Cologne - Groß St. Martin

Groß St. Martin (Great Saint Martin) was founded on remnants of a Roman chapel, built on what was then an island in the Rhine. A local legend tells, that it was founded by missionaries Plechelmus and Viro and funded by Pepin of Herstal and his wife Plektrudis. But scholars have turned that down. It it undisputed, that Cologn Bishop Brun (925-965) founded a chapter of canons here and bestowed relics of St. Eliphius to the church of St. Martin. Under Archbishop Eveger the canons were replaced by iroscottish Benedictians

The current building with the soaring crossing tower was erected, after a fire, between 1150-1250. The architecture of its eastern end forms a triconch or trefoil plan, consisting of three apses around the crossing. This part was already consecrated in 1172.

When the French occupied Cologne the secularization started. The monastery was disbanded in 1802 and the last monks had to leave, Groß St. Martin became a parish church. First reataurations started mid of the 19th century.

Groß St. Martin was badly damaged by aerial bombing during WWII. The first ever 1,000 bomber raid by the RAF (codenamed "Operation Millenium") was conducted on Cologne in May 1942. That day the tower and nave of the church were burnt to the ground. The sacristy building and north apse were also destroyed. In the following year a chapel on the northern side was destroyed and in January 1945 the triforiums of all three apses were destroyed. At the end of the war almost 95% of the buildings in the old city were destroay or badly damaged.

There was a controverial discussion after the war, what to do with the ruined church, as many prefered to leave it as a ruined memorial to the war. But in the end it was decided to rebuild Groß St. Martin. This startet in 1955 and took 40 years. The church was reopened in 1985.

As of 2009 Groß St. Martin is being used by a branch of the Monastic Fraternities of Jerusalem.

Gr0ßs St. Martin to the left - the Cathedral to the right.