Basilica of St. Severin — Attraction in Cologne

Severinskirche Founded in the fourth century as a cemetery chapel, the church interior was continuously expanded and changed in the following centuries.

Severin (Severinus, approx. 330-400), Holy Bishop of Cologne (397) was the third bishop of Cologne. His veneration comes from the St. Severin Church in Cologne, where the bones of the saint are also located.

Essentially, there are only two written sources that provide clues about Severin's life and tenure:

The Cologne bishops' lists, which have been created since the early Middle Ages, list him as the third incumbent known by name after Maternus and Euphrates. Around 580, Bishop Gregory of Tours (episcopate 573-594) also describes the life of his predecessor, St. Martin, who died in 396 or 397. It also mentions Martin's Ascension, which the Cologne Bishop Severin experienced in a vision when he visited the holy sites of his episcopal city of Cologne with clerics. From this legendary story it can be concluded that Severin was bishop in Cologne at the time of Martin von Tours's death

The main place of worship of St. Severin is the Church of St. Severin, where a corresponding cult of saints can be traced back to the second half of the 6th century. Severin's first burial probably took place on the Roman burial ground around St. Severin.

Due to the original construction, St. Severin is one of the twelve large Romanesque churches in Cologne.

Due to changes in later centuries, the interior gives a more Gothic impression. The shrine of St. Severin, built in 1819, is raised in the rear area of ​​the high choir. In it are the bones of the saint. Furthermore, a cross 'Jesus on the plague cross' is available.

Frankish and Roman graves and a Carolingian foundation wall were found...

The Catholic parish church of St. Severin is one of the twelve Romanesque basilicas of Cologne, dedicated to the third bishop of Cologne, Saint Severin. Today's Severinstraße, named after the church of St. Severin, was in Roman times the leading southern arterial road to Bonn. The city’s burial sites were located on both sides of the street. In the 4th century, a small rectangular hall (cella memoriae) was built here under the present nave of St. Severin with apse to the west. After extensions in the 6th and 8th centuries, the construction of a Romanesque basilica was begun and...

Impressive old church in the South of the old city centre of cologne. Since cologne was heavily bombarded in wwII it is nice you see this quarter still representing the more mediaval appearance of the city . Mice quarter to visit and a...