Heads of Saints Cassius and Florentius

One of Germany’s oldest churches, Bonn Minster was built between the 11th and 13th centuries. It was the collegiate church of Saints Cassius and Florentius, third-century Roman legionaries of the legendary all-Christian Theban Legion.

According to the legend, the Legion’s garrison was ordered by Roman Emperor Maxentius Herculius to march to Gaul. While on their way, the Emperor either ordered the Legion to massacre fellow Christians or worship him as a god. The soldiers refused, resulting in their martyrdom. Cassius and Florentius were beheaded on the site where Bonn Minster stands today.

In 2002, German-Turkish sculptor Iskender Yediler created a pair of giant granite sculptures, replicating the heads of the two saints portrayed at the church. They have been placed in front of Bonn Minster, lying mid-roll in a somewhat surreal manner.

Inside the church, a pair of 18th-century hardwood busts depicting Cassius and Florentius were discovered in its storehouse in 2006. Restored, they are put on display during the festive times in October above the entrance to the crypt.