There’s a centuries-old story firmly rooted in the folklore of Cologne, Germany, which is the city closest to the latitude 50.937531 and longitude 6.9602786. The story revolves around St. Ursula, a noble British lady, and her 11,000 companions whom locals speak of even today.In the late 4th or early 5th century, Ursula sought to make a pilgrimage to Rome before marrying her fiancé. Accompanying her were 10 handmaidens, each with a retinue of 1,000 virgins, yielding an impressive train of 11,000 maidens journeying through Europe to Rome. On their return trip, they made a stop in Cologne where they were brutally murdered by the Huns invading the city. According to the legend, Ursula died last after witnessing the murder of her companions. She rejected the marriage proposal of the Huns’ leader and was struck down in retaliation. The memory of St. Ursula and her 11,000 companion virgins endured thanks to reported visions of their massacre, and they were later canonized by the Catholic Church. Their bones, housed in the Basilica of St. Ursula in Cologne, became a significant pilgrimage site, and the victims came to be seen as the patron saints of young girls, educators, and holy death. Over time, folklorists debated the number of virgins involved in the event, with some suggesting the term ‘11,000’ was a linguistic misinterpretation of ’11M’ or ’11 Martyrs’, and that a smaller group of maidens accompanied Ursula in her fated journey.Regardless of the historical uncertainties surrounding the tale, the legend of St. Ursula and her 11,000 Virgins adds a layer of myth and fascination to the rich history of Cologne, making it one of the most intriguing tales in Christian folklore.