St. Konrad Marl

In 1956, the foundation stone of the Konrad church was laid; in 1957, it was officially opened. The architect was Emil Steffan (1899-1968), whose name is closely connected with post-war German church construction.
Since at the end of the 1970s, the population structure in the miners’ estate had drastically changed, St. Konrad was merged with other parishes to form St. Franziskus. The building could thus be put to a new use.
In 2006, the church was converted into a columbarium, an urn interment site.
The two U-shaped elements as a monolithic block fit into the interior like a self-completing piece of furniture.
They enclose a contemplation room in the back. This is a spatial concept, with this cella as the most sacred part, that can be traced back to antique temples, and a concept that makes the place an experience: In contrast to many other churches that are still in use, St. Konrad is open during the day to provide the bereaved a place to grieve for their dead.

Author: koelnarchitektur / Editorial baukunst-nrw
Last changed on 04.08.2023

Categories:
Architecture » Public Buildings » Religious