It’s best known for its many castles and medieval towns and villages, but there are also some stunning churches in the Rhine Valley to visit.
The Rhine Valley is renowned for its unique Romanesque churches, twelve of which can be found in Cologne alone (one for another article, I suspect). But the region is also widely known for its Gothic churches. Cologne Cathedral, which took over 600 years to complete, is the most renowned, but the two churches in Oberwesel are also well worth the journey to this part of Germany.
In this article I cover some of the churches within the Upper Middle Rhine Valley World Heritage Site – the same area covered by my Rhine River Castles and Rhine River Towns articles. I also include the most famous church in Germany, Cologne Cathedral, and the stunning Romanesque Cathedral at Mainz, and the fine Romanesque Abbey of Maria Laach.
I hope you find it useful.
Cologne Cathedral
Cologne Cathedral – Dom zu Köln – is the most famous of all churches in Germany, a great Gothic behemoth that took over 600 years to build. It’s also one of the great landmarks in Germany, its twin spires soaring 515 feet above the banks of the River Rhine. Cologne Cathedral was also the main reason for my first visit to Germany (way back in 1983) and it has been a World Heritage Site since 1996.
In the 13th century it was decided to build such a monumental structure as a fitting home was required for Cologne’s prized relics – the remains of the Magi (often popularly called the Three Kings or Three Wise Men) who visited Jesus shortly after his birth in Bethlehem. A golden shrine was made to store them in the late 12th and early 13th centuries, and the Cathedral’s predecessor, the Carolingian Hildebold Cathedral, was demolished to make way for the new Gothic Cathedral which was begun in 1248.
The Cathedral’s spires were finished during the 19th century when the Rhineland region was under Prussian (and therefore Protestant) governance. Appreciation of the Romantic was on the rise, and with German Unification in 1871, the completed Cathedral became a symbol of the new, united Germany when finished in 1880.
The Cathedral, which is next to Cologne’s main train station, is an astonishing sight, worth crossing oceans to visit. My 13-year-old self was utterly blown away by then sight of it. I climbed the spire that day, but what left the greatest impression was the interior, with one of the highest medieval stone vaults in the world. To my young eyes it seemed to soar to the sky, and left a profound impression. Only the vault at Beauvais Cathedral in northern France reached higher, and only half of that survived the Middle Ages – they couldn’t afford to build the rest.
Cologne Tours: This Cologne Old Town Walking Tour takes in the Cathedral as well as both Roman and Romanesque Cologne.
And this Cologne Rhine River Cruise is a great way to see the Cathedral, Gross St Martin Church and the city skyline.
Where To Stay – Legend Hotel – superb 4-star in the Altstadt (Old Town), a few minutes’ walk from Cologne Cathedral
St Peter, Bacharach
The spire of St Peter’s Church (Peterskirche) in Bacharach is one of the most famous Rhine Valley landmarks, and has adorned countless Germany guidebook covers and calendar pages down the years.
It was originally a Roman Catholic church, but Protestant rites have been observed there since the 1598, with a brief return to Catholic worship under Spanish occupation in the early 17th century.
Despite the prominence of its tower and spire, the church occupies a surprisingly small space within the town. The tower dates from 1478, but much of the church, including the nave, retains its original Romanesque features, and the chancel windows are later, probably dating from the 14th century.
There’s some beautiful decoration within the church, especially the corbels of heads on some of the nave pillars. There’s also a fine tombstone of Johann Friedrich von Wolfskehl, a forester from the Bacharach area who died in 1609.
Where To Stay: Altkölnischer Hof – a historic half-timbered dream of a hotel with one of the best restaurants in town, a few steps from the two Bacharach churches in this article
See Also: Things To Do In Bacharach Germany
Liebfrauenkirche, Oberwesel
Oberwesel has never had the plaudits of more famous Rhine River towns like Bacharach and Rüdesheim, but when it comes to churches, it’s the most compelling of them all to visit. It’s home to two of the outstanding churches in the Rhine Valley, the Liebfrauenkirche and Martinskirche, both of which are worth travelling well out of your way to see.
The church, at the southern end of town opposite the train station, may have been founded as early as the 12th century. Much of the present building dates from the 14th century, including some superb stained-glass windows in the chancel. The ornate gold-painted altarpiece dates from the same period – many of the figures were stolen in the 1970s, but most have now been recovered.
One of the most striking aspects of the church is its height, which is partly accentuated by the relative narrowness of the building. When I visited I had the good fortune to have stumbled upon a rehearsal by an English singing group who were performing at the church that night. The height of the vault, the light from the stained-glass and their voices made me feel I had momentarily been transported to the heavens – which is what many a medieval church architect set out to achieve. Magnificent.
Where To Stay – Burghotel auf Schönburg – outstanding romantic Rhine Castle hotel with superb views over Oberwesel and the Rhine
See Also: Things To Do In Oberwesel Germany
St Severus, Boppard
One of the finest Romanesque churches in the Rhine Valley, St Severus Church dominates the Marktplatz (main square) in Boppard, and was built on the site of the town’s ancient Roman baths. The one survival from the early years of the church’s history is the font, which has been dated to the 6th century AD.
The church was built over the late 12th and 13th centuries, at a similar time to the first phase of building at St Peter’s in Bacharach and the Liebfrauenkirche (Church of Our Lady) in Andernach, north of Koblenz. The towers were altered in the 17th century, the spires replacing the diamond-shaped caps similar to those at Maria Laach Abbey (see below).
The interior of the Severuskirche is a delight, with a rare spider-shaped vault in the nave, 13th-century frescoes and decorative friezes around the Romanesque nave arches.
Where To Stay – Bellevue Rheinhotel – beautiful Art Nouveau hotel overlooking the Rhine, very close to ferry wharves and the town centre
See Also: 12 Best Things To Do In Boppard Germany
Wernerkapelle, Bacharach
Interest in the Romantic Rhine really took off in the early 19th century with the revival of the legend of the Lorelei and the first restoration of a Rhine Castle at Rheinstein. One of the older Rhineland buildings to draw attention was the ruined Gothic Wernerkapelle, built after 1287 in memory of a boy named Werner who was found dead nearby.
Local Jews were falsely accused of murdering Werner, and a pogrom followed in which 40 were tragically killed. The Chapel was built as a memorial to Werner, and some miracles were reported at his tomb. This led to him being venerated as a saint, although this status was formally revoked in 1963, when Pope John XXIII finally acknowledged the crimes inflicted on Bacharach’s Jews in the reprisals for his death.
The Wernerkapelle would have been a seriously impressive church in its complete state. The delicate stonework of the tall windows suggests something in the vein of La Sainte-Chapelle in Paris. However, it was destroyed by French troops in 1689 during the Nine Years War, during which Louis XIV’s forces overran the Rhineland region.
Martinskirche, Oberwesel
Oberwesel’s Martinskirche was also rebuilt in the Gothic style in the 14th century, replacing an earlier Romanesque church. It stands on a hill above Oberwesel, just outside the impressive circuit of town walls, and its tower served as an additional lookout in case of attack.
The Martinskirche is hugely impressive, and I was surprised to learn that it was never completed. Oberwesel was one of the wealthiest Rhine towns, but it ran out of money to build the south aisle in the same manner as the north.
The light, airy interior is beautiful, the choir vault restored with superb floral frescoes. There’s also a fine 15th-century Madonna to look out for.
St Hildegard Abbey, Eibingen, Rüdesheim
Hildegard of Bingen – who lived from 1098 to 1179 – was one of the most remarkable women of the Middle Ages. She founded two abbeys, was a visionary, mystic, composer of early devotional music, author, theologian and writer on medicine. The second abbey that she founded is at Eibingen, just outside the popular Rhineland town of Rüdesheim, and it’s also the site of her shrine.
The current church was built between 1932 and 1935 in the Romanesque Revival style. The original church was rebuilt in the 17th century, again in the 18th century, and some of it was demolished in 1817. The 1930s rebuild came about because what was left was destroyed in a fire in September 1932. The new church was designed by Hans and Christoph Rummel.
St Kastor, Koblenz
The Basilica of St Kastor is one of the oldest churches in the Rhine Valley, founded in the first half of the 9th century. It’s dedicated to St Kastor of Karden, a town a short distance up the Mosel Valley from Koblenz – he lived the life of a hermit in the 4th century AD, and may originally have come from what is now France.
The Monastery of St Kastor became important during the Holy Roman Empire, as it was often used as a venue for imperial meetings. It was at St Kastor that it was decided to divide the Empire into Eastern and Western portions – the precursor to the division of western Europe into France and Germany.
St Kastor’s Basilica was substantially altered in the 10th and 11th century, and the two sublime western towers and spires were completed early in the 12th. The interior was remodelled in the late Gothic period (towards the end of the 15thcentury) with two notable star vaults. In the late 19th century, it was redecorated with new frescoes, and was later restored following damage caused by a British bombing raid in 1944.
Where To Stay – Hotel Morjan – stylish 3-star hotel on the Rhine riverfront, a short walk from St Kastor and the Deutsches Eck Monument
Maria Laach Abbey
Abtei Maria Laach – originally known as Laach Abbey – is one of the greatest Romanesque churches in Germany. The west front is one of the finest examples of Rhenish Romanesque, with two round towers flanking a central tower above the church’s western apse.
The Benedictine Abbey was founded in 1093, with building continuing until 1177. It is located close to the shore of the Laacher See, a lake 10 miles (17 km) west of Andernach and the River Rhine. It was originally a daughter abbey of the Belgian abbey of Affligem, but Laach Abbey became an independent house in 1127.
As was the case with many western German institutions, the Abbey was secularised in the wake of Napoleon’s conquest in 1802. It was later taken over by the Jesuits, who added the name Maria to the Abbey, and controlled it between 1820 and 1870, after which it the Benedictine Abbey was refounded.
Maria Laach’s darkest days were during the Nazi period when the Abbey maintained close ties with the murderous regime. Basilius Ebel, Abbot of St Matthias in Trier, had helped conceal Jews from the Nazis, and was removed from his post and taken to Maria Laach. He became Abbot of the latter in 1946, and held the post for 20 years. During this time he did much to promote reconciliation between Christians and Jews in western Germany.
Bonn Minster (Bonner Münster)
Another of the great Romanesque churches in Germany dominates the centre of Bonn, the former capital of West Germany. The city is roughly halfway between Cologne and Koblenz, in the heartland of Rhenish Romanesque, and this Basilica is one of the greatest achievements of the period.
The church was built between the 11th and 13th centuries over the site of the martyrdom of two early Christian saints, Cassius and Florentius. They were beheaded on the site of the church, and the Münster was built on the site centuries later. They are commemorated by two head figures lying on their sides in the square outside the church, and their shrine can be seen in the church’s crypt.
The Münster is the most famous landmark in Bonn, its central spire rising 81 metres (265 feet) high. It seems taller, probably because it’s surrounded by many other buildings at close quarters.
The interior is simple Romanesque, the interior brightened up during its recent restoration by the addition of blue and gold paint in places. The chancel is very different, with the mosaic floor by Villeroy and Boch (the ceramics company), frescoes by 19th-century German artist August Franz Martin, and modern stained-glass windows in the apse.
While visiting, don’t miss the superb Romanesque cloister, one of the finest surviving examples in Europe.
Where To Stay – Hotel Löhndorf – highly-rated 2-star right in the heart of Bonn Altstadt
Mainz Cathedral
Mainz Cathedral – Dom zu Mainz – is the oldest of the churches in the Rhine Valley in this article. A considerable part of the structure dates from the Ottonian period which preceded the Romanesque in Germany, with Archbishop Willigis leading the construction. It included a choir or chancel at both the western ends of the church, a feature more common in eastern Germany (including at Naumburg Cathedral and St Cyriakus Church in Gernrode) at the time.
Both the original chancels had to be rebuilt by the early 12th century, and the nave was also built over the course of the 12th century, with an unusual featre, rounded blind (blocked-up) arches between the lower arches and clerestory windows.
Some alterations were necessary over subsequent centuries, with Gothic chapels added in the 14th century and some alterations to the towers during the late Baroque (18th century) period.
Some claim that Mainz’s most famous son, inventor of the printing press Johannes Gutenberg, is buried in the Cathedral, but if this is the case, nobody knows where.
Tours: Golden Mainz Walking Tour – from the alleys of the Altstadt to magnificent St Martin’s Cathedral
Where To Stay – Erbacher Hof, Bistum Mainz – excellent 4-star, ideal location in central Mainz Altstadt, very close to Cathedral
Churches In The Rhine Valley – Final Thoughts
I hope that you’ve enjoyed this guide to the churches of the Rhine region. It’s better known for its castles and half-timbered towns, but visiting some of these churches will add to the depth of your appreciation of this fascinating part of Germany.
I’ve written numerous other articles on churches across the website, and here are more of my articles on churches in Germany for you to peruse:
Churches in Berlin – from rare glimpses of medieval Berlin to its 18th-century heyday
Frauenkirche Dresden – the iconic rebuilt Baroque masterpiece
6 Best Churches In Dresden To Visit – Baroque beauties in the ‘Florence on the Elbe’
Churches in Trier – nine superb churches in the ancient Roman capital, and Germany’s oldest city
Trier Cathedral – magnificent oldest Cathedral in Germany
Nikolaikirche Leipzig – the church that helped start a Revolution
Thomaskirche Leipzig – the famous church of Johann Sebastian Bach
Visiting Naumburg Cathedral – astonishing World Heritage-listed church, home to the ‘most beautiful woman of the Middle Ages’
Churches in Nuremberg – great Gothic wonders in Germany’s former Imperial City
Churches in Quedlinburg – Romanesque and Gothic wonders in the half-timbered ‘cradle of Germany’
Things To Do In Gernrode – tiny Harz Mountains town, home to the incredible St Cyriakus Church Gernrode
And here are more articles on the Rhine and Mosel Valleys for you to browse for further inspiration:
10 Best Rhine River Towns To Visit
20 Best Rhine River Castles In Germany
Things To Do In Rudesheim Germany – the most popular town on the Rhine
Things To Do In Bacharach Germany – one of the most beautiful villages in Germany
Things To Do In Braubach – picturesque village below mighty Marksburg Castle
Marksburg Castle – the most complete Rhine Valley Castle
Rheinfels Castle – the largest Castle on the Rhine
Burg Katz – one of the most picturesque Rhine Castles
Pfalzgrafenstein Castle – beautiful island Castle in the middle of the Rhine
Rheinstein Castle – the first of the Romantic Rhine castles to be restored in the 1820s
And in the Mosel Valley and Saarland:
Beilstein, Mosel Valley – discover this gorgeous Moselle wine village
Things To Do In Cochem – fairytale castle and town, a great base for exploring the Mosel Valley
Things To Do In Trier – 26 Things to Do In Germany’s Oldest City
Porta Nigra Trier – amazing ancient Roman gateway that survived thanks to becoming a church
Roscheider Hof Museum Trier – one of the best folk museums in Europe
Völklingen Ironworks – astounding industrial World Heritage Site near the French border
Things To Do In Saarbrücken – discover the little-known capital of Saarland