Founded in the first century BC as a Roman settlement, Bonn is one of Germany’s oldest cities. Bonn once served as the capital of Germany. In 1949, after the end of the Second World War, the West German parliament declared Bonn to be the capital of the Federal Republic, while Berlin served as the capital of East Germany. The German reunification in 1990 sparked a difficult debate that ultimately resulted in Berlin being named the capital of Germany the following year. Bonn remained the seat of the government until 1999 when the move was completed, but it is still home to some ministries and federal officials.

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Beethoven was born in Bonn in 1770 in the Bonngasse district near the marketplace. Next to the marketplace is the Old City Hall, built in 1737 where a statue of Beethoven proudly stands. The house in which Beethoven grew up in is now a museum that holds the archives of his musical sketches and various other items.