Citykirche St. Nikolaus
Aachen
Built in 1005 as a small chapel, the church grew into an imposing monastery with the Franciscan order in 1234. Built in honor of St. Nicholas and consecrated in 1327, a choir room, the three-story high altar and the side altars were built around the small chapel. A town fire in 1656, an earthquake in 1692 and bombing raids in 1944 repeatedly destroyed parts of the church. The mission of the Franciscan order to welcome merchants and travelers and provide pastoral care for the people is still continued today by the "Church for the City" association. Today, the Citykirche is jointly run by the Protestant and Catholic churches.