Explore the historic highlights of Cologne
Cologne, Germany
1248
Cologne, Germany
1974
Cologne, Germany
974 AD
Cologne, Germany
c. 1172
Cologne, Germany
19th century
Cologne, Germany
1210-1220
Cologne, Germany
1600
Cologne, Germany
12th century
Cologne, Germany
1040-1065
Cologne, Germany
1003
Cologne, Germany
1235-1240
Cologne, Germany
12th century
Cologne, Germany
1130-1160
Cologne, Germany
1151-1227
Cologne, Germany
1247
Cologne, Germany
11th century
Cologne, Germany
10th century
Cologne, Germany
1899
Cologne, Germany
966 AD
Cologne, Germany
1334
Ehrenbreitstein Fortress was built as the backbone of the regional fortification system, Festung Koblenz, by Prussia between 1817 and 1832 and guarded the middle Rhine region, an area that had been invaded by French troops repeatedly before. The fortress was never attacked.
Early fortifications at the site can be dated back to about 1000 BC. At about AD 1000 Ehrenbert erected a castle. The Archbishops of Trier expanded it with a supporting castle Burg Helferstein and guarded the Holy Tunic in it from 1657 to 1794. Successive Archbishops used the castle's strategic importance to barter between contending powers; thus in 1672 at the outset of war between France and Germany the Archbishop refused requests both from the envoys of Louis XIV and from Brandenburg's Ambassador, Christoph Caspar von Blumenthal, to permit the passage of troops across the Rhine.