The Church of St. Gereon is among the oldest landmarks of the city of Cologne. Her story began in the early IV century. During this period, they built powerful structure located above one of the graves. Historians believe that the Basilica acquired its name in honor of a soldier of the Theban Legion of Gereon in Cologne.

As a Church, this structure was described with the V century, when the city ruled by the Merovingian dynasty. Then the Basilica was considered significant Church in the entire Eastern part of the Empire. There is an opinion that it became the burial place for some of the Frankish kings. The first Bishop of the city of Cologne was also buried in the Basilica of Saint Gereon.

In the first half of the ninth century the Church became a monastery, in 1069 to her building, attach a long chorus, and the side of the new tower and the crypt. Two centuries later the nave of the building is covered by an oval dome and impressive, its height was about 34, 5 meters. The appearance of the temple, finally created in the XIII century, has survived to the present time.

In 1920 the Church of St. Gereon received the status of a Minor Basilica. During the Second world war the building suffered greatly, but was subsequently carried out renovation and restoration work, only ended in 1984. This Church is considered to be a truly outstanding sacral building, which combines both Roman and late antique architecture. Inside the temple you can see ancient frescoes, preserved to our days, among them there is a picture of the last judgment, Gereon and other soldiers of the Theban Legion, as well as tapestries 1765, displaying moments from the life of St. Joseph.