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Lukaskirche (Cologne-Porz)

Protestant hall church in Cologne-Porz blending Art Nouveau beginnings (1914) with a striking Expressionist interior completed in 1927; listed heritage building since 1982.

Indoor

The Lukaskirche is a Protestant church in the Porz district of Cologne. Designed by architect Max Benirschke, it brings together Art Nouveau structure and Expressionist interior decoration in a distinctive fusion.

At a Glance

Type
Protestant church (hall church)
District
Porz (Porz borough)
Architect
Max Benirschke
Built
begun 1914, completed 1927
Style
Art Nouveau structure, Expressionist interior
Named after
Luke the Evangelist
Heritage status
listed monument since 1982
Did you know?

Although the foundation stone was laid in 1914, the church took 13 years to complete due to World War I and the Great Depression, finally opening in 1927 – and its distinctive tower spire was deliberately modelled on the famous Hochzeitsturm (Wedding Tower) on the Mathildenhöhe in Darmstadt.

History

Construction began in 1914 following Max Benirschke's designs, but was interrupted by the First World War and the ensuing economic crisis, delaying completion until 1927. That same year the church received its Expressionist interior furnishings.

© Chris06 · CC BY-SA 4.0

Architecture

The Lukaskirche is a hall church with a tower on its west facade. The two-tiered spire is crowned by a half-barrel vault and takes its cue from Joseph Maria Olbrich's Wedding Tower on the Mathildenhöhe in Darmstadt. Above the entrance gate, an Eye of Providence is carved in relief.

Congregation and Heritage Status

The church belongs to the Protestant congregation of Porz within the Cologne-Rechtsrheinisch church district of the Evangelical Church in the Rhineland. It has been a listed architectural monument since 1982.

Timeline

  1. 1914
    Construction begins based on plans by Max Benirschke in Art Nouveau style
  2. 1927
    Church completed (delayed by World War I and the Great Depression)
  3. 1927
    Interior furnished in Expressionist style
  4. 1982
    Listed as a protected architectural monument in Cologne-Porz

Map

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Auto-generated, last verified: 2026-06-26