You easily walk past this tiny chapel on the outskirts of Cologne. It is close to the river, yet obscured by small brick houses that were built in the 1800s. They are often designated as fishermen’s houses although not all of them were inhabited by fishermen and their families. The first mention of this chapel dates back to 1433.

It was destroyed during the bombardments of the Second World War and reconstructed in the 1960s. Its patron saint is St. George. Just like its bigger brother, the St. George church a few hundred yards upriver, the chapel’s history is bound up with the proximity of the river.

Nowadays, the small chapel is seldom used for worship these days and often the door is closed for security reasons as vandalism and theft happens. You have to be fortunate to discover the impressive interior.

Wooden beams hold the roof. Frescoes tell the story of the bible. Sculptures evoke the dangerous work of those living by and through the river. An anchor leans on the wall.