St. Gereon’s Basilica 🇩🇪

When you step inside St. Gereon's Basilica (Basilika Sankt Gereon) in Cologne, Germany, you are entering one of twelve great Romanesque churches in the city and one of the oldest existing sacred buildings in the country. Designated a minor basilica in 1920, this German Roman Catholic church stands slightly elevated on a hill above an ancient Roman burial ground.

You will find an extraordinary blend of architectural history here, starting with its late antique central core built in the second half of the 4th century. As you explore, look for the preserved lower decagon, ancient conche niches with vaulted ceilings, three bricked-up arched windows, and an exposed fragment of original floor mosaic in the first south conche. You can also admire the magnificent decagonal central dome, completed between 1219 and 1227 with Gothic galleries, modeled after Aachen's Palatine Chapel.

Between the Hagia Sophia and Florence's Duomo, this late Romanesque-early Gothic dome was the largest constructed in the West. Don't miss the expanded choir section, flanked by two towers, an apse, wall paintings, and colorful modern window cycles created by Georg Meistermann and Wilhelm Buschulte after World War II repairs.

What to see at St. Gereon's Basilica

• Ancient 4th-century Roman core walls with preserved conche niches and bricked-up arched windows
• An exposed ornamental floor mosaic fragment preserved in the first southern conche
• A 13th-century decagonal dome featuring Gothic galleries, modeled on Aachen's Palatine Chapel
• Expanded Romanesque choir area flanked by twin towers, an apse, and historic wall paintings
• Modern stained-glass color window cycles designed by Georg Meistermann and Wilhelm Buschulte

Visiting tips

Look closely inside the first conche on the south side to view an exposed ornamental fragment of the ancient floor mosaic.

How long: 1-2 hours · Best time: Daytime

How to get there & what’s nearby

St. Gereon's Basilica is easy to reach on Cologne’s public transport, and pairs naturally with Wallraf–Richartz Museum and Cologne Central Mosque. For where to stay, the weather and full itineraries, see our Cologne travel guide.