Great St. Martin Church, Romanesque Catholic church in Old Town, Cologne, Germany
Great St. Martin Church is a Catholic place of worship in the heart of Cologne's old quarter, where a massive crossing tower with a square base rises above the Rhine riverfront. Three rounded apses embrace the choir area in the east, forming a compact structure built from pale tuff stone.
A Benedictine abbey was first established here in the 10th century on an island in the Rhine, which later became connected to the mainland. The current building was erected after a fire between 1150 and 1250 and has shaped the cityscape near the fish market ever since.
The name honors Saint Martin of Tours, whose veneration has been deeply rooted in the Rhineland since medieval times. The monastic community from Jerusalem still conducts daily prayer services here, which visitors are welcome to attend.
The entrance is located directly on the fish market and reached by several steps, so wheelchair access may be limited. Guided tours explain the Roman foundations in the lower level and the construction of the tower.
Beneath the church floor lie well-preserved Roman walls and foundations uncovered during excavations in the 20th century. These archaeological remains show that the site was once part of a Roman harbor installation.
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