Indian Chief Travel Guides

Bonn

After World War II, Bonn suddenly found itself catapulted from a provincial backwater to the capital of what was soon to be one of the richest democracies in the world. It was never a natural capital and, although the new status brought huge spending on public works, Bonn would always be considered a provincial town. In German, it was often referred to as the Bundeshauptdorf (federal capital town) rather than Bundeshauptstadt (federal capital city).

Shortly after the re-unification of Germany in 1990, the decision was made to move the capital back to Berlin and by 2004 only six government departments remained in Bonn. The sudden departure of thousands of bureaucrats and diplomats brought a drop in property prices but the quality of life in Bonn remains high. For tourists, the main attractions are the excellent museums set up during the federal capital years, as well as pleasantly low hotel prices. All the sights can be seen on a daytrip from Cologne, which is a 30-minute drive or train ride north.