Crux, Youth pastoral center in Altstadt-Süd, Germany.

Crux is a church building in Altstadt-Süd that combines medieval architectural elements with modern facilities. The space includes a café of about 70 square meters with large street-facing windows and various areas for gatherings and worship.

The project of a youth pastoral centre around St. Johann Baptist grew out of city youth masses held at St. Maria im Kapitol. When the tower tilted in September 2004 during construction of the north-south subway line, renovation became necessary and accelerated the plan. After years of renovation, auxiliary bishop Manfred Melzer consecrated the CRUX church on 28 June 2009; the café opened on 12 April 2010.

The church interior is deliberately plain so young people can shape it themselves, combining old and new: medieval statues and a valuable baptismal font stand beside converted musician boxes used as seating. The adjoining CRUX-Café, with UFO lamps and extravagant sofas, hosts volunteer bar service by over 30 young people on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.

The place is designed for young people between 15 and 27 years old and offers various activities in an open, accessible space. The attached café is open to visitors on weekdays and serves as a social gathering point.

The church interior deliberately mixes old and new: medieval statues and a valuable baptismal font stand beside converted musician boxes used as seating, and the plain furnishings let young people shape the space themselves. The tower's tilt during subway work in 2004, reported beyond Cologne as the leaning tower of Cologne, sped up the plan for a youth center.