Sankt Johann-Baptist (St. John the Baptist's Church), Aachen

Sankt Johann-Baptist was founded in 997 as part of a Benedictine abbey and later used by Cistercian nuns. For most of its history, it served as an abbey church rather than a parish church. Its dedication changed over time: it was first linked to Saint Nicholas and Apollinaris, then rededicated around 1016–1018 to Saint John the Baptist together with Saint Nicholas. The monastery was dissolved in 1802 during secularization, and the church then took on its current parish role.

Although the site is medieval, the present building is mainly Baroque. It was largely rebuilt between 1735 and 1754 by Johann Josef Couven. A key feature is the central octagon, designed as a reference to the octagonal form of the nearby cathedral. This layout creates a clear focus inside and reflects the former importance of the abbey. Baroque proportions and simple geometric forms shape both the exterior and interior.

The church was badly damaged during the Second World War. Air raids between 1942 and 1944 destroyed the interior, leaving only the outer walls. After the war, the building was reconstructed, and a new altar was consecrated in 1951. Inside, furnishings come from different periods, and the abbey treasury preserves objects collected over more than 700 years, including a Byzantine icon from the 9th or 10th century.