St. Kolumba

The once richest and most important parish church in Cologne is named after the popular St. Kolumba.Following the Second World War, however, most people of Cologne also know the church under the name »Madonna in den Trümmern« (Madonna in the Ruins), since, like a miracle, of the church which was almost totally destroyed in the Second World War, only the statue of St. Mary on the north-eastern chancel pillar remained. Standing alone in the ruins, this statue moved the hearts of the people of Cologne, and provided them with hope. Today, the figure of the Madonna is located on the eastern wall of the newly built church.

Kolumba - Art museum of the archbishopric of Cologne
Address:	Kolumbastr. 4 50667 Cologne
Phone:	0221/933193-0
Fax:	0221/933193-33
E-Mail:	mail@kolumba.de
Opening hours:	daily, except Tue., 12.00 a.m. - 5.00 p.m.
Prices:	€ 5 / € 3; young people under 18 years free of charge
Milestones
988	The church was first mentioned in written sources
1853	Foundation of the Achiepiscopal Diocesan Museum
2. März 1945	Following the bombardment of the Romanesque church tower, St. Kolumba's was almost totally destroyed
7. Dezember 1950	The newly built church was consecrated
1954	Opening of the Diocesan Museum at Gereonstr.
1972	The museum moves to Roncalliplatz
2007	Architect Peter Zumthor builds a new museum building incorporating both the ruins of St. Kolumba and the chapel »Madonna in the Ruins«, the museum is reopened under the new name »Kolumba«

Notable Swiss architect, Peter Zumthor, designed a very special building for the archiepiscopal diocesan museum. The foundation stone of the museum was laid in 2003 and it was opened in 2007 by Cardinal Meisner. The building incorporates both the foundations of the Roman church of St. Kolumba, damaged during the Second World War, as well as the »Madonna in the Ruins« chapel, built in its place in 1950. The latter is fully enclosed by the modern museum building but can be entered by a separate entrance.