See the sky-piercing spires and intriguing courtyard sculptures in one of Germany’s oldest churches, a Romanesque minor basilica in downtown Bonn.
Visit Bonn Minster (known in German as Bonner Münster), a spectacular five-spired basilica in the city’s historic downtown. With its beautiful Romanesque symmetry and intricate façade, this 11th-century building is one of the city’s finest Roman Catholic monuments. The minster’s site has been sacred for over 2,000 years, with its early foundations belonging to a Roman temple. Later, it became a Christian church and a shrine to Cassius and Florentius, two Christian Roman martyrs.
The basilica you see today was built between the 11th and 13th centuries. Stroll around the building to take in its ornate Romanesque details. The west end is the oldest, whereas the east end has a wide modernized plaza. Admire the basilica’s breathtaking central tower, which rises 315 feet (96 meters) into the sky. Check out the sculptures of the heads of Cassius and Florentius in the plaza. These sculptures were added in 2002 and represent the two soldiers who were martyred on this site for their religious beliefs around A.D. 235.
Enter the church to see its lavish interiors. You’ll see Gothic and Romanesque elements in its 13th-century nave, as well as a large statue of St. Helen. Admire the modern stained-glass windows and the colorful murals in the northern and southern transepts. The interior furnishings are largely Baroque, except for the 12th-century baptismal font. See a gorgeous Venetian apse mosaic or make your way to the cloister’s central garden. This pretty arcaded garden has a fountain and intricate Romanesque sculptures depicting dragons, lions, horses and foliage.
The crypt contains a shrine to the martyrs Cassius and Florentius. See it on October 10 when it is opened on the saints’ feast day.
Bonn Minster lies south of Münsterplatz in central historic Bonn. Bonn’s main railway station is a few minutes’ walk southwest. The magnificent basilica and its cloister are open to visitors daily however, visitors are asked to wait until services have concluded before exploring the church’s interior. Bonn Minster is free to visit.
