St. Gereon’s Basilica, Cologne

St. Gereon's Basilica, Cologne tickets: which one to buy

The Basilica of Saint Gereon stands a short walk west of Cologne Cathedral, in a quieter part of the old town, and entry is free, although a small fee may be charged for the crypt at times. It is one of the twelve great Romanesque churches of Cologne, and many consider it the most remarkable because of its unique oval dome.

Walking tours of Cologne's Romanesque churches, sometimes offered as themed tours, include Saint Gereon along with Saint Maria im Kapitol, Saint Martin and Saint Pantaleon, and they are an excellent way to see a side of the city beyond the cathedral. The church is about ten minutes' walk from the main railway station. It is an active parish, and visiting pauses during services. Nothing needs booking, and the church is rarely crowded. Trams and buses stop at Christophstrasse, a few minutes from the church.

Visiting St. Gereon's Basilica, Cologne: what to see

The church stands over a late Roman building of the fourth century, an oval structure with niches, which according to tradition was built by Saint Helena over the graves of Saint Gereon and his fellow soldiers of the Theban Legion, martyred for their faith. The medieval church incorporated the Roman walls, and in 1219 to 1227 an enormous ten-sided domed hall, called the decagon, was built on top of them; its dome was the largest built in Europe between the Hagia Sophia and the dome of Florence Cathedral. The Romanesque choir and crypt were added in the eleventh and twelfth centuries.

Inside, the decagon rises in several storeys of arches and windows to a ribbed vault, with modern stained glass. The crypt holds medieval mosaics and wall paintings. The church was badly damaged in the Second World War and restored over decades. The baptistery, a small chapel beside the decagon, preserves thirteenth-century wall paintings of saints. The choir stalls are carved, and a Romanesque portal leads into the church from the courtyard. The modern stained glass in the decagon, designed by Georg Meistermann, fills the space with coloured light. The crypt's mosaic floor, from the eleventh century, shows scenes from the story of David and Samson. A garden surrounds the church.

St. Gereon's Basilica, Cologne opening hours and the best time to go

The church is open daily, with a break at lunchtime on some days. Cologne is busy throughout the year, with peaks during Carnival in February, the Christmas markets in December and the big trade fairs; Saint Gereon remains calm. Mornings are the best time for the light entering the decagon's windows. Concerts are occasionally held in the church, taking advantage of the acoustics. Allow about twenty minutes for the church and crypt, and combine the visit with the other Romanesque churches or the Roman-Germanic Museum near the cathedral. The Roman-Germanic Museum next to the cathedral displays the Dionysus mosaic and Roman glass found in Cologne.