Gothic house of God

>> Remigiuskirche

The early Gothic house of God located at the Brüdergasse was originally erected for the Minorit Order. It was heavily damaged again and again by plundering and wars. The Baroque organ, on which Ludwig van Beethoven played in former times, got lost this way as well. Only the organ console was maintained and can be seen at the Beethoven House today.

The origin of this old church is hard to ascertain. It was first mentioned in writing in 795 as the consecration church for Remigius, the Gallo-Roman “favourite saint” of the Franks.

In 1272, the Minorit Order began with the construction of the church, however, it could at first be completed and consecrated in 1317. Originally, the holy Ludwig, Bishop of Toulouse, was the patron saint of the church. In 1806, the convention was abolished and the church was taken over by the parish St. Remigius, the house of God of which was struck by lightening in 1800. Since 1857, the parish has been taken charge of by the Minorit Order again.

Like many other buildings in Bonn, the Minorit church was heavily damaged when it came under fire by the Brandenburg troops in 1689. Apart from a carved Virgin Mary hearse (before 1630) and a half figure of the Mother of God (17th century, Jeremias Geisselbrunn), nothing was maintained from the original interior. Only the Baroque wooden pulpit (18th century) overcame the great fire (1888) and the 2nd World War. The Rococo baptismal font, where Beethoven was baptized among others, comes from the old Remigius church. The old organ, however, on which Beethoven played at that time, did not survive the bombardment of 1944 – only the organ console is still maintained.
The church surprises with its cool Gothic strength and simplicity. It is a three-nave pillar basilica with a cross groin made of calcareous tufa. Instead of a tower, which is usual for Mendicants, it has only a ridge turret. The modern windows of Paul Weigmann illustrate the sun hymns of the holy Franz.

Remigiuskirche
Brüdergasse 8
53111 Bonn
Telephone: +49 (0)2 28 / 7 25 92-0

Opening hours: