Carnival is considered the fifth season in Cologne and lives mainly through the street carnival. Traditionally, this takes place very strongly in Cologne’s Südstadt.
On Weiberfastnacht (“Wieverfastelovend”) the official street carnival begins at 11:11 am. The main event usually takes place at the Alter Markt in the city centre. In many districts of Cologne, further celebrations for the opening take place. One of the most famous is the carnival game “Jan un Griet”, which is performed in the south city.
Chlodwigplatz, Severinstorburg and Severinstraße
The history game is traditionally performed on Weiberfastnacht at 1:30 pm at the Severinstorburg. Following the historic piece, a move from the Southern city to the monument "Jan von Werth" on Old market.
The Legend of Jan and Griet
The servant Jan von Kümpchenshof wooed the love of the market woman Griet. She rejects his love because he is not fine enough for her. Jan then goes into the 30-year war and comes back after years as a famous general and general Jan von Werth. Griet regrets having rejected Jan at that time and speaks the historical words: "Jan, wer etätt jewoss!" (highly German: Jan, who would have known). But Jan rejects them with the words: "Griet, wer etätt jedonn!" (highly German: Griet, who did it).
Clubs, schools and other groups of the Südstadt move on VeilchenTuesday from 1 pm through their district. The start is on Wormser Straße, from there it continues over the Chlodwigplatz into the Vringsveedel through the Severinsstraße. Participants include the resident primary schools, the Comediatheater, a car of the Cologne alternative stunk session.
Carnival parades
On Carnival Sunday they find Cologne School and Veedelszöch instead. The best pedestrians and wagons Veedel are awarded and may participate in the Rose Monday train. The train path is based on the train path of the Rosenmontag train and has been started on Chlodwigplatz for several years.
Until a few years ago there was the completion of the large moves, for organizational reasons the train route was reversed.
The official highlight of the Cologne Carnival is the Rose Monday current Rose Monday train, along the train path is of course also celebrated on the road.
In the night of Wednesday, in the Veedeln as a farewell custom the Nubbel combustion held. A well-known nubbel burning traditionally takes place at the Platz zur Eiche, Haus Müller. After that, the place is closed for several days for renovation.
On Ash Wednesday, only internal final meetings take place, usually a joint fish meal in different restaurants.
Sources:
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%C3%B6lner_Karneval https://www.koeln.de/tourismus/karneval/