St. Maria im Kapitol Religious Site

Address: Im Kapitol, Cologne

St. Maria im Kapitol is a large Romanesque church in Cologne, Germany, dating principally to the 11th and 12th centuries. It is one of the city’s twelve major Romanesque churches and occupies a prominent site known as the Kapitol.

Constructed on the remains of a Roman temple complex, the present Romanesque building replaced earlier structures during the 11th and 12th centuries as part of the Benedictine foundation tied to the site. It has served continuously as a major parish and monastic church and retains much of its medieval plan despite later restorations.

It stands in Cologne’s old town on the Kapitol hill, a short walk from the Rhine and the cathedral precinct, within the city’s medieval core.

• Romanesque group: One of Cologne’s twelve major Romanesque churches, notable for its 11th- to 12th-century fabric and large westwork.
• Historic site: Built on the site of a Roman-era temple complex, the church occupies a historic hill called the Kapitol within Cologne’s old town.

What to See#

• Westwork: A monumental westwork with towers and a broad facade dating to the Romanesque rebuilds of the 11th and 12th centuries; this westwork defines the church’s street-facing appearance.
• Eastern apses: East end with three apses forming the choir, typical of large Ottonian and Romanesque churches and visible from the eastern approach to the site.

In central Cologne, a short walk from the Heumarkt or Neumarkt tram stops. The cathedral and Old Town are nearby, making it easy to include Im Kapitol in a walking circuit of the city’s Romanesque churches.

• Climb one of the side aisles and linger near the choir screen - the church's Romanesque stones hold the imprint of medieval worship.
• Pay attention to the sculpted capitals inside: they are often used by art historians as good examples of Ottonian/early Romanesque carving.
• If visiting Cologne's other Romanesque churches, buy a combined ticket or map at the tourist office to understand how they form a neighborhood of early medieval architecture.