and Cologne Comedy Festival begin.
 * 1992 - Cologne Festival of Early Music begins.
 * 1993
 * Imhoff-Schokoladenmuseum opens.
 * Cologne Business School established.
 * Ringfest begins.
 * 1994 - Central Council of Muslims in Germany headquartered in city.
 * 1996 - Summerjam reggae festival begins.
 * 1998
 * September: City hosts the 1998 World Rowing Championships.
 * Lanxess Arena opens.
 * 1999
 * City website online (approximate date).
 * 25th G8 summit held in Cologne.
 * 2000
 * Internationale Filmschule Köln established.
 * Population: 962,884.

21st century

 * 2001
 * April–May: City co-hosts the 2001 IIHF World Championship.
 * KölnTurm built.
 * (archives) headquartered in Cologne.
 * 2002 - Köln–Frankfurt high-speed rail line begins operating.
 * 2004
 * 9 June: Bombing.
 * MediaPark constructed.
 * 2005
 * City hosts Catholic World Youth Day.
 * Weltstadthaus built.
 * 2006
 * International Women's Film Festival Dortmund/Cologne begins.
 * KölnTriangle built.
 * 2009 - Jürgen Roters becomes mayor.
 * 2010 - Population: 1,007,119
 * 2014 - Rainer Maria Cardinal Woelki succeeds Joachim Cardinal Meisner as archbishop of Cologne
 * 2015 - Henriette Reker becomes first female mayor of Cologne, one day after an assassination attempt on her at a market in Braunsfeld
 * 2015-2016 - 2015-16 New Year's Eve sexual assaults in Germany
 * 2017
 * May: City co-hosts the 2017 IIHF World Championship.
 * Cologne Central Mosque is completed.
 * 2018
 * January: Flood.
 * 13 June: Terrorist plot foiled.
 * 15 October: 2018 Cologne attack

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