Saint Pantaleon um 1950

The catholic parish church, Saint Pantaleon, is situated in a prominent position above the river Rhine, surrounded by the historic churchyard. The church’s present shape developed over 800 years. The bell tower is the oldest part from around 1200. The Romanesque single-naved church originally had a flat ceiling and was enlarged several times. What you now see is a late Gothic triple-naved church with vaulted ceilings. After an extensive enlargement around 1500 the building’s structure basically remained the same. The late 17th century Gothic interiors were partly replaced or redesigned with baroque elements such as a high altar, pulpit, and communion bench at the beginning of the 18th century. The central altarpiece is of particular value: The martyr Saint Pantaleon heals a blind person and a child. The „Kurkölnische“ President of the Chamber, Andreas Eschenbrender, brought the painting by Mattia Preti from Rome in 1705. It is an exact copy of his altarpiece in Saint Pantaleon in Rome. The church holds a multitude of ritual objects and items of value from an art history perspective. The Fourteen Holy Helpers in the “14-Nothelfer- Kapelle“ are striking. This rare saint patronage, the Byzantine physician and Saint Pantaleon, one of those fourteen holy helpers, is very similar to that of the church of Saint Pantaleon in Cologne. The history of the Unkel patron saints is certainly related to the Empress Theophanu, but is largely unknown.

The 97 stone grave crosses from the 16th to the 19th century in the churchyard are a rare treasure from the Rhineland burial rituals.