Historical Archive of the Archdiocese of Cologne

Brief information

The most important part of the archive is not visible from the outside: in 2005-2007, a three-story underground repository was built beneath and beside the existing complex. As a result, the postwar building from the 1950s began to function as a shell for a much larger archival machine: the old complex gained another 15 kilometers of shelving and was intended to provide space for the collections for the next 30 years.

The archive preserves documents from the church administration of the Archdiocese of Cologne, parishes, Catholic organizations, and private individuals. Its role became especially clear after the collapse of the Cologne city archive in 2009: three kilometers of shelving were quickly set aside here for rescued materials, and 60,000 undamaged parchment documents were accepted for safekeeping. In this way, the building reads not only as an administrative archive, but also as the city's backup memory.

What to notice first

It is worth comparing the two visible parts of the complex. The three-story corner administration building, with its brick facade and gabled roof, looks like a more familiar urban structure. On the western side, an eight-story "book tower" adjoins it: its flat roof, reinforced-concrete frame, and infill of brick and glass blocks immediately reveal its storage, archival purpose. The difference between them shows how the institution's representative section and its vertical repository stand side by side.

The building's later arrangement can also be read through its details. A new staircase with an elevator connected the historic building, the tower, and the underground sections, making the hidden repository part of the general circulation through the complex. Near the curved staircase from the 1950s, a minimalist wall relief made of thin rods was added: it is directly connected with the process of archiving documents. This detail changes the scale of perception: here the archive is expressed not only in kilometers of shelving, but also in a fine line on the wall.