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Basilika Saint Aposteln (Basilica of the Holy Apostles) is a magnificent Romanesque church. It was constructed during the 11th century and is one of the twelve Romanesque churches built in Cologne during that time. The church has a basilical plan of nave and aisles, and like Gro脽 Saint Martin and Saint Maria im Kapitol, has three apses at the east end making a trefoil plan.

One of the main features of the church is the domed clover leaf chancel, which was built around 1200 and is a true gem of Romanesque architecture. The chancel is located at the east end of the church, and its shape is reminiscent of a clover leaf, with three semicircular apses arranged in a trefoil plan. The chancel is covered by a stunning dome that gives the church a monumental and almost Byzantine appearance.

The church was significantly enlarged in the 13th century, and an octagonal dome was added above the crossing. This new addition further enhanced the grandeur of the church, and it is now one of the most remarkable examples of Romanesque architecture in Germany. Despite the building modifications, the old structures were retained and copied, and integrated into the new construction project.

Cologne is a city that every avid tourist must visit at least once. This city has a unique charm and warm atmosphere that entices tourists to come back repeatedly. Cologne is known for its Gothic and Romanesque churches. Among the Gothic churches, the Antoniterkirche holds a special place. Located close to the main shopping street of the city, this Protestant church is frequented by those who wish to pray in absolute peace and quiet.

Antoniterkirche is a very peaceful church built around 1350 to 1380. It boasts a simple, yet elegant architecture. Step inside the church and you cannot miss the Barlach鈥檚 Memorial Angel. This cast also known as the Angel of Death is made from the original cast. As the original was destroyed during WWII by the Nazis, this is the only remaining cast today preserved in this church.

You will also be struck by the oasis of peace inside the church in spite of the bustling, noisy Schildergasse outside. Schildergasse is incidentally one of Cologne鈥檚 busiest, main shopping streets. Antoniterkirche has three wings even though the church seems more of a chapel due to its small size. On your trip to Cologne, pay a visit to this charming church to enjoy its unique architecture and period art.

Saint Cecilia's Church is one of the twelve Romanesque churches in Cologne's old city. The church, maintained by the Foundation of Romanesque Churches in Cologne, has remained almost unchanged since its inception, which dates back to 1130-60.

The church has a simple three-aisled floor plan without towers or transepts. The southernmost aisle and the center of the nave end in a rounded apse. Meanwhile, the northern aisle ends in an apse that was built in 1479 and is currently used as a sacristy.

The church's middle aisle features frescoes on the upper choir, which were damaged during World War II. Although they are difficult to see clearly, the original arched wooden roof still remains. The tympanum, which dates back to 1160, is part of the museum's collection and can be viewed from the north entrance.

The history of the Saint Cecilia's Church dates back to the 9th century when a women's home of the same name was founded on the site during the reign of Archbishop Willibert in 870-888. The original church was built on the ruins of a prior Roman bath. The church was later renovated in the 12th century to suit a Romanesque style.

In the late 15th century, the church's interior was renovated using resources originally designated for another church. During the 19th century, the main entrance was changed and given a new entry in the Neo-Romantic style. Although it remains on site, it is now walled up to accommodate the Schn眉tgen Museum, which is currently housed in the church.

For a time, the Saint Cecilia's Church was also adjacent to the first hospital in Cologne, where it served as a chapel. The hospital is no longer present, and the church now stands next to the Rautenstrauch-Joest Museum.

Although the church is now mainly used as a museum of medieval art, it still celebrates two masses each year, one at Christmas and the other on the feast day of Saint Cecilia.

Saint Maria im Kapitol (english: Saint Mary's in the Capitol) is a magnificent 11th-century Romanesque church located in the Kapitol-Viertel. Its name 鈥渋m Kapitol鈥� refers to the Roman temple for the Capitoline Triad that was built on today鈥檚 site of the church in the first century. The church was dedicated to Saint Mary and built between 1040 and 1065, based on the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem.

The church is one of twelve Romanesque churches built in Cologne during this period, and it is considered the most important work of German church architecture of the Salian dynasty. Saint Mary's in the Capitol is the largest of the Romanesque churches in Cologne. It has a nave and aisles and three towers to the west. The east end of the church is trefoil in shape, with three apses.

Saint Mary's in the Capitol's foundation was built on the walls of the Roman temple, which measured 33 m x 29.5 m and was surrounded by a 97 m x 69 m courtyard. Inside of the temple, three cellae 鈥� one for each of the worshipped gods 鈥� were built. After the Franks conquered Cologne in the fifth century, the Frankish mayors of the palace resided around the Capitoline hill, and Pepin of Herstal lived in Cologne for a period of time. His wife Plectrude had a proprietary church built on the ruins of the capitol before her death, and she was buried in this aisleless church.

In the middle of the eleventh century, the archbishop of Cologne Hermann II and his sister Ida, abbess of Saint Maria im Kapitol, initiated construction of a new church. The altar and the nave were consecrated by Pope Leo IX. During World War II, the church was heavily damaged, and until 1956, only the closed-off western part of the church could be used. In 1984, the eastern part was reopened and could also be used.

Ah, the Great Saint Martin Church鈥攖his seriously good-looking temple with a riverside address and medieval drama to spare is proof that if a building can survive fire, war, and questionable Baroque interior design choices, it deserves your full attention.

This Romanesque heavyweight was built between 1150 and 1250, and its iconic tower has been photobombing Old Town鈥檚 skyline ever since. But the site鈥檚 r茅sum茅 goes way back. In Roman times, this spot was actually an island in the Rhine, where they built a humble chapel鈥攑robably to appease both the gods and the weather.

In the 10th century, a new church was built. In 1150: Boom. Fire. Ashes. Time to build again! By 1172, they鈥檇 got a fancy tri-apsidal structure. It survived another fire in 1185. But in 1378, the towers' roofs caught fire again, and by 1434, a storm decided to finish the job and blew them clean off. Truly, the medieval weather had no chill...

In the 1700s, someone got ambitious with the interior, adding Baroque decorations. Not everyone was thrilled. Some clergy officials thought it looked more Versailles than virtue, and out came the paintbrushes.

Then came the French in 1794. They stuck around for 20 years, turned the abbey into barracks, and eventually pulled the plug on the monastery altogether. Monks out, soldiers in. Not exactly a spiritual upgrade...

By 1847, restoration kicked off, and not a moment too soon. Because in World War II, the church took a beating鈥攆ires again, naturally鈥攂ut was lovingly rebuilt between 1948 and 1985. Now, that鈥檚 what we call long-term commitment...

Pro tip:
The entrance plays hard to get鈥攊t鈥檚 tucked away at the back. And if you fancy ancient basements, head downstairs to see the Roman foundations. Because nothing says timeless like a church that鈥檚 literally built on history.

Cologne is a city of exquisite churches. Visitors from around the world throng this city to enjoy the unique atmosphere, ambience and beauty of these Romanesque and Gothic churches. Minoritenkirche is one of the popular churches here, a must visit tourist attraction.

The Dom Cathedral and Minoritenkirche Saint Maria Empfangnis were constructed around the same time in Cologne. Minoritenkirche is a huge Gothic church built by Franciscans in the 1200s. As compared to the other churches in the city, you will find the architecture here refreshingly simple. It took from 1245 to about 1260 to build its early-Gothic choir, with a three-aisle nave added in the 14th century. As the Franciscans are a mendicant order, they built a ridge turret but no bell tower, indications of the poverty adopted by the order. When the French Revolution spread to Cologne in 1794, the Franciscans were expelled from the church and the adjoining monastery.

Inside the church is John Duns Scotus鈥� tomb. He was a strong defender of orthodox religion and was a popular theologian. His orthodoxy did not go down well with many during that period. This triple-nave Gothic basilica located in Minoritenstreet houses the gravestone of the 鈥渇ather of journeymen鈥� Adolf Kolping. Kolping and Scotus both were beatified by Pope John Paul II and were feature on the new west doors designed by Paul Nagel in 2006.

Just like the other churches in Cologne, this church too was damaged badly during World War II. In the following years, it was reconstructed, modified and enhanced many times. On your trip to Cologne, visit this beautiful church that reflects glory in stark simplicity. The architecture mirrors the essential Franciscan values. Include this unique church in your itinerary on your next visit to Cologne.

The Cologne Cathedral 鈥� a place where Gothic ambition met a 600-year-long construction delay and still came out looking fabulous... Indeed, the magnitude of this building dwarfs your expectations and your camera鈥檚 field of view.

This towering masterpiece is Germany鈥檚 most visited landmark, with 20,000 people dropping by daily 鈥� not bad for a church that took over six centuries to finish. At 157 meters (that鈥檚 515 feet for those who still think in feet), it鈥檚 the tallest twin-spired church on Earth, the second-tallest church in Europe, and the third tallest in the world. Clearly, Cologne doesn鈥檛 do things halfway...

Construction began in 1248, then took a casual break around 1560. The west tower wasn't completed until 1880, when 19th-century officials unearthed the original blueprints and reasoned, 鈥淲hy not finish it?鈥�

But the site鈥檚 sacred history runs much deeper than that. Since the 4th century, Christians have been building here. The "Old Cathedral" stood from 818 to 1248, and even earlier, a baptistery once graced the eastern end.

So, what kicked off this giant Gothic project? A golden box. Specifically, the Shrine of the Three Kings, believed to hold relics of the Three Wise Men (also known as the Magi 鈥� the ones who visited baby Jesus and offered him gifts). Its construction started at the eastern arm to house the shrine, then the west front followed 鈥� until everything just kind of stopped in 1473. The work-in-progress look lasted for centuries, complete with a giant crane stuck on top for 400 years. Talk about an eternal fixer-upper...

The cathedral's highlights include the 1322 black marble High Altar and that aforementioned blingy shrine, which began in 1190 and shines brighter than a royal wedding. There's also the 10th-century Gero Crucifix, the 1290 Milan Madonna, and a legal twist 鈥� a 13th-century stone tablet that once granted rights to Cologne鈥檚 Jewish residents.

And, of course, there are bells 鈥� eleven in total. The Saint Peter Bell, cast in 1922, was once the biggest free-swinging bell in the world. You鈥檒l feel it before you hear it...

Insider Tip:
Don鈥檛 skip the rear mosaics 鈥� they're stunning. Brave the climb for sky-high views, or sneak into the underground parking to see the cathedral鈥檚 ancient roots... literally.

The Basilica Church of Saint Ursula is a historic and religious site located in Cologne. Its origins can be traced back to the late antiquity period, as it was built on the property of a Roman graveyard. The church was named after Ursula, a Breton princess who, according to legend, suffered martyrdom in Cologne with 11,000 female companions.

Originally dedicated to the Holy Virgin, the church underwent several rounds of construction, and during these building works, numerous mortal remains were found. These remains were believed to be those of the female martyrs, and they were incorporated into the church. The gallery basilica was constructed in the early 12th century, and it was designed to accommodate the numerous relics that had been discovered.

In the 13th century, the choir chancel was rebuilt in Gothic style, and this further emphasized the importance of presenting the relics. The walls of the church were designed with dual shells to create space for the relics while also displaying them behind bars. During the Baroque era, a chapel annex known as the Golden Chamber was built to provide visitors with direct access to the relics. Today, the Golden Chamber is filled with relics from top to bottom and remains a popular attraction for visitors to the church.

The Basilica Church of Saint Ursula boasts rich furnishings from various centuries. The late antiquity 鈥淐lematius inscription鈥� and the baroque Grave of the Holy Ursula are two objects that are entirely related to the site's location. The church also features two shrines located behind the high altar and a collection of relic busts with the smiling faces of the Virgins. These artifacts are just a few examples of the church's rich history and cultural significance.