Holy Cross Church, Aachen
The Pfarrkirche Heilig Kreuz (Holy Cross Church) on Aachen's Pontstra脽e, near the Ponttor gate, is the third church on this site, and was consecrated in 1902. Laying its foundation stone in 1898 was preceded by a lengthy dispute, as to where it should stand; so long in fact that the pastor had resigned and only the radical actions of his successor made it possible to 鈥渟et the ball rolling鈥�.
The very first chapel on the spot, rather modest in size, also took quite a long time to build, from 1363 to 1372. Later, the original structure was rebuilt several times. During the fire in 1656, it was destroyed down to the outer walls and was fully restored only in 1770, hampered by the wars and periods of unrest.
The architect Joseph Buchkremer planned the current church in the spirit of historicism, combining German and French High Gothic elements. The public accused him of arbitrariness in the choice of stylistic elements, yet today the Heilig-Kreuz-Kirche remains one of the few churches in Aachen with an almost authentic historic church interior.
The building is a cross-shaped, three-aisled basilica with a short nave, which creates the impression of a temple surrounded by chapels. Resorting to this construction form was dictated by the limited space available.
The single tower in the northern part of the church, a component of German High Gothic, is particularly striking. Another point of interest is the Sacrament Chapel, located on the site of the former Julian Chapel. The capitals of the round columns of the church, supporting the ribbed vault, are decorated with vine leaves and foliage.
The fa莽ade consists of a vestibule with three portals, surmounted by a large window with a stone crucifix and the statues of the Virgin Mary and John the Baptist. The text on the fa莽ade reads "Stat crux, dum volvitur orbis " (The cross stands firm while the world turns) which is originally the motto of the Carthusians. In the upper part of the fa莽ade is a statue of Saint Helena.
Inside, the church contains numerous art treasures spanning the 15th through 20th centuries. Among them the most noteworthy is a silver chalice with Gothic ornamentation (dating from the late 15th century), gilded and with small enamel decorations, including a Latin text engraved with the names of the donors.
The very first chapel on the spot, rather modest in size, also took quite a long time to build, from 1363 to 1372. Later, the original structure was rebuilt several times. During the fire in 1656, it was destroyed down to the outer walls and was fully restored only in 1770, hampered by the wars and periods of unrest.
The architect Joseph Buchkremer planned the current church in the spirit of historicism, combining German and French High Gothic elements. The public accused him of arbitrariness in the choice of stylistic elements, yet today the Heilig-Kreuz-Kirche remains one of the few churches in Aachen with an almost authentic historic church interior.
The building is a cross-shaped, three-aisled basilica with a short nave, which creates the impression of a temple surrounded by chapels. Resorting to this construction form was dictated by the limited space available.
The single tower in the northern part of the church, a component of German High Gothic, is particularly striking. Another point of interest is the Sacrament Chapel, located on the site of the former Julian Chapel. The capitals of the round columns of the church, supporting the ribbed vault, are decorated with vine leaves and foliage.
The fa莽ade consists of a vestibule with three portals, surmounted by a large window with a stone crucifix and the statues of the Virgin Mary and John the Baptist. The text on the fa莽ade reads "Stat crux, dum volvitur orbis " (The cross stands firm while the world turns) which is originally the motto of the Carthusians. In the upper part of the fa莽ade is a statue of Saint Helena.
Inside, the church contains numerous art treasures spanning the 15th through 20th centuries. Among them the most noteworthy is a silver chalice with Gothic ornamentation (dating from the late 15th century), gilded and with small enamel decorations, including a Latin text engraved with the names of the donors.
Sight description based on Wikipedia.
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Holy Cross Church on Map
Sight Name: Holy Cross Church
Sight Location: Aachen, Germany (See walking tours in Aachen)
Sight Type: Religious
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Aachen, Germany (See walking tours in Aachen)
Sight Type: Religious
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Aachen, Germany
Create Your Own Walk in Aachen
Creating your own self-guided walk in Aachen is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Aachen's Historical Buildings Tour
Evolved from an ancient Roman settlement, Aachen is one of the oldest and most historic cities in Germany. At one time it served as the capital of Holy Roman Empire. Today's Aachen is just a small city yet with a very rich history and stunning architecture. Despite being heavily damaged during World War II, some of its historical buildings have survived to our days courtesy of the strenuous... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.7 Km or 1.1 Miles
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.7 Km or 1.1 Miles
Aachen Introduction Walking Tour
The area that is now home to Aachen has been occupied since at least Neolithic times. The mineral springs have drawn people here for eons, and historians have found evidence of settlements from the Bronze and Iron Ages. In those days, the area was settled by the Celtic peoples. They probably came here to worship Grannus, god of light and healing.
The Romans built the town as a spa resort... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.4 Km or 0.9 Miles
The Romans built the town as a spa resort... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.4 Km or 0.9 Miles