Cologne - Minoritenkirche

Cologne is the fourth-largest city in Germany - and one of the oldest. A Germanic tribe, the Ubii, had a settlement here, this was named by the Romans "Oppidum Ubiorum". In 50 AD, the Romans founded "Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium", the city then became the provincial capital of "Germania Inferior".

The Conventual Franciscans (aka Minorites), had this Gothic church built. The early Gothic choir was erected 1245 to 1260, the nave was completed in the 14th century.

After the French troops occupied Cologne in 1794, the convent had to leave and the building was used for storage. The church became property of the cathedral chapter. and a renovation started. Adolph Kolping, the "Father of All Apprentices", was the second president of the "Gesellenverein" ("Journeymen's Union") had used this church for the Gesellenverein since 1849.

After the 262 separate air raids, conducted on Cologne during WWII fire had destroyed the church, the vaults and parts of the southern nave were lost. The reconstruction of the "Minoritenkirche" undertaken by the by the "Kolpingwerk" was completed in 1958.