Michaelskirche (St. Michael's Church), Aachen

Michaelskirche was built in 1628 as a Jesuit church and was part of a larger monastery complex linked to education and religious life. After the Jesuit order was dissolved in the late 18th century, it became a Roman Catholic parish church in 1804. This sequence of uses explains why the building reflects several religious and cultural phases.

The church is built in the Rhenish Mannerism and early Baroque style, with a clear and balanced design suited to Jesuit preaching and teaching. In 1943, air raids destroyed the tower and large parts of the roof and walls. Reconstruction was completed in 1951, with a simplified roof but with the historic form and main stylistic features kept intact.

Since 1987, the church has been used by the Greek Orthodox community of St. Dimitrios and hosts Orthodox services as well as ecumenical events. Inside, large wall paintings by the artist Christophanis Voutsinas, added in 1997 and 2002, show scenes such as Pentecost and the Divine Liturgy. These murals bring Eastern Orthodox imagery into the historic Western church space and show how the building continues to be used while keeping its architectural character.