Archäologische Zone Köln

About the museum

Beneath Cologne's Rathausplatz lie traces of some two thousand years: the foundations of the Praetorium, palace and seat of the Roman governor of Germania Inferior; the medieval Jewish quarter with its synagogue and the roughly 900-year-old monumental mikveh; and remains of the Christian goldsmiths' quarter. Excavations began in the 1950s; from around 1960 the northern part of the Praetorium beneath the Spanischer Bau was accessible underground.

Since the 1990s, the idea of combining the archaeological tour with a new Jewish museum has been pursued. Planning got underway in 2006, and in 2008 an architecture firm won the competition with a hall-like protective structure over the finds. Large-scale excavations uncovered the site from 2007 to 2015, and construction of the building began in 2018. Delays in the steelwork and building services, along with sharply rising costs, pushed completion back several times.

The future MiQua. LVR-Jüdisches Museum im Archäologischen Quartier Köln is scheduled to open in 2029, operated by the Landschaftsverband Rheinland. An underground tour will then present the monuments in their original location; the upper floor is planned to cover the Jewish history of Cologne from the expulsion of 1424 to the present day. Since 2021 the Praetorium has been part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Lower German Limes. Until the opening, the Praetorium and mikveh remain closed; the MiQua:forum on Alter Markt provides information about the project.

Highlights

• Foundations of the Roman governor's palace (Praetorium), a UNESCO World Heritage Site
• Monumental mikveh, around 16 m deep down to the groundwater
• Remains of the medieval synagogue and the Jewish quarter
• MiQua:forum on Alter Markt with VR stations and original finds (free admission)

Operated by

Landschaftsverband Rheinland (LVR)

Director

Thomas Otten

Admission & discounts

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Accessibility

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Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide

Until the museum opens, there is a free children's and family rally for ages 8 to 12 with ten stations through the archaeological quarter.

Getting there & parking

Amenities & dining

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Events & venue rental

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Plan your visit