The photograph was taken from one of the high stone piers or passages of Cologne Cathedral; a Gothic crocket on the right edge of the frame attests to the cameraman’s position on the cathedral structure. The view sweeps across a dense cluster of snow-covered old town rooftops, from which several church towers rise. In the hazy background, the expanse of the Rhine valley is outlined. In the travel film, this shot serves as a classical city portrait of Cologne, making tangible the height and dominance of the cathedral as a viewing point and landmark of the city. The winter mood with snow on the rooftops lends the scene a picturesque, almost timeless character.