Cologne EL-DE Haus WWII Tour: Gestapo HQ with Expert Guide

Walk through the basement cells where over 1,800 prisoners carved their names into the walls.

A three-hour private walking tour of Cologne's Old Town and EL-DE Haus, the Nazi Documentation Center and former Gestapo headquarters, led by an expert guide fluent in your language. The tour includes entrance tickets to EL-DE Haus, stops at Cologne Cathedral and the reconstructed Alter Markt, and detailed commentary on everyday life, oppression and resistance during World War II and the Holocaust. The guide adapts the pace to your group's needs.

Step-by-step itinerary

Cologne WWII History and EL-DE House Tour

• Meet guide at Old Market Square
• Private tour of Cologne’s Old Town
• See Alter Markt, Old City Hall, and Cathedral
• Visit EL-DE House Gestapo headquarters

The experience

Three hours takes you through Cologne's Old Town and into the history of the Third Reich. You meet your guide at Alter Markt, the reconstructed Old Market Square, and walk past the Gothic Cathedral, the 10th-century Dominican Church of St. Andrew, and Stumbling Stones placed throughout the streets to mark where Jewish citizens and political prisoners lived. The route moves through the city's center, where 90% of Cologne was destroyed in Allied bombings during the war.

The main stop is EL-DE Haus, the former headquarters of the Gestapo and now a Documentation Center. Your guide takes you through the upper floors where Nazi administrators planned terror and oppression, then down to the basement cells used as prison rooms and torture chambers. Over 1,800 inscriptions carved into the walls by forced laborers and political enemies remain visible. Your guide explains who was imprisoned, why they were targeted, and how the Nazi system operated day to day: the machinery of control, the resistance that emerged, and the lives of those who survived or did not. Entrance tickets are included.

The guide speaks fluently in English, Spanish, Italian, French or other languages you choose, and adjusts the pace and depth of explanation to match your group. Wheelchair users can access all areas and surfaces. Families with infants can bring a pram or stroller, and public transportation stops are nearby if you need to reach the meeting point without a car.

What’s included

• Entrance tickets to EL-DE Haus.
• expert guide commentary on the Third Reich, World War II and the Holocaust.
• private walking route through Cologne's Old Town.
• pace adapted to your group's interests and needs.
• guide fluent in your chosen language from English, Spanish, Italian, French and more.

Before you book

Days and timesTuesday to Sunday7 departure times: the first at 09:00, the last at 15:00

Book up to1d before

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French, German, Italian and Russian

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 10 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Rosotravel - Munich

Is this one for you?The tour starts at Alter Markt in the Old Town center, reachable by public transportation or a short walk from most central hotels, so you don't need a car or separate transport to join. Your guide meets you there and leads the entire route on foot, making it straightforward if you're staying elsewhere in Cologne or arriving without a vehicle.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French, German, Italian and Russian.

What exactly is EL-DE Haus and what will I see inside?

EL-DE Haus is the former headquarters of the Gestapo, Nazi Germany's secret police, now preserved as a Documentation Center. You'll see the administrative offices on the upper floors where terror was planned, and the basement cells and torture rooms where over 1,800 political prisoners and forced laborers were held. The walls still bear inscriptions carved by prisoners: names, dates, messages and drawings that survived the war.

How long is the walking tour and what other sites do we visit besides EL-DE Haus?

The tour runs three hours total. Beyond EL-DE Haus, you walk through Cologne's Old Town to see the reconstructed Alter Markt with the Old City Hall, the Gothic Cathedral of Cologne, the 10th-century Dominican Church of St. Andrew, and Stumbling Stones placed along the streets to commemorate Jewish citizens and political prisoners.

Is the tour accessible if I use a wheelchair or have mobility concerns?

Yes. All areas and surfaces at EL-DE Haus and throughout the Old Town route are wheelchair accessible, and transportation options near the meeting point are also wheelchair accessible. The guide can adjust the pace to suit your needs.

Does the tour include entry to EL-DE Haus, or do I pay separately?

Entrance tickets to EL-DE Haus are included in the tour price. You don't pay an additional admission fee at the door.