The history of the Rheinterrassen is closely interwoven with the development of the trade fair city of Cologne. Located below the trade fair grounds along the banks of the River Rhine in Cologne-Deutz, the Rheinterrassen had its grand opening in 1928, on the occasion of PRESSA, the International Press Exhibition. The original building had a terraced design, and the front of the structure was completely glazed. Right from the start, the view of the Cologne Cathedral, the Rhine and Old Town, combined with the hearty traditional cuisine on offer, was very popular with guests.
The Rheinterrassen was completely destroyed during the war, and for a time the site was used as a dumping ground for debris from the bombing of the city. But the years of Germany’s ‘economic miracle’ also drove the reconstruction of the Rheinterrassen. The facility was reopened in 1957, right in time for Germany’s Federal Garden Show.
The Rheinterrassen today
Now a protected landmark, the Rheinterrassen has been in the hands of Koelnmesse GmbH since 1998; KölnKongress is in charge of the facility’s marketing. Just a few years ago, the building was painstakingly renovated and updated with loving attention to detail. Today the Rheinterrassen ranks among the most popular restaurant and event locations in the city of Cologne.
In all, the cultural and leisure park with an open-air stage, theatre, restaurant and Beer Garden spans
30,000 m². Located opposite the Cathedral, the facility affords a unique view of the cityscape of the Old Town of Cologne.