Districts of Cologne within city limits), while 174,87 km² (43.2 percent) lie right of the Rhine. In regard to population, Cologne is the largest city in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia and the fourth largest city in Germany. Since the city's foundation in 38 BC, Cologne grew through numerous extensions and incorporation of surrounding municipalities. Since the construction of the Medieval wall in 1180, the area of the old imperial city of Cologne has not changed for more than 600 years and was only extended over the old city walls in 1794, just short before the arrival of French troops and Cologne's incorporation
History of the Jews in Cologne offices, and the Roman administration went into crisis and the emperor had to look for alternatives. It became necessary for the Cologne Council to use a decree of Emperor Constantine the Great of 321, which permitted Jews to be appointed to the "curia". This is the first evidence of the existence of a Jewish community in the town of Cologne. The emperor's decree was passed down in the "Codex Theodosianus" (439), which indicates the existence of a firmly established Jewish community in Cologne in 321 and 331. A partial translation of the "Codex" reads: "We allow all town councils to