Art & Architecture Trip - Day 12

Today was perhaps the most architecture filled day we have had yet. At 1030, we left the youth hostel and went to visit the first of two Romanesque churches, St. Gereon. This is the second oldest church in Cologne. We learned that it had been built on the ruins of a Roman building from the Fourth Century over (supposedly) the grave of St. Gereon and his 500 Christian-Roman soldiers. It is a very beautiful building and, amazingly, the tower (which was composed of the remains of the Roman building) survived extensive bombing during World War II. We also sketched this church. After lunch, sketching and getting travelers checks cashed, we went to St. Ursula's. After Maria im Kapitol and Gross St. Martin, I like St. Ursula's and the mystery it holds. The church is also built on the ruins of the grave of a saint. According to legend and tradition, it was at St. Ursula's that a British-Christian princess and 11,000 virgin followers were killed by the Huns. The architectural design of the church is symbolic in many ways, and it might be that this church existed before 350 AD. A strange Roman inscription seems to intone that the church to "the virgins" was reconstructed in 400 AD (there is no mention of Ursula or 11,000). Some scholars believe that 11 virgins were martyred on the site and that someone in the Middle Ages wrote "11 M" (martyrs) and this was conveniently changed to 11,000 later. There is a treasure room, however, that contains the remains of those who were supposed to be martyrs - as well as statues (reliquary containers) which housed the holy remains of St. Ursula's followers. She is buried here as well. After the tour (with Sabine once again), we went "downtown" and looked for a place where we could buy clothes. I left the girls at one of the stores and went back to the JGH where I read from my Bible for several hours (it was nearly sunrise when I finished - won't get much sleep...).