Germany · Nordrhein-Westfalen · Köln
Altstadt Sud, Köln — Area Guide & Where to Stay
Altstadt-Süd is the southern half of Köln's old town in Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany, known for the Basilica of St. Severin and the Cologne Charterhouse.
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Where to stay in Altstadt Sud
Where the beds are, and what that means for the visit.
Altstadt-Süd gives travellers the quieter side of Köln's old town. Rooms sit in the streets around the Basilica of St. Severin. The mood is local.
Guests wake near St. Maria im Kapitol and the Cologne Charterhouse, a short walk from the Schokoladenmuseum Köln on the far side of the southern old town.
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Things to do in and around Köln
Ranked by global recognition; descriptions from Wikidata (CC0).
Museums & Galleries
3- Museum Ludwig
- Wallraf–Richartz Museum
- Romano-Germanic Museum
Churches & Religious Sites
8- Cologne Cathedral UNESCO
- Great St. Martin Church Heritage
- St. Gereon's Basilica Heritage
- St. Maria im Kapitol Heritage
- St. Pantaleon's Church Heritage
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- St. Andreas Church Heritage
- Basilica of St. Severin Heritage
- St. Mariä Himmelfahrt Heritage
Castles & Historic Sites
2- Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium Heritage
- Castra Divitia Heritage
worth knowingacross 3 categories in and around Köln
About Altstadt Sud
What are the main landmarks in Altstadt Sud?
Altstadt-Süd carries the churches of southern Köln. Altstadt-Süd's Basilica of St. Severin and St. Pantaleon's Church rank among the city's Romanesque churches, while St. Maria im Kapitol stands on an old market. Faith shaped this quarter.
The Schnütgen Museum keeps medieval art in a church nave, and the Cologne Charterhouse recalls the monks who once prayed here.
What is the history of Altstadt Sud?
The medieval city wall enclosed Altstadt-Süd until 1881, and the Hahnentor, the Ulrepforte, the Severinstorburg and the Bayenturm survive from that wall, with a stretch of about 100 metres and two watchtowers on the Sachsenring. Its churches include St. Maria im Kapitol and the Basilica of St. Severin.
Where is Altstadt Sud?
Altstadt-Süd is the southern half of Köln's old town, set below Altstadt-Nord in the state of Nordrhein-Westfalen.
Common questions
What is the best area to stay in Altstadt Sud?
Around the Basilica of St. Severin: a quiet base in the Severin quarter.
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Updated October 2026