Römerturm

The Roman Tower (Römerturm) in Cologne's Altstadt-Nord is the best-preserved remnant of the ancient fortifications of the Roman colony. Built around A.D. 50, it served as a corner tower where the west and north walls met. With a diameter of about 30 feet (9.20 meters) and a height of around 18 feet (5.50 meters), the structure stands out above all for its rich ornamental design. The exterior wall is clad in an elaborate mosaic of various natural stones, including white limestone, red sandstone, gray trachyte, and dark graywacke. This decorative facing differs between the lower and upper sections, with the upper zone probably added only in the third century after the tower was destroyed. Today the tower is crowned by a row of battlements.

The history of the tower is closely tied to the later Poor Clares convent of St. Clara, which was founded nearby in 1304. The noble nuns used the Roman structure as a latrine for a long time, which is why it was also known in the Middle Ages as the Clarenturm. After secularization and a succession of private owners, the monument faced demolition in the 19th century. To prevent this, the city of Cologne purchased the tower in 1873 and had it restored. Later additions, including a Neo-Gothic building, were removed, while the present crown of battlements was added during renovation work in the late 19th century.

Today the tower, a protected monument since 1980, is once again in private hands and a popular destination for visitors who want to explore Cologne's Roman history. It sits in the heart of the city center, just a few minutes' walk from the Appellhofplatz subway station and the cathedral. In recent years, the structure had to be stabilized and partially renovated because of a structurally critical bulge in the outer shell of the wall, in order to preserve the historic monument for the long term.