St. Ursula
Memorial Cologne
An important tradition of the Catholic Church is the honouring of saints and martyrs. This is what set the basis for the idea to turn the Basilica of St. Ursula into a memorial for present day martyrs. For centuries the early martyrs of Cologne have been remembered here in a special way. As counterpoint to this historic room a small modern chapel has been created in the southern apse of the nave.
Project data:
Building Owner: Parish St. Ursula
represented by the Archbishopric of Cologne General Vicariate
GFA: 50 m²
Dates: 2003 – 2006
1st Prize Realisation competition 200
awarded for the Artheon Art Prize, 2008
Key question has been as to how the martyrs could be represented in contemporary ways. The solution has been presented in form of a double-layer translucent screen construction with the names and dates of the martyrs imprinted on its inside. Set at the brightest position of the church is the oratory, glowing from within and as such, representative of human existance, which has been put into new light by martyrdom.