St. Martin's Church, Bonn Cathedral - Bonner Munster. The temple is depicted on the coat of arms of the city of the 13th century and since that time is a symbol of the city. At this place 2000 years ago buried two executed Roman soldiers, Cassius and Florentius (Cassius & Florentius) who did not want to renounce the Christian faith. They are revered as saints and patrons of the city. Inside the basilica are busts of two former legionnaires. Outside... lie their huge heads! Two huge heads legionnaires created in 2002 by a sculptor from Turkey by Yediler. The appearance that the church has today is similar to what it was in XI - XIII centuries. It is characterized by elements of Romanesque and Gothic styles. Near Munster are Martin Fountain And Pillory .

Initially, on the site of the temple where the goddess Diana was worshiped (in the altar of the temple in 1910, a walled stone was discovered with a dedication to the goddess Diana, which suggests the existence of an older Roman shrine at this place). Around 235, two Roman legionaries Cassius and Florence arrived in Castra Bonnencia (that was the name of the settlement at this place), who were put to death for their Christian faith(Roman Emperor Maximian Herculius - Maximianus Herculius - ordered his legionaries to execute Christians - and those who did not obey the order of the emperor were killed). In the 4th century, Saint Helena, mother of Constantine I the Great, built a small memorial tomb over their graves. Archaeological excavations have shown that the basilica stands on the site of a Roman temple and necropolis. In the 6th and 7th centuries, the memorial hall was expanded and many people were buried next to the martyrs, both inside and outside the building. The next expansion took place in the 8th century.

Around 1050, the church was completely destroyed and construction began on a modern Romanesque building, which dates back to the 11th–13th centuries - a three-nave basilica with two towers. In the 13th century, after a fire, they decided to reconstruct the church and change appearance, With Romanesque style to Gothic. The new basilica appeared on the city's coat of arms. In 1643, Cassius and Florence were officially declared patron saints of the city of Bonn. The church suffered severe damage in 1583 - 1589, in 1689; it was rebuilt in 1883 - 1889, in 1934, and after air raids during the Second World War. In 1956 Bonn Cathedral received the honorary title of the Papal Minor Basilica - "Basilica Minor". In general, the cathedral was a monastery church, but after the dispersal of the monasteries by Napoleon during the French occupation in early XIX century and the demolition of the neighboring parish church of St. Martin, in 1812 the cathedral became a parish church.

The temple has five towers: two square towers on the east side, a round central tower 96 meters high and two thin towers on the west. All are topped with spiers. The nondescript western part of the cathedral is one of the oldest parts of the basilica, dating back to the 11th century.

Interior decoration quite lush and rich. The nave of the basilica dates from 1220 and is a mixture of Romanesque and Gothic elements. It is illuminated through identical modern stained glass windows with a colored center and a black and white pattern around the edges.

At the rear of the nave stands a huge statue of Helen, cast in bronze and installed in 1610, donated by Cardinal Franz Wilhelm Von Wartenberg.

The font dates back to the 12th century. In 1966, a small image appeared on it Noah's Ark. Near the font in the northwestern corner there is an image of St. Helena, St. Cassia, St. Florence and panoramas of the city of Bonn (1704).

In the south transept there are several modern frescoes, including a large image of St. Christopher. There is also an altar of St. John with a relief depiction of the scene of the baptism of Christ by John the Baptist and John the Evangelist writing the New Testament.

In the north transept are a 1400 fresco of the Three Wise Men (who are said to have stopped to rest near Cologne Cathedral), an equestrian statue of St. Martin of Tours, and the tomb of Archbishop Ruprecht of Cologne (1463–1478). In general, there are four burial places of archbishops.

In the front (eastern) part of the nave are two large Romanesque sculptures (c. 1200), an angel and a devil. A staircase under the altar leads to an underground chapel where prayer services are usually held. Here, on a stone pedestal between the eastern pillars, a reliquary with the relics of Cassius and Florence is kept. Behind a closed bronze door is the tomb of the martyrs; the door is opened only on the day of celebration of these saints, October 10. Inside the tomb are marble slabs covering the graves of the legendary Christian martyrs Cassius and Florentius, and a couple more. Black marble slabs appeared here in 1701.

The altar above the chapel dates back to the 11th century and was decorated with paintings in the 19th century. On the vault at the back of the temple there is a fresco of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary (1300). The main altar was made in 1865; here you can see sculptures of Saints Cassius, Florence, Martin and Helena. Near the altar there are two small sculptures from the 12th century. One of them is called "Writing Angel". The other is "The Devil with the Scroll".

The mosaic located on the apse was created in Venice in 1894 and is based on the Byzantine Deesis motif. The mosaic on the windows depicts the creation of the World and dates from 1951–1952.

In the southwest corner of the church there is a door leading to a hidden gallery. Its vaults are decorated with carvings depicting horses, lions and dragons. There is a fountain in the center of the gallery. The covered gallery, entered by a door in the south-west corner, was built in the 12th century, at the same time the two-storey collegiate buildings were added, which are still occupied by the clergy of the basilica. The north side of the gallery was demolished in the 13th century to widen the south aisle of the cathedral.

On the open area in the eastern part of the basilica lie large heads of the Roman martyrs Cassius and Florence; they were created in 2002 by the sculptor Iskander Yediler, the creator of the sculpture of St. Benno in Munich and St. Gereon in Cologne.

Open Sunday 8:30 - 19:15, Monday - Saturday 7:30 - 18:45, 12th century courtyard, respectively 13:00 - 17:30 and 10:00 - 17:30. The entrance is free.

Bonn, pl. Münsterplatz, no. 5.

Bonn Cathedral, high basilica with perfect proportions, built in the Romanesque style and located in Bonn, the former capital of West Germany. The place where the cathedral stands has been considered sacred for 2000 years: first there was a Catholic church here, then Christian church and the tomb of the holy martyrs Cassius and Florence.

The city of Bonn was founded by the Romans as the fortress of Castra Bonnensia back in the 1st century AD. e. It survived the collapse of the Roman Empire, becoming a civilian settlement, and became the Frankish city of Bonnburg in the 9th century.

Around 235, two Roman legionaries, Cassius and Florence, arrived in Castra Bonnencia and were betrayed martyrdom for his Christian faith. According to legend, in the 4th century St. Helena, mother of Constantine I the Great, built a small memorial tomb over their graves. There is no evidence of this construction, however, archaeological excavations have shown that the basilica stands on the site of a Roman temple and necropolis.

In the 6th and 7th centuries, the memorial hall was expanded and many people were buried next to the martyrs, both inside and outside the building. The next expansion took place in the 8th century.

Around 1050, the church was completely destroyed and construction began on the modern Romanesque building, which dates from the 11th to 13th centuries. By the end of construction, Bonn had already acquired great importance and became the capital of the Archbishopric of Cologne. The new basilica appeared on the city's coat of arms. In 1643, Cassius and Florence were officially declared patron saints of the city of Bonn.

The church suffered severe damage in 1583–1589, 1689 and during the Second World War, but was completely restored each time.

In 1956, Bonn Cathedral received the honorary title of Pontifical Minor Basilica.

The cathedral is located in the very center of the city on Martinsplatz and Münsterplatz squares, near the railway station. The temple has five towers: two square towers on the east side, a round central tower 96 meters high and two thin towers on the west. All are topped with spiers. The nondescript western part of the cathedral is one of the oldest parts of the basilica, dating back to the 11th century.

On the open area in the eastern part of the basilica lie the large heads of the Roman martyrs Cassius and Florence, the patron saints of Bonn. They were created in 2002 by sculptor Iskander Yediler, whose hand also belongs to the sculptures of St. Benno in Munich and St. Gereon in Cologne.

The nave of the basilica dates from 1220 and is a mixture of Romanesque and Gothic elements. It is illuminated through identical modern stained glass windows with a colored center and a black and white pattern around the edges.

At the back of the nave (to the west) stands a huge statue of St. Helena, donated by Cardinal Franz Wilhelm von Wartenberg, rector of the Collegiate Church (1629–1661).

Most of the interior decoration is in Baroque or earlier styles. The font dates back to the 12th century. In 1966, a small image of Noah's Ark appeared on it. Near the font in the northwestern corner there is an image of St. Helena, St. Cassia, St. Florence and panoramas of the city of Bonn (1704).

In the south transept there are several modern frescoes, including a large image of St. Christopher. There is also an altar of St. John with a relief depiction of the scene of the baptism of Christ by John the Baptist and John the Evangelist writing the New Testament.

In the north transept are a 1400 fresco of the Three Wise Men (who are said to have stopped to rest near Cologne Cathedral), an equestrian statue of St. Martin of Tours, and the tomb of Archbishop Ruprecht of Cologne (1463–1478).

In the front (eastern) part of the nave are two large Romanesque sculptures (c. 1200), an angel and a devil. A staircase under the altar leads to an underground chapel where prayer services are usually held. Here, on a stone pedestal between the eastern pillars, a reliquary with the relics of Cassius and Florence is kept. Behind a closed door is the grave of the martyrs; the door is opened only on the day of celebration of these saints, October 10.

The altar above the chapel dates back to the 11th century and was decorated with paintings in the 19th century. On the vault at the back of the temple there is a fresco of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary (c. 1300). The main altar was made in 1865; here you can see sculptures of Saints Cassius, Florence, Martin and Helena.

The mosaic located on the apse was created in Venice in 1894 and is based on the Byzantine Deesis motif. The mosaic on the windows depicts the creation of the World and dates from 1951–1952.

The covered gallery, entered by a door in the south-west corner, was built in the 12th century, at the same time the two-storey collegiate buildings were added, which are still occupied by the clergy of the basilica.

In the center of the gallery there is a garden with a fountain; dragons, horses, lions and leaves are carved on the vaults in the Romanesque style. The north side of the gallery was demolished in the 13th century to widen the south aisle of the cathedral.

1. Driving around cities and villages, sometimes you don’t notice what is very close. Looking through my posts, I noticed that I never talked about the main church of Bonn, an example of the German Romanesque style in architecture - the Münsterbasilica, although it deserves it. In justification, I can say that photographs of the external appearance appeared in posts about Bonn. So, Bonn, Münsterbasilica.

2. But first, a little history... The history of Bonn begins in Roman times. In 11 BC. The Romans began to use the territory of present-day Bonn as a camp for the Roman army. It is from that time that the name of the city probably comes from, namely from the name of the settlers “Bonna”. The oldest reference to the existence of this city in Rhine-Westphalia, dating back to approximately 30 BC, was found in Bonn. But archaeologists believe that there were settlements on the territory of Bonn dating back 14,000 years.
Münster St. Martin or Münsterbasilica is the main Catholic church in Bonn. Built in 1050 in Romanesque style.

3. For almost 200 years, the great Bonnian Ludwig van Beethoven has been looking at the Münsterbasilica without taking his eyes off (by the way, this monument was a gift to the city from Franz Liszt).

4. In the XI-XII centuries. In the territory inhabited by the peoples of the Romanesque language group (France, western Germany and northern Italy), the Romanesque style arose, which was based on the heritage of the ancient Roman and Byzantine cultures. The defining buildings of the Romanesque style were basilica cathedrals with two to four towers on either side of the entrance, topped with high pyramidal or cone-shaped hipped roofs. Also characteristic a large number of small columns in the window openings, because then there was no Gothic style with its large stained glass windows - that will come later!

5. The arch of the central entrance to the church is decorated with a beautiful mosaic “Good News”; just below you can see the Vatican coat of arms. It turns out that since 1956 the Basilica has been honorary title Basilica minor, which is given by the Pope specifically significant churches. “For its historical past, the beauty and monumentality of the valuable Romanica monument,” - this is how Pope Pius XII justified his decision.

6. Basilicas designated by the Vatican have a special status, the right to hang the Vatican coat of arms on their walls, and for all state and religious holidays Vatican flags are flown. The title "Basilica maior" is borne by 1,478 churches, of which 528 are in Italy alone.

7. The main spire of the basilica is decorated with a gilded crown with a diameter of 1.5 m - evidence that Coronations took place here twice in history: November 25, 1314 - the coronation of King Frederick III of Germany. and November 26, 1346 - the coronation of King Charles IV, who is considered the most outstanding ruler of the second half of the Middle Ages.

8. Around the basilica there are works of art, for example, this wall dating back to ancient times, which was excavated in the monastery garden. Its niches are decorated with four bas-reliefs with scenes from the life of St. Martin.

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10. I have already talked about this sculptural group.

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13. Through the basilica itself you can get into the courtyard - the cloister.

14. Here's what Wikipedia says about it: cloister (from Latin claustrum, closed place) - typical for romanesque architecture a covered bypass gallery framing a closed rectangular courtyard or inner garden of a monastery or large church.

15. Usually the cloister is located along the wall of the building, while one of its walls is blank, and the second is a colonnade. The open courtyard itself, surrounded by a gallery, is often called a cloister.

16. In the Middle Ages, the cloister courtyard certainly had a well in the center, from which paths branched. Usually the cloister was attached to the long southern façade of the cathedral. It seems to me that the peculiarity of the cloister of the Münsterbasilica is that the ornament on the columns is not repeated.

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18. Although the Bonn Cathedral building itself was built in the Romanesque style, the interior is dominated by Baroque elements.

19. For example, this elegant pulpit or some baroque elements of the altars.

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22.Not far from the entrance, a large bronze sculpture of St. attracts attention. Helena, mother of Emperor Constantine...

23. It is under the altar part of the temple that the crypt is located.

TOURISTS' ANSWERS:

The former capital of Germany, the city of Bonn, is one of the oldest cities in the country. Its ancient streets remember very well how soldiers of the Great Roman Empire walked along them two thousand years ago. The most famous native of Bon is the inimitable and brilliant composer and musician Ludwig van Beethoven. The city itself is very beautiful, not to mention the most picturesque surroundings: the Siebengebirge mountain range, the Rhine Valley, smoothly turning into the Cologne Bay, not to mention the Rhineland nature reserve. All these beauties are complemented by quite a few historical attractions and perfect architectural structures, so you won’t be bored.

Bonn Cathedral / Bonner Munster

The main pride of local parishioners, the Basilica of St. Martin, is located at the address: Germany, Bonn, Gerhard-von-Are-Strasse, 5. Initially, at the location of the temple, there was an ancient religious building in which the pagan goddess Diana was worshiped. At the beginning of the 11th century, it was decided to build a new church on these ruins. In the 13th century, after a fire, church authorities decided to reconstruct the church, and at the same time change the appearance, from Romanesque to Gothic. And so over the course of many centuries, the cathedral changed over time (the Baroque style was added). The interior of this Catholic Cathedral looks quite lush and rich. Pay your attention to two wonderfully executed marble altars from the 17th and 18th centuries and a statue of St. Helena, cast in bronze and installed in 1610. The temple is a historical monument and is therefore open to tourists. The inspection starts at 09.00 hours, closing time is 19.00 hours.

University of Bonn

Regina-Pacis-Weg 3 53113 Bonn - one of the most famous universities in Germany is located at this address. Founding date of this educational institution- 1777. At the end XVIII century, neighboring France occupied these lands, as a result of which the university was closed and only 20 years later, student education began again. Notable alumni include Friedrich Nietzsche, Karl Marx and Heinrich Heine, as well as seven Nobel Prize laureates. On this moment, just over 30,000 students study and live here. You can enter the central office and walk along the corridors of the university completely freely.

Godesburg Castle

In the outskirts of the city, at the address: Germany, Bonn, Auf dem Godesberg, 5, there is a perfectly preserved ancient fortification built in the 13th century. These days, the castle enjoys increased attention among foreign tourists as well as local residents. The enterprising owners of the fortress can happily provide you with the entire territory of the castle for your wedding. Believe me - this service is in high demand and if you have a desire to conclude your union in an ancient romantic castle, then worry about it in advance. Inside the castle there is a magnificent wine cellar, where you can taste excellent wine made from Rhine vineyards for a small price, and then proceed to the huge knight’s hall and demand “the continuation of the banquet.”

Beethoven House Museum

Bonngasse 17, 53111 Bonn, Germany - at this address you can find the house where the great composer Beethoven was born. Here he and his entire family lived for a long period of their lives until they moved to Vienna. The museum houses about 150 unique exhibits telling about the life of a genius. This is the largest collection in the world. If you are a fan of the composer’s work, then you will probably be interested in seeing his personal belongings: Beethoven’s favorite piano, notes of famous works written in his own hand and the famous watch, which, according to a beautiful legend, stopped during the death of the musician. To see all this you will have to pay an entrance ticket for an adult of 5 euros. Children enter the premises free of charge. The museum is open seven days a week: from 10.00 to 18.00.

Art Museum / Kunstmuseum

If you are a fan of the expressionists and most of the Rhenish artists of the 20th century, then you should go to the address: Kunstmuseum Bonn, 53113 Bonn, Germany. Here, in this museum, in its spacious exhibition halls, more than 7,500 paintings by talented painters are exhibited: Katharina Grosse, Gerhard Richter and August Macke. Paid entrance. The entrance ticket price for an adult is 7 euros. Children under 6 years old are free, after 6 years old - 4 euros. Monday is a day off; on other days the museum is open from 11.00 to 18.00.

House Schumann

Anyone familiar with the work of the composer Schumann will certainly visit the museum dedicated to the musician, especially since this is not a house at all, but rather a “madhouse” (private psychiatric clinic), where he lived out his last years a talented composer who suffered from suicidal tendencies. The exhibits include some personal belongings, as well as some very strange musical sketches written in delirious delirium. This interesting museum is located at: Sebastianstr. 182 53115 Bonn. Entrance ticket for adults costs 10 euros, children over 12 years old pay 7 euros. Museum opening hours: from 11.00 to 18.00. Break: from 11.00 to 12.30 hours.

Botanical Garden Bonn / Botanische Garten der Universitat Bonn

Meckenheimer Allee 171, 53115 Bonn, Germany - the oldest botanical garden in Germany, founded in the 17th century, is located at this address. In 1720, a general reconstruction took place here, during which the garden took its final form, in the Baroque style. At the moment, on an area of ​​6.5 hectares, there are 11 greenhouses, in which more than 11,000 species of various plants feel very comfortable. The rose garden and Japanese garden are especially good. If you wish, you can buy seedlings or seeds of your favorite exotic plants here. The botanical garden itself is located in the park, called Reinaue. Its area is simply huge - 160 hectares. Exactly this favorite place recreation for city residents who come here with their entire families. There is something for everyone here.

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Here are the museums and galleries you can visit in Bonn.

German Museum (Deutsches Museum Bonn)

Quite an interesting museum that tells about scientific and technical developments over the past last decades– about 100 interesting exhibits. You can also see here what great scientists received their Nobel Prizes. There are also activities for small children here. Excursions, experiments, and simulations of time travel from 1950 to the present day are conducted especially for them, so that children can clearly evaluate scientific progress and learn about the past.

Address: Ahrstrasse 45

Working hours: Tuesday - Sunday 10:00 - 18:00

Entrance: 5 € for adults, children from 6 to 15 years old - 3.50 €

Beethoven-Haus Museum

This museum is perhaps a must-see. The great composer was born in Bonn, so where else if not in this city should this museum be built. In the museum you can see the master's manuscripts, musical instruments, memorable gifts, furniture of those times, sheet music, letters and photographs and much more. This museum houses the largest collection in the world dedicated to Beethoven.

Address: Bonngasse 24-26

Working hours: April 1 - October 31 - daily 10:00 - 18:00; November 1 - March 31 Mon-Sat-10:00 - 17:00 and Sun + holidays - 11:00 - 17:00

Entrance: adults 6€, schoolchildren and students 4.50€, in a group of 15 people - 5€, family ticket (2 adults + 1 child) - 12€.

Rhine Local History Museum (Rheinisches Landesmuseum Bonn)

One of the oldest museums in Germany, and also a fairly large museum in the region. Here you can see exhibits that date from the first centuries to the present day, from the Paleolithic and Neanderthals to the 21st century. Very informative and interesting! There are permanent and temporary exhibitions. You can take audio guides; there are special applications for children. The museum hosts programs, concerts, children's matinees, lectures and seminars for children and adults.

Address: Colmantstr. 14-16.

Working hours: Tue-Fri, Sun 11.00 - 18.00, Sat 13.00 - 18.00

Entrance: adults 8€, children under 18 years old – free

Museum of Contemporary Art (Kunstmuseum Bonn)

It occupies a place of honor among all museums of contemporary art in the country. The museum building itself definitely deserves attention - very original! The museum exhibits more than 7,500 works by the Rhenish Expressionists. In addition to permanent exhibitions, the museum’s temporary thematic and monographic exhibition projects are also of interest. The museum has a fairly large library (on Thursdays 13.30 - 16.00)

Address: Friedrich-Ebert-Allee 2

Working hours: Tue to Sun 11.00 - 18.00, Wed 11.00 - 21.00

Entrance:€ 7 – adults, € 3.50 – children (12-18 years old), € 5.60 – in a group of 10 people, € 14.00 – family ticket, children under 12 years old have free admission

House of German History (Haus der Geschichte der Bundesrepublik Deutschland)

The museum is dedicated to the history of Germany, from 1945 to today. There are also similar museums in Leipzig and Berlin. The museum has collected numerous exhibits, documents, photographs and films that clearly illustrate historical and political themes. In total there are more than 800 thousand museum exhibits! In the House of History you can visit the permanent exhibition, as well as interesting temporary exhibitions.

Address: Willy-Brandt-Allee 14

Working hours: Tue - Fri -9:00-19:00, Sat - 10:00-18:00

Entrance: free

Zoological Research Museum Alexander Koenig (Zoologisches Forschungsmuseum Alexander Koenig)

It is one of the most important natural history museums in Germany, which fully reveals the problem of studying the Earth's biodiversity. Permanent exhibition - "Blue Planet - Life in the System": explains how everything on earth is interconnected. The excursion-journey begins in the African savannah and passes through rainforests And polar ice, then back to Central Europe. In the foyer of the museum there is a skeleton of an Indian elephant (and not a dinosaur skeleton, as many people think). In general, an interesting museum for children and adults!

Address: Adenauerallee 160

Working hours: Mon-Sat 10:00 to 18:00 (Wednesday -10:00-21:00)

Entrance: 3 €

Academic Art Museum (Akademisches Kunstmuseum)

The oldest museum in the city. Keeps a collection of incredible ancient objects of Greco-Roman art. One of the largest collections in Germany contains plaster products, about 300 statues and sculptures, and more than 2,000 original works in marble, terracotta and bronze. In general, interesting! Every year on the second Sunday of January, April, July and October at 11:00 there are excursions for children and teenagers, different in theme.

Address: Am Hofgarten 21.

Working hours: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday 15:00-17:00, Sunday 11:00-18:00, closed on holidays.

Entrance: 1.50€ for adults, free entry for children

Egyptian Museum (Aegyptisches Museum)

The Egyptian Museum on the basis of the University of Bonn was opened in March 2001. The museum is located in a beautiful hall with an area of ​​about 300 square meters in Baroque style and houses more than 3,000 objects from Ancient Egypt.

The museum presents its collections in three different halls. The cultural and historical panorama presents objects of pharaonic culture: ceramics, tools, household items, jewelry, writings, figurines and more. Incredible archaeological finds! This museum will be very interesting for children. The museum has an excellent souvenir shop.

Address: Regina-Pacis-Weg 7

Working hours: Tuesday-Friday 13:00-17:00, Saturday and Sunday 13:00-18:00

Entrance: adults - € 2.50, children - € 2, family ticket (2 adults and up to 3 children) - € 7, group ticket (from 10 people) - € 2

August Macke House Museum

The museum is the artist’s house, where he lived with his family at the beginning of the 20th century. The most famous paintings of August Macke were created here. In addition to the artist’s works, in the museum you can see what surrounded Macke during his life, furniture, documents, books, etc. Oh yes, for reference, August Macke is a German expressionist artist. His most popular paintings are “Indians”, “Fashion Showcase”, “Lady in a Green Jacket”. I think the museum is worth a visit.

Address: Bornheimer Straße 96

Working hours: Tuesday - Friday 14.30 - 18.00, Saturday, Sunday and holidays - 11.00 - 17.00

Entrance: 5 € for adults, 4 € for children under 18 years of age and students, 10 € for a family ticket (2 adults and up to 3 children under 18 years of age).

This, of course, is not the entire list, but these museums are a must!