Stadtkirche Chorweiler in Cologne reopened after extensive renovation

The Stadtkirche Chorweiler in Cologne's Pariser Platz was reopened with a festive service after a 1½‑year, €‑heavy renovation. The former concrete‑boxed building, described by presbyterium member Guido Steffen as "arg bestoßen," had damaged wiring, a leaky roof and other deficiencies that prompted a comprehensive modernisation plan in 2018. The refurbishment added bright interiors, a wooden floor, a small rooftop terrace and new lifts making the church fully barrier‑free.

The opening ceremony was followed by the congregation’s traditional community festival. To help finance the renovation and rising operating costs, the church now rents its second and third floors to the Diakonie’s Social‑psychiatric Centre of Chorweiler and other tenants. Pastor Till‑Karsten Hesse welcomed the celebrants, noting the building’s renewed role as an open, outward‑facing space for the surrounding district.