St. Gertrud, Catholic church in Neustadt-Nord, Cologne, Germany.
St. Gertrud is a Catholic church in Neustadt-Nord with concrete walls that integrate liturgical elements such as an ambo and confessionals. The building features a free-standing tower and three narrow stepped gables that recede from the street.
Architect Gottfried Böhm designed the concrete building in 1960 as his first major project, introducing tent-roof construction to religious architecture. This innovative approach marked a turning point in modern church design.
The church serves the community as a venue for art exhibitions and concerts, merging religious space with neighborhood life. Visitors experience how faith and local activity intertwine in daily use.
The building stands at Krefelder Straße 45 and is easily reached on foot in a densely built residential area. Visitors should expect a very minimalist interior where the open concrete architecture may feel unusual compared to traditional churches.
The building received the Cologne Architecture Prize in 1967 for merging raw concrete with modern design principles. This recognition honored Böhm's courage to reimagine church spaces in entirely new ways.
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