The Church of St. Martin is one of the most remarkable examples of Romanesque architecture in Cologne. There are still 12 Romanesque churches in Cologne, but the Church of St. Martin is the largest and most beautiful of them. Many of these churches were destroyed during the World War II, but later they were restored in the original appearance.
The height of the spire of the Church of St. Martin reaches 84 meters. This is a significant height for a Romanesque church. That is why it is called "Gross St. Martin". It looks very beautiful from the side of the Rhine and is recognized as one of the main attractions of Cologne.
In the days of Ancient Rome, the site of the church of St. Martin was located warehouses of provisions. They were big enough. Colony Agrippinensis was on the left bank of the Rhine. On the right bank there were the lands of warlike Germanic tribes, with whom the Romans were constantly in war. Therefore, on the border of their possessions, the Romans kept provisions necessary for legionaries in case of war.
The foundations of Roman warehouses are still visible at the base of the Church of the Great Martin. In the niche of one of the walls, there is an antique column, which eventually became a relic of the church. According to legend, this column does not allow people with impure thoughts to enter the church.
The Benedictine abbey on this site originated in 953. However, the church appeared later. The most real date of construction of the Church of St. Martin in the Romanesque style is the period from 1172 to 1220. In 1450, Gothic features appeared in the tower of the church. This is a very common for churches that have been built and rebuilt over several centuries.
During the World War II, the Church of St. Martin was significantly damaged. The city authorities had the idea to leave these ruins as a monument to the destruction of the war. However, it was later decided to restore the church. By 1985, the Church of St. Martin was completely restored, retaining its medieval Romanesque style.
