Cologne - St. Pantaleon

Cologne is the fourth-largest city in Germany - and one of the oldest. A Germanic tribe, the Ubii, had a settlement here, this was named by the Romans "Oppidum Ubiorum". In 50 AD, the Romans founded "Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium", the city then became the provincial capital of "Germania Inferior".

A Roman villa once occupied the hill on which the church stands. Around 870 the first church got erected here and in 955 Archbishop Bruno the Great (brother of Emperor Otto the Great) added a Benedictine abbey. In 966, work was begun on a new church to go with the monastery. The church was consecrated in 980.

Holy Roman Empress Theophanu, who was married to Emperor Otto II in 972, ordered the construction of the current facade.

The monastery was dissolved after Cologne was occupied by French forces in 1794. The church served as a horse stable, and, when Cologne became Prussian in 1815, as a Protestant garrison church.

During World War II the roof, parts of the outer walls and a large part of the interior were destroyed, but after the war the church was restored.

The church is dedicated to Saint Pantaleon. This is probably connected to Otto II´s wife Theophanu, who was the niece of the Eastern Roman Emperor Johannes I. Tzimiskes. She brought not only relics to Cologne but as well skilled craftsmen, who may have settled near this church. The quarter still is named "Griechenmarkt" and in medieval times there was a "Porta Grecorum".

Standing in the center of the nave, facing west back to the portal. Like in many church of that age above the portal is a gallery. Most of them have a little chapel dedicated to Archangel Michael. He may guard the doors below.