A foundation stone was laid on Thursday for a Jewish museum in Cologne, with parts of it to be built on the ruins of the city’s old Jewish quarter.
The Jewish museum will “arise” over the basement of the first Cologne synagogues and ritual bath, and will use ruins uncovered recently in the Jewish quarter. The ruins, which also include a Roman palace, are part of a wider complex that came to light during restoration works following damage caused in World War II.
Cologne’s Jewish community is considered the oldest north of the Alps, according to the Cologne congregation’s website, which claims that the first mention of the community goes back to 321 CE.
