St. Dreikönigen

As the GAG housing programme transformed Bickendorf from a village into a fast-growing suburb, the Catholic population of the St. Rochus parish grew so much that a new church became necessary. After a June 1927 exchange agreement with the City of Cologne secured a suitable plot in the Bickendorf II estate, a competition was held among 44 Cologne architects. The brief called for a church seating 800 adults and 300 children that would fit organically into the surrounding development. The jury chose the design by Fischer and Forthmann.

During the Second World War St. Dreikönigen was badly damaged by air raids and, in 1945, by shellfire, though not completely destroyed. By the war's end only the confession chapel could still be used for services. Unlike many other Cologne churches, it returned to use fairly quickly: Cardinal Frings celebrated the Epiphany Mass here for three years before it moved back to the cathedral in 1948. On 6 January 1948 the church also hosted the first radio broadcast of a cardinal's sermon combined with a Eucharistic celebration, transmitted by the NWDR. After the currency reform, new bronze bells were added in 1949 and 1955, and the stained-glass windows were renewed from 1950. Architect Fischer once again led the restoration, which was completed in 1959. From 1964, following the Second Vatican Council, the sanctuary, sacristy and confessionals were remodelled.

The interior is very sparingly appointed and has no sculptures; a plain cross hangs before the altar wall. The ambo, altar table and tabernacle were created after the Council by Heinz Gernot. The geometric windows by Jan Thorn Prikker (1932/33) were destroyed in April 1944. The figurative "Three Kings window" in the portal wall is the work of Thorn Prikker's pupil Wilhelm Schmitz-Steinkrüger, who also carried out the restoration and reconstruction; further windows by Josef Henseler were added in 1965 and 1975. Two of the Otto bells from 1932 had to be surrendered for the war effort in 1942 and were later recast. The organ by W. Sauer Orgelbau (1986) has 44 stops and incorporates parts of the original Stahlhut organ of 1933–1935.