Heiligkreuzkapelle
Small 14th-century Cologne chapel whose south wall rested on the Roman city wall — demolished in 1818.
The Heiligkreuzkapelle was a small sacred building in Cologne, first documented in 1344 and torn down in 1818. Its south wall rested on the Roman city wall, which survives at this spot to the present day.
Source: Wikipedia
At a Glance
- Type
- Chapel, recorded as a hall-church
- Location
- Altstadt-Nord, Innenstadt district; between Burgmauer street and the later Zeughausstraße
- First mentioned
- 1344
- Footprint
- approximately 8 × 10 m
- Named after
- the True Cross
- Demolished
- 1818
The tiny chapel (just 8 × 10 m) survived for over 470 years and was repeatedly saved from ruin – most notably by a 1612 council record publicly reprimanding the founding Lyskirchen family for neglect – and even outlasted the construction of a medical anatomy building right next door (1715–1721), before finally being demolished in 1818.
Foundation and Dedication
The chapel was built by Agnes, wife of Constantin von Lyskirchen, a member of the aldermen's council. Its altar was dedicated to the Holy Cross. The earliest reference to it appears in the Schrein Airsbach, the district record of the founding Lyskirchen family.
Setting and Architecture
The site lay below the convent wall of the Clarissine convent at the western end of a churchyard established as an overflow burial ground for the southern suburb of Oversburg — a cemetery for outsiders and exiles (Latin: "on the graveyard of the banished/strangers"). According to Arnold Mercator's city view, it was a modest hall-church. The south wall was supported by the Roman city wall, and a small bell turret sat atop the saddle roof.
Decline and Repairs
By the mid-16th century the building was considered dilapidated. In 1562 Mayor Constantin von Lyskirchen had parts of it renovated, including a crumbling spiral staircase leading to a priest's quarters. A council record from 1612 again noted neglect and vacancy, calling on the Lyskirchen family as heirs of the founders to meet their maintenance obligations.
Demolition
The chapel was still standing when the anatomy theatre of the medical faculty was built alongside it between 1715 and 1721. In 1818 both structures were demolished together. The cleared land was used in 1833 for the construction of the present-day street Auf dem Berlich and for a Prussian military carriage house.
Timeline
- 1344First documented mention in the Airsbach shrine
- Mitte 16. Jh.Chapel considered dilapidated
- 1562Partial renovation ordered by Mayor Constantin von Lyskirchen
- 1612Council minutes record renewed decay and vacancy of the chapel
- 1715–1721Construction of the medical faculty anatomy building adjacent to the chapel
- 1818Demolition of the chapel together with the anatomy building
- 1833Site used for the new street Auf dem Berlich and construction of a military carriage house
Map
Blue dots: other places nearby — tap to explore.
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Auto-generated, last verified: 2026-06-26