WIENER, Jacques: Prussia, 1859, Bronze, 70 mm
Obv: Conjoined busts of Frederich Wilhelm IV, King of Prussia, and Wilhelm, Prince regent of Prussia    FRIEDRICH WILHELM IV KOENIG VON PREUSSEN. WILHELM. PRINZ VON PREUSSEN REGENT.
Rev: View of Cologne Central Railway Station with Cologne cathedral in background    EROEFFNUNG DER RHEIN-BAHN COELN-MAINZ 15 DECEMBER 1859
Exergue:  CENTRALBAHNHOF COELN
Signed:  J. WIENER F. / JACOB WIENER F.
Ref: Von Hoydonk 174;  Reinecke 153; Bouhy 159; Ross M227; Weiss BW585

The Cologne (Koeln) Central Station (Haupthbahnhof) is the most important railway station in Germany today. The station is near the Rhine River and the Cologne Cathedral in the city center and connects with several major cities in Germany and Europe. The high speed train travels up to 300 km per hour.  The medal commemorates the dedication of this railway station.

Frederick William IV (1795-1861), King of Prussia, was the son and successor of Frederick William III. In 1857 he was paralyzed by a stroke and his brother William (later Emperor William I) ruled as regent, as indicated on the obverse of the medal.

William (Wilhelm) I (1797-1888) was the seventh King of Prussia and the first German Emperor or Kaiser. He ascended to the Prussian throne in 1861 after his older brother Frederick William IV died. With Count von Bismarck, William I was instrumental in founding the modern German state--uniting a great diversity of principalities under the martial leadership of Prussia. William was crowned Emperor in 1871 after defeating Emperor Napoleon III in the Franco-Prussian War.

LINK to the Franco-Prussian War (from wikipedia)

LINK to Biography of Napoleon III (from Wikipedia)