Antoniterkirche (Cologne)

The Antoniterkirche is a Gothic Protestant church in the middle of the Schildergasse shopping street. Its central location makes it Cologne's most visited church after the cathedral – an oasis of calm amid the bustle.

At a glance

• Built: 1350–1378 as the church of the Antonine order
• Denomination: Protestant (since 1802)
• Location: Schildergasse, the main shopping street
• Famous for: Ernst Barlach's "Hovering Angel"

From monastery to city church

The three-aisled Gothic basilica originally belonged to the monastery of the Antonine order. During the French occupation the monasteries were dissolved; in 1802 the Protestant congregation received the church, which was remodelled under Ferdinand Franz Wallraf. After severe destruction in 1942 it was rebuilt by 1952.

The Hovering Angel

The church became widely known for Ernst Barlach's bronze sculpture "Der Schwebende" ("The Hovering Angel"), a moving memorial. The "Political Night Prayer" held here also gave the Antoniterkirche a reputation far beyond Cologne.