Pause for a moment and observe the two levels of Sankt Maria und Sankt Clemens. This unique Romanesque double church in Schwarzrheindorf near Bonn is a captivating sight. Sankt Maria und Sankt Clemens stands as a testament to faith and art.
Sankt Maria und Sankt Clemens history began in the mid-12th century. Archbishop Arnold II of Cologne ordered its construction between 1148 and 1151. Arnold served as both Archbishop and Chancellor to King Konrad III. He intended Sankt Maria und Sankt Clemens to be his burial site. Arnold’s death in 1156 led to his interment within its walls. His tomb was rediscovered in 1996.
Arnold gifted Sankt Maria und Sankt Clemens to his sister Hadwig. She was the Abbess of Gerresheim and Essen. Hadwig transformed the chapel and surrounding estate into a Benedictine monastery. She expanded the original central structure with a nave by 1172. The monastery became a religious foundation around 1200. The transformation was officially confirmed in 1502.
The 16th and 17th centuries brought hardship. In 1588, the church suffered fire damage during the Cologne War. The roof was not repaired until 1605. Further damages occurred until Cologne’s Prince-Elector Clemens August ordered extensive repairs between 1747 and 1752. The tower cross dates from this time and bears the year 1752.
Maximilian Franz dismissed the abbess in 1788. This was due to poor economic and disciplinary conditions. He transferred the administration to Vilich. In 1803, the Prince of Nassau-Usingen dissolved the foundation during secularization.
The monastery buildings were torn down except for Sankt Maria und Sankt Clemens. Under Napoleon, it served as a military hospital and storage space. In 1820, the Prussian state acquired the building. It was used as a horse stable and barn.
The double chapel faced demolition. However, Prussian Chancellor Hardenberg saved it. After years of effort, the Prussian treasury restored Sankt Maria und Sankt Clemens. By 1865, both the upper and lower churches were again used for worship. Restoration work in the 19th and 20th centuries revealed Romanesque ceiling paintings. These had been painted over in the 17th century.
Originally, Sankt Maria und Sankt Clemens was designed as a two-story central building. It had the floor plan of a Greek cross. The lower church is dedicated to Saint Clemens. He is the patron saint of shipping. Its location near the Rhine River made this dedication fitting. The upper church is dedicated to Mary. It likely served the noble founders and the nuns.
The two stories of Sankt Maria und Sankt Clemens are distinct from the outside. The lower level has little ornamentation. The upper level features colored lesenes, blind arches and arcades. Medieval figures of two lions remain on the northern transept gable. A continuous dwarf gallery with a pent roof mediates between the lower and upper churches. The geometric, floral, and figural capitals display high Romanesque building sculpture. Quatrefoil and lily windows are early examples of Romanesque decorative windows. The square crossing tower rises above the intersection. It was raised by one story in the 12th century. It now has a pointed helmet.
Both the lower and upper areas of Sankt Maria und Sankt Clemens have cross-ribbed vaults. The crossing bay of the lower church connects to the upper church. It has a large octagonal opening in the vault. In the upper church, the crossing has an eight-part cloister vault. The lower church opens into the two later nave bays to the west. It has a three-arch arcade. The upper church has a wide arch. A variety of building materials was used. Basalt rubble, tuff, trachyte, andesite, limestone and slate all appear.
The murals in the lower and upper churches are a highlight of 12th-century Cologne painting. Their quality is evident in the selection of themes and craftsmanship. The murals in Sankt Maria und Sankt Clemens display exceptional artistry.
Let your gaze drift upwards. Imagine the countless prayers that have echoed through Sankt Maria und Sankt Clemens over the centuries. Feel the weight of history in this sacred space.