Cologne is the third largest city in Germany by area and the fourth most populous city.
The city is located in the southwestern part of the country and is the administrative center of the region of North Rhine-Westphalia.
Cologne is spread out on both banks of the Rhine and dates back to the reign of Emperor Claudius. As a Roman colony, over time the word "colonia" acquired the German sound Köln, which has survived to this day.
