Schnütgen Museum, Religious art museum in Kulturquartier, Cologne, Germany.
The Schnütgen Museum occupies the Romanesque Church of St. Cecilia and displays religious artworks from the early Middle Ages to the present day. The interior, with its medieval murals, provides the setting for an extensive collection of ivories, stained glass, textiles, metalwork, and sacred paintings.
A Cologne priest spent decades acquiring religious artworks and donated his significant collection to the city in the early 20th century. This gift led to the museum's establishment and transformed the Romanesque church into a repository for sacred art treasures.
The museum's name comes from its founder, a priest with a keen eye for art history. The church itself functions as an intimate setting where sacred artworks are experienced within their original religious context.
The museum sits in the Arts Quarter and is easily reached on foot while exploring Cologne's Old Town. Visitors should keep in mind that the church functions as an active exhibition space and may occasionally have limited hours.
Among the collection are objects of remarkable age and artistic refinement, including a comb from the 9th century. These pieces come from an era when such craftsmanship was known to only a handful of artisans.
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