St. Maria Lyskirchen, Cologne Explained

St. Maria Lyskirchen is one of twelve Romanesque churches in Cologne, Germany.

History

St. Maria Lyskirchen is the smallest of the twelve Romanesque churches in Cologne.^[1] It was founded in 948, and the present building dates from 1210 to 1220, with some later additions in the Gothic style.^[2] The upper parts of the west front were rebuilt in the 19th century. The church is in the form of a three-aisled basilica, with a chancel flanked by two towers, only one of which was constructed to its full height, and an eastern apse.^[3] The building received only minor damage during the wars.^[1]

The church has a sculptured Romanesque portal,^[4] and a cycle of 13th century ceiling paintings. Rediscovered in the 19th century, they are unique in Cologne and show stories from the Old and New Testaments.^[2] The church contains the "Schiffermadonna" (Seaman's Madonna), a wooden statue of 1420.^[5] A triptych by Joos van Cleve, with a central panel of the Lamentation, was sold in 1812; a few years later it was replaced with a copy by Benedikt Beckenkamp, which remains in the church.^[6]

See also

• Twelve Romanesque churches of Cologne
  • Cologne Cathedral German architecture
• Romanesque architecture
  • List of regional characteristics of Romanesque churches Romanesque secular and domestic architecture

Further reading

• Hiltrud Kier: Via Sacra zu Fuß, Kölns Städtebau und die Romanischen Kirchen. Bachem Verlag, Köln 2003 (²/2005) .
• Ulrich Krings, Otmar Schwab: Köln: Die Romanischen Kirchen – Zerstörung und Wiederherstellung. Reihe Stadtspuren Bd. 2, Köln, Bachem Verlag, 2007 (712 S. mit CD Chronologie des Wiederaufbaus).
• Sybille Fraquelli: Zwölf Tore zum Himmel. Kinder entdecken: Die Romanischen Kirchen in Köln. J.P. Bachem Verlag, Köln 2007.
• Hiltrud Kier und Ulrich Krings: Die Romanischen Kirchen in Köln, Köln, 3.Auflage 1986.
• Sabine Czymmek: Die Kölner Romanischen Kirchen, Schatzkunst, Bd. 1, Köln 2008, Bd. 2, Köln 2009 (= Colonia Romanica, Jahrbuch des Fördervereins Romanische Kirchen Köln e. V. Bd. 22, 2007 und 23, 2008)

External links

• Förderverein Romanische Kirchen Köln e.V.
• Romanesque churches of Cologne on Sacred Destinations
• Romanesque churches on Cologne-Tourism

Notes and References

1. Captured places, (15-08-2012)
2. St. Maria Lyskirchen (accessed 15-08-2012)
3. Book: Ornamenta Ecclesiae. Cologne. 1985. Catalogue of an exhibition held at the Joseph-Haubrich-Kunsthalle. Stadt Köln. 106–7. 2.
4. Sacred Destinations (accessed 16-08-2012)
5. Holiday Check, (accessed 15-08-2012)
6. Web site: Triptychon. Romanesque Churches, Köln . 12 June 2014.