St. Gregorius, Roman Catholic parish church in Burtscheid, Germany

St. Gregorius is a parish church in Burtscheid with a circular columbarium in its crypt made of warm-toned beech plywood and black steel urns. The space is functionally designed and accommodates urns of different sizes for family graves.

The parish of St. Gregorius was founded in 1934, split off from St. Marien in Aachen and St. Johann in Burtscheid. Its first church, a neo-Romanesque basilica consecrated in 1897 on Eynattener Strasse, was destroyed in the air raid of 11 April 1944; only the baptismal font survived. After a makeshift church in a disused factory was consecrated in 1946, the present building was begun on 15 August 1965 by Nesseler Grünzig and consecrated on 16 June 1967 by Bishop Johannes Pohlschneider.

The parish grew from a 1934 rectorate split off from St. Marien and St. Johann; its first church, a neo-Romanesque building of 1897 on Eynattener Straße, was destroyed in the air raid of 11 April 1944, and only the baptismal font was saved. From 1946 a disused factory near Eupener Straße served as emergency church; its crucifix, the wood sculpture Christ and John by Josef Zeller, an enamel by Egino Weinert and three cast-steel bells came into the present building. The name honours Pope Gregory the Great, to whom the church was consecrated on 16 June 1967.

The main entrance is on the upper church square to the west, behind the Eupener Straße traffic axis and not visible from it; the choir end faces east. The sloping site places the crypt and community room beneath the upper church. A wall added in front of the lower church square follows the church wall and provides access, though it cost some parking spaces and the traditional weekly market.

The church stands on a slope, so the main entrance at the upper church square on the west side is hidden behind the Eupener Straße, while the east-facing choir rises like a ship's bow as the visible side. A cross designed by Ludwig Schaffrath sits at its highest point.