Kreuzherrenkirche (Order of the Cross Church), Dusseldorf

The Order of the Cross Church (Kreuzherrenkirche) in Dusseldorf's historic center carries a rich legacy dating back to the Middle Ages. Originally built as part of a monastery for the Order of the Cross, its foundations sit on a site with roots as early as 950, where the Chapel of Our Lady once stood outside the city fortifications. By the 13th century, the Lords of Ellner owned the land around the chapel and later built the Saint Anna Hospital to aid pilgrims and the poor. In 1407, the Brothers of the Cross took over, and by 1443, Duke Gerhard I tasked them with maintaining the Marian chapel, resulting in the construction of today’s Order of the Cross Church.

The church began as a chapel in the south wing and expanded in the late 15th century with dual naves for parish and pilgrimage use. Known as “Liewer Frauwen Church” due to its link with the Chapel of Our Lady, it was secularized in 1803 and later served as a stable, customs warehouse, and ammunition depot. Some artifacts, like a Baroque pulpit and a triptych from the Rosary Brotherhood, were moved to Saint Lambertus Church.

Though plans arose around 1900 to restore it as a military chapel, they never materialized. After housing the tax office post-WWII, the church was returned to the Archdiocese of Cologne in 1958, undergoing restorations that preserved its late Gothic frescoes and reinstated original windows. By 1990, it was reconsecrated and has since served as a private school church and auditorium for Saint Ursula High School closed to the public.

The architecture of the church reflects its historical layering, with a simple brick exterior, large tracery windows, and stepped buttresses. A unique feature is the tower, modified in the 17th century with new open floors and a lantern-topped hood. Inside, the two-aisled hall has five bays, each with slender octagonal pillars, ribbed vaults, and two choirs with 5/8 endings. This elegant structure, marked by its dual-purpose design, remains a testament to Dusseldorf's medieval past.