The Ratsturm, the Gothic tower of Cologne's City Hall, carries a carillon of nearly 50 bronze bells in its spire. Four times a day it plays over the Alter Markt and the Rathausplatz, and its repertoire runs from a 19th-century folk song to Karlheinz Stockhausen's 'Tierkreis' and the music of Cologne-born Jacques Offenbach.
The Ratsturm glockenspiel at a glance
- Where: in the spire of the City Hall tower, between the Rathausplatz and the Alter Markt in the Altstadt.
- Built: the tower between 1407 and 1414; the present carillon was handed over in 1958.
- By: the tower was commissioned by Cologne's guilds; the bells were donated by the city's craft guilds, with one given by Konrad Adenauer.
- What it is today: a working carillon, played by computer for its daily tunes and by hand for special concerts.
- Time needed: 5–10 minutes for a performance, plus time to study the figures on the tower.
A guild tower and its bells
In 1396 Cologne's guilds took over the city government, and on 19 August 1406 the council decided to build a tower as a sign of the new order. Finished in 1414, the 61-metre Ratsturm resembles the belfries of Flemish towns. It stored the city's charters and privileges, housed the council chamber on its first floor, and its top floor served as the lookout for the fire watchman. The tower was heavily damaged in the Second World War; rebuilding began in 1950 and the tower was finished in 1975, still without its statues.
The first carillon, with 27 bells, was installed in 1913 and lost in the war. The current one came in 1958 as a gift from Cologne's craftsmen: the chamber of crafts raised the money, the guilds donated the bells, and Konrad Adenauer gave one of them. Each donor's name is cast into its bell. The bells weigh about 14 tonnes in total and hang on two levels in the spire. Each can be struck by its clapper or by an electromagnetic hammer, so the tunes now run from a computer but can still be played by hand.
What to look for (and listen for)
- The daily programme, as published by the city: at 9:00 the folk song 'Die Gedanken sind frei', at 12:00 a melody from Stockhausen's 'Tierkreis', at 15:00 Cologne songs, and at 18:00 a piece by Offenbach such as the Barcarolle or the Cancan.
- Stockhausen's zodiac: 'Tierkreis' has twelve melodies, one for each sign, and the noon tune changes through the year.
- The 124 statues: the tower facade carries figures of rulers, citizens and patron saints; Konrad Adenauer, Karl Marx and Heinrich Böll are among them. The current limestone figures were completed in 2008.
- The Platzjabbeck: a carved head above the clock on the Alter Markt side that opens its mouth and sticks out its tongue on the hour.
- The donor names: you cannot see them from the ground, but every bell carries the name of the guild or person who paid for it.
Concerts by visiting carillonneurs
Besides the four daily performances, the city usually holds two or three special concerts a year, mostly in summer, when guest carillonneurs from Germany and abroad play the bells by hand. Programmes change with the occasion: Cologne folk songs, music from partner cities, or Advent and Christmas songs.
Tips for your visit
- Listen from the Alter Markt, where you can also watch the Platzjabbeck; the square has plenty of benches and café terraces.
- Arrive a few minutes early for the noon tune, then stay for the Platzjabbeck at the full hour.
- Bring binoculars or use your phone's zoom to pick out individual statues on the tower.
Nearby
- Alter Markt: the old market square at the foot of the tower, with the Jan von Werth fountain.
- City Hall Renaissance loggia: the arcaded porch on the Rathausplatz side, added in the 16th century.
- Great St. Martin: the Romanesque church with a clover-leaf choir, a few minutes' walk towards the Rhine.
- Cologne Cathedral: the Gothic twin-spired cathedral, a short walk north.
See Cologne with World City Trail
Our Cologne scavenger hunt turns the old town into a game you play on your phone. The route links 10 stops and takes around 2 hours, with about 20 minutes of walking. The historic City Hall is one of the stops, along with the Old Market, Great St. Martin and Cologne Cathedral. You can play in English, German, French, Italian, Spanish and Dutch.
If you prefer a different format, there is also a self-guided walking tour and an outdoor escape game in Cologne.
Play the Cologne scavenger hunt →
Take the self-guided walking tour of Cologne →
Play the outdoor escape game in Cologne →
Facts checked in October 2026.