St. Maria im Kapitol, Romanesque church in Altstadt-Süd, Germany
St. Maria im Kapitol is a Romanesque and Gothic church in Altstadt-Süd, Cologne, Germany, known for its cloverleaf floor plan with three matching apses. An ambulatory wraps around these apses, continuing from the side aisles and linking the eastern sections of the interior.
A Roman temple of the Capitoline Triad stood here from the 1st century; its walls became the foundation of the church. Around 718 Plectrude, widow of Pepin of Herstal, founded a proprietary church on the ruins and was buried in it. In the winter of 881/882 Norman raiders burned it. Between 1040 and 1065 Archbishop Hermann II and his sister, abbess Ida, built the present cross basilica, consecrated by Pope Leo IX.
The name refers to the Roman temple of the Capitoline Triad that stood on this hill; its walls became the foundation of the nave. The wooden doors, carved around 1065, show 26 reliefs of the life of Jesus and kept traces of paint.
The church stands on Marienplatzstraße a short walk from the Rhine waterfront and is easy to reach on foot. If you want to study the doors and the altar area closely, allow extra time and pay attention to shifting daylight.
The north portal's wooden doors, carved around 1065, closed that entrance for nearly 900 years and still show traces of paint. Their 26 reliefs follow late antique framed panels: the left leaf shows Jesus' childhood according to Matthew, the right his passion and resurrection.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 93,095 contributors worldwide.
