Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: Kölsches Lächeln

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". Archaeological excavations revealed a building from the fourth century, this got converted and extended in the 6th century. The Roman cemetery, on which St. Ursula was built, had been rummaged through in the 12th century in search of relics, as this church is connected to the legend of St. Ursula. According to this legend Ursula was on her way up the Rhine with eleven companions. Over the time this number changed to 11.000 virgins, as there were so many skeletons on this cemetery and the reliquary trade in the Middle Ages. They reached Basel from where they made a pilgrimage on foot to Rome. Pope Cyriakus joined them on their return journey. In Mainz Ursula's bridegroom Aetherius was finally baptized and from there the company reached Cologne, which was besieged by the Huns. Since the 11(000) virgins refused to marry the non-Christian Huns, they were murdered. The church was damaged by the raid of the Normans in Cologne in 881/882. In 922 nuns from Gerresheim fled to Cologne from an invasion by the Hungarians and settled here. When in 1106 the city fortification was extended and another large cemetery was discovered. The rich finds and the trade with relics led to prosperity, so that a complete new construction of the church became possible. Mid 13th century the large Gothic choir, that was only used by canons and nuns, was added. Towards the end of the 15th century, the church underwent extensive renovations. In 1802 the convent was dissolved and since 1804 the church serves the parish. At that time St. Ursula was in a desolate condition and got partially restored. End of the 19th century the church got finally rebuilt, but in 1945, after WWII, St. Ursula was a ruin. The rebuilding was completed in 1978, when the "Goldene Kammer" ("Golden chamber"), an immense treasury to display the bones of the virgins and the growing relic collection of the church, as reopened. Many bust-reliquaries, depicting smiling virgins, can be found in the church. Some have two faces and four ears!

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". Archaeological excavations revealed a building from the fourth century, this got converted and extended in the 6th century. The Roman cemetery, on which St. Ursula was built, had been rummaged through in the 12th century in search of relics, as this church is connected to the legend of St. Ursula. According to this legend Ursula was on her way up the Rhine with eleven companions. Over the time this number changed to 11.000 virgins, as there were so many skeletons on this cemetery and the reliquary trade in the Middle Ages. They reached Basel from where they made a pilgrimage on foot to Rome. Pope Cyriakus joined them on their return journey. In Mainz Ursula's bridegroom Aetherius was finally baptized and from there the company reached Cologne, which was besieged by the Huns. Since the 11(000) virgins refused to marry the non-Christian Huns, they were murdered. The church was damaged by the raid of the Normans in Cologne in 881/882. In 922 nuns from Gerresheim fled to Cologne from an invasion by the Hungarians and settled here. When in 1106 the city fortification was extended and another large cemetery was discovered. The rich finds and the trade with relics led to prosperity, so that a complete new construction of the church became possible. Mid 13th century the large Gothic choir, that was only used by canons and nuns, was added. Towards the end of the 15th century, the church underwent extensive renovations. In 1802 the convent was dissolved and since 1804 the church serves the parish. At that time St. Ursula was in a desolate condition and got partially restored. End of the 19th century the church got finally rebuilt, but in 1945, after WWII, St. Ursula was a ruin. The rebuilding was completed in 1978, when the "Goldene Kammer" ("Golden chamber"), an immense treasury to display the bones of the virgins and the growing relic collection of the church, as reopened. Many bust-reliquaries, depicting smiling virgins, can be found in the church.

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 legend tells, that Saint Kunibert, who was bishop of Cologne and advisor to King Dagobert I, founded a monastery here. In its center existed a church, dedicated to Saint Clemens, where St. Kunibert was buried. Around 1210 the construction of a new church began. The choir was completed in 1226. St. Kunibert was consecrated in 1247, just a year before he Gothic cathedral was begun. So this is the "youngest" of the Romanesque churches in Cologne. As a result of the secalurization the monastery ceased to exist in 1802. The church remained in use by the local parish. In 1830 the the western tower collapsed during a storm. It got rebuilt until 1860 but got ruined in 1944, when the church fell into ruins due to the air raids. Reconstruction of choir and nave were finished 1955, however rebuilding of transept and western tower were only started in the late 1970s, after a long controversial dispute. Reconstruction work was finally finished in 1993. The church treasury of Saint Kunibert is kept and displayed in a kind of aquarium out of security glass. These head reliquaries were a special product, produced in Cologne in great numbers. Digging in a Roman necropolis, later named "Ager Ursulanus", folks had found the relics of St. Ursula and her 11.000 martyred companians. This started a real reliquary industry. Many of the virgins´ faces produced here had a specific, vague smile, what was called "Kölsches Lächeln" ("Cologne Smile") in that times.

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 legend tells, that Saint Kunibert, who was bishop of Cologne and advisor to King Dagobert I, founded a monastery here. In its center existed a church, dedicated to Saint Clemens, where St. Kunibert was buried. Around 1210 the construction of a new church began. The choir was completed in 1226. St. Kunibert was consecrated in 1247, just a year before he Gothic cathedral was begun. So this is the "youngest" of the Romanesque churches in Cologne. As a result of the secalurization the monastery ceased to exist in 1802. The church remained in use by the local parish. In 1830 the the western tower collapsed during a storm. It got rebuilt until 1860 but got ruined in 1944, when the church fell into ruins due to the air raids. Reconstruction of choir and nave were finished 1955, however rebuilding of transept and western tower were only started in the late 1970s, after a long controversial dispute. Reconstruction work was finally finished in 1993. The church treasury of Saint Kunibert is kept and displayed in a kind of aquarium out of security glass. These head reliquaries were a special product, produced in Cologne in great numbers. Digging in a Roman necropolis, later named "Ager Ursulanus", folks had found the relics of St. Ursula and her 11.000 martyred companians. This started a real reliquary industry. Many of the virgins´ faces produced here had a specific, vague smile, what was called "Kölsches Lächeln" ("Cologne Smile") in that times.