Wallraf–Richartz Museum

Welcome to the Wallraf-Richartz Museum & Fondation Corboud, the oldest and most venerable art museum in Cologne. While the Museum Ludwig focuses on the modern, the Wallraf takes you on a sweeping journey through the history of…

We start our journey on the top floor, in the world of the Middle Ages. Cologne in the 14th and 15th centuries was a leading center for painting, and the 'Cologne School' produced some of the most delicate and beautiful works of…

Descending to the next level, we move from the serene world of the Middle Ages into the dynamic, dramatic era of the Baroque. Here, the museum showcases its impressive collection of Dutch, Flemish, and Italian masters. …

Within the same era, the museum offers a fascinating look at the rise of the Dutch Republic and its unique artistic traditions. While Rubens was painting for kings and churches, Dutch masters were painting for a wealthy merchant…

The next level takes us into the 19th century, an era of rapid change and artistic rebellion. This section was significantly enhanced in 2001 by the long-term loan of the Fondation Corboud, which brought one of the most important…

As you move between the levels, take a moment to appreciate the building itself. Oswald Mathias Ungers was one of Germany's most influential 20th-century architects, known for his 'rationalist' approach. …

To understand this museum, we must return to the man who started it all: Ferdinand Franz Wallraf. Born in 1748, he was a true polymath—a priest, a professor, and a dedicated citizen of Cologne. …

As we conclude our tour of the Wallraf-Richartz Museum & Fondation Corboud, reflect on the vast span of human creativity we have witnessed. From the gold-bathed devotion of the medieval masters to the dramatic passions of the…