Butzweilerhof was Cologne's original airfield, starting with the first zeppelin in 1909 and the first airplane in 1910. After 1912 and during WW I the airfield was used for military purposes. In 1926 civil aviation took over and Butzweilerhof became Germany's second largest airport after Berlin Tempelhof. The still standing, landmarked terminal building was designed by architect Hans Mehrtens, inaugurated in 1936 and restored in 2007. With the beginning of WW II, civil aviation at Butzweilerhof came to an end.

After WW II, a diminished airfield saw some military and civil use, with part of the area being used as barracks for NATO troops. With the opening of the airport Köln-Bonn (CGN) or Köln-Wahn as it was originally named, Butzweilerhof was no longer used for commercial civil aviation. In 1995 aviation at Butzweilerhof ceased entirely.

Since then, the Butzweilerhof area was used for various purposes. The terminal building has been converted to a museum, and a derelict container home reminds of a season of the "Big Brother" TV show. Right now, massive construction works are starting for a large shopping center of your favorite Köttbullar outlet.

So the derelict barracks and the decaying container home will soon be gone. Last chance to see.