“Look at the tranquility of this place,” you might think, but the NSG Nordfeldweiher has a surprisingly lively past. This seemingly peaceful lake, nestled within Cologne’s city limits, was once a hive of industrial activity. You see, the NSG Nordfeldweiher wasn’t always a lake. It began its life as part of the Ville-Nordfeld, the very last active mining area in the Ville region. Here, until 1968, the earth rumbled with the extraction of lignite, the fuel that powered Germany’s industrial heartland. Can you imagine the transformation? From a scarred landscape of mining operations to this tranquil oasis. The year 1968 marked a turning point. The excavators fell silent, the land began to heal, and water collected in the void left behind, giving birth to the NSG Nordfeldweiher. However, the story doesn’t end there. Recognizing the ecological importance of this reborn landscape, authorities declared the area around the NSG Nordfeldweiher a nature reserve in 1990. Today, this 22.69-hectare sanctuary teems with life, a testament to nature’s resilience and a peaceful retreat from the bustle of Cologne.
Skulpturenpark Stammheim
A golden winged pug surveys the Rhine. That’s how many remember the Skulpturenpark Stammheim. This isn’t just any park. It’s