Basilika St. Suitbertus

The Basilika St. Suitbertus stands at Stiftsplatz in Kaiserswerth, the northern district of Düsseldorf, North Rhine-Westphalia, a short walk from the Rhine and the ruins of the Kaiserpfalz. The church grows from a monastery that the Anglo-Saxon missionary Suitbert founded on the Rhine island around the year 700, and he was buried here after his death in 713. The collegiate church (Stiftskirche) that stands today is mainly a Romanesque building of the 12th and 13th centuries, with later Gothic and Baroque additions, and its massive tower and plain stone exterior reflect the style of Rhenish church building in the Staufer period. Inside, visitors find the shrine of St. Suitbert, a medieval reliquary of the 13th century that holds the saint's relics and is the main object of devotion. The church is also known for its Romanesque capitals and a choir that was rebuilt after medieval damage. It was damaged in the Second World War and has been restored, and the Roman Catholic Church gave it the title of basilica minor. Entry is free outside services, and the interior is calm and relatively simple. It is an integral part of the Kaiserswerth historic quarter, close to the Kaiserpfalz and to the Fliedner Kulturstiftung, where the deaconess movement began in the 19th century. Visitors are asked to dress appropriately and behave quietly during services, and opening hours should be confirmed locally. The stop works well with a walk through the narrow lanes of Kaiserswerth, which has a village atmosphere, with cafés and restaurants near the river.