“Imagine,” someone whispers beside you “a devastating air raid during World War II.” That is part of St. Dionysius’s past. This is St. Dionysius in Cologne. It stands as a testament to faith. It also represents resilience in the face of destruction.
St. Dionysius is a Roman Catholic church. It is located in the Longerich district of Cologne. The church belongs to the parish association of Longerich and Lindweiler. It is part of the Deanery of Cologne-Nippes within the Archdiocese of Cologne. St. Dionysius became the parish church. This happened when the three parishes in Longerich merged.
After Longerich was incorporated into Cologne in 1888, the old church on Kriegerplatz became too small. This was due to the significant increase in Longerich’s population. In 1897, the decision was made to build a larger church. It was built west of the old church. The new St. Dionysius church was constructed between 1898 and 1899. The plans were made by Cologne architect Franz Statz. It was built in the Neo-Gothic style as a three-aisled brick basilica. It features a side bell tower in the southwest. It does not have a transept. On May 23, 1900, the church was consecrated. This was done by the Archbishop of Cologne, Hubert Theophil Simar.
On March 13, 1942, St. Dionysius suffered heavy damage. This damage was caused by an air mine. The reconstruction began in the early 1960s. The plans were drawn up by Cologne architect Karl Band. The destroyed vaults were replaced. They were replaced with wooden ceilings. The interior was redesigned. The altar with the crucifixion group is a work by Cologne artist Heinz Gernot. The portals from 1971 and the ambo from 1973 are his work, too. The Stations of the Cross from 1995 are by Franz Thaler from Bolzano.
Some of the original furnishings remain. These include the statue of Mary and Anna Selbdritt. They are from the 15th century. There are also Baroque sculptures. One depicts the parish patron Dionysius from 1777. Another one is the terracotta sculpture of the Apostle James from 1776. Another figure of James with a pilgrim’s staff and shell comes from the Cologne church of St. Kunibert.
The organ was built in 1966. It has 22 stops with a mechanical action and an electric register action. It was made by the Bonn organ building company Johannes Klais.
The stained glass windows are works by various artists. The windows next to the entrance portal were created around 1960. They show braided ribbon patterns. The artists are unknown. Three windows from 1970 are by Josef Henseler. These are an ornamental composition on the organ loft and two free compositions in the choir. Two windows in the choir chapel were created by Karl-Josef Schneider around 1992. They depict the churches of St. Dionysius in Longerich and in St. Denis. Two more windows in the choir chapel were created in 1991. They were designed by Cologne glass painter Dieter Hartmann. They represent invocations from the Lauretanian Litany. Maria Meng designed the three choir windows from 1956. They show scenes from the Old Testament and the work of Jesus.
St. Dionysius was listed as a historical monument on January 18, 1982. Its number is 921. It is on the list of monuments in the Cologne district of Longerich.
St. Dionysius stands not just as a building. It embodies the spirit of Cologne. It is a place of worship and a landmark. It also is a testament to the enduring power of community.