Zur Heiligen Familie, former orphanage church in Sülz, Cologne, Germany
Zur Heiligen Familie in Sülz is a former orphanage church whose white, square tower survives from the neobaroque building, topped by a dark multi-tiered cupola with a finial spike. Gottfried Böhm rebuilt the church in 1956–1958, casting the outer walls in poured concrete that partly reused bricks of the destroyed predecessor. The tan side building has a flat, crenellated roofline pierced by rows of small circular and oval openings.
The neobaroque orphanage church, the centrepiece of the pre-World War I orphanage in Sülz, was destroyed in World War II except for its tower. In 1955 Dominikus Böhm was commissioned to rebuild; after his death Gottfried Böhm took over and erected the present church from 1956 to 1958, reusing the surviving tower and bricks from the ruined building. It was profaned after 2010 and converted into a cultural and multifunctional centre.
The church belonged to no parish, as it was owned by the city of Cologne, though the St. Bruno congregation still used it liturgically in its later years. Since the 2010 profanation it has served as a cultural and multifunctional centre for the surrounding housing development, with the fixed confessionals and the Stations of the Cross by Jochem Pechau left in place.
The church is easily accessible from main roads in Sülz and public transportation stops nearby. Visitors should check beforehand if services or private events are scheduled, as access may be limited during these times.
The tower holds three small bells; the middle one is of high historical value. The church has been a listed monument since 1989 and was named Monument of the Month in May 2007 by the RVDL. It belonged to no parish district because the City of Cologne owns it.
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