Added in early 2002 as the second main pillar of the Kunstsammlung and accommodating contemporary art was the Ständehaus am Kaiserteich, until 1988 the seat of the Parliament of North Rhine-Westphalia. Four wings with continuous arcades surround the building’s central public area, a spacious plaza. The creative treatment of this representative building in the Historicist style (1876-80) by the Munich architectural office of Kiessler + Partner created a modern museum building with a striking glaze domed roof which shapes the building’s aesthetic and at the same time spans an expansive sculpture garden located on the uppermost level. Together, a flexible hall for temporary exhibitions in the ground floor level and the upper galleries comprise more than 5300 m² of surface area. Installations and artist’s rooms are an important focus of the Kunstsammlung, an area which has been expanded continuously in recent years.

For an invigorating swim, Embros Thermae (also called The Therma) is an enormous pool with thermal springs, surrounded by circling rocks.

In ancient Greece, an Asklepieion was a healing temple, sacred to Asclepius, the god of medicine and healing. Legend has it that Hippocrates undertook his training there. Settled atop a hill, this is a perfect place to enjoy a panoramic view of Kos Town.