Germany

Church of St. Gereon

The Church of St. Gereon today is an active Catholic church, the walls of which have a monument to St. Gereon, a Roman warrior who fought and died for the Christian faith.

St. Gereon Church - Cologne's oldest religious building ^ photo Christine

Church of St. Gereon (St. Gereon Kirche) - the oldest temple in Cologne. The Romanesque basilica replaced the early Christian sanctuary erected on the site of the death of a Roman warrior who served in the Thebes legion. The holy martyr Gereon of Cologne fell for faith in 318.

Construction history

The historical monument combines elements of ancient, Romanesque and early Gothic religious architecture. The oldest part of the temple has existed since 350: then a martyrium chapel appeared on the territory of the ancient necropolis, resembling the temple of Minerva with its appearance. The walls of the main nave of the basilica to the level of 16 meters are preserved from the Late Antiquity. In the 11th century, a presbytery was added to the ancient oval base; in the XIII century, decagon-shaped walls were erected around the old part, crowning them with a 35-meter faceted dome.

Over the years the temple existed, it was completed several times. The Second World War did not pass by a masterpiece of architecture: it was damaged, although not destroyed to the ground by air bombs, like other religious buildings in Cologne. Reconstruction lasted more than 40 years. Now the church is completely restored, serves the needs of the parish of St. Hero and the pilgrimage center. Within its walls are services and cultural events.

Church architecture

East facade
Western facade
Church of St. Gereon
Saint Gereon

The appearance of the temple has been preserved since the 14th century. On the west side is the main decagon building. Small polyhedral towers with conical domes are attached to it. From the side of the eastern facade, rectangular 30-meter twin towers erected in the XII century rise. Between them is a semicircular apse with dull arcades: a choir is placed in it. The crypt of the church was built in the XI century; baptistery with an octagonal font - in the 13th century. The sacristy was built in 1315.

Interior decoration

Altar
Main nave
Dome
Altar
Church interior
Decagon interior
Pieta

The interior of the church is decorated with plot murals of the late Roman period; preserved mosaics in the Ravenna style, a statue of the Madonna of the 15th century, marble Pieta of the 19th century by Johan Rice. In the arched windows of the domed space there are stained-glass windows created by the master G. Meisterman.

In a niche at the western portal is a fragment of a marble pillar. According to legend, the martyr Gereon and his companions were executed near this Roman column.

How to get there

Go to the Christophstr./Mediapark stop by bus 12.15.

How do I save on hotels?

Everything is very simple - look not only at the booking. I prefer the search engine RoomGuru. He is looking for discounts at the same time on Booking and on 70 other booking sites.

Watch the video: St. Gereon's Church, Cologne (November 2024).

Popular Posts

Category Germany, Next Article

Christmas in Italy
Trip planning

Christmas in Italy

As a rule, when travelers make vacation plans, they first book tickets and only then find out which of the interesting events is taking place in Italy at the same time. Merry Christmas this number does not work. Everyone knows that Christmas in Italy is celebrated on a special scale, and therefore "reconnaissance" is carried out long before booking tickets.
Read More
Holidays in Italy with children: where to go with a child
Trip planning

Holidays in Italy with children: where to go with a child

Italy is a country in which children are loved, like nowhere else in the world: most restaurants have a special children's menu, babysitters and animators work in hotels, almost all resorts have entertainment for children - attractions, water parks, game complexes, etc. However, in order to make holidays with children even more fun and varied, BlogoItaliano decided to offer some additional ideas on where to go in Italy with a child.
Read More
Italy in May
Trip planning

Italy in May

Judging strictly by the calendar, then May in Italy would still have to relate to the off-season. Moreover, in most countries with a climate similar to Italian, it is. However, unfortunately, May in Italy in many places is already considered the beginning of the high season with all the ensuing consequences. Weather in Italy in May From the point of view of weather it is easy to trace why May in Italy begin to be attributed to the high season.
Read More