The shape of the city
Building footprints, roads and mapped features come from OpenStreetMap. Official NRW models add detail to a subset of buildings; terrain surveys cover part of the centre.
THE CITY BEHIND THE SCENE
Real places.
Honest about the details.
This Cologne combines open maps, official survey data and creative interpretation. It is a playable model, not a live scan or an exact copy of every street.
Source records and their limits, in one place.
The look of the city
Most windows, shopfronts and building colours are generated. Material scans are generic surfaces. Landmark models and many bridge and tunnel dimensions are simplified.
The life of the city
People, cars, trains, boats, weather and the carnival parade are simulated. Virtual homes and event meeting points do not imply real ownership or an official partnership.
FOLLOW THE SOURCE
Sources, credits & downloads
Dates below describe the source snapshots, not a promise that Cologne still looks exactly this way. Each entry explains what was used, what remains approximate and which licence applies.