Looking down on Siegburg from the abbey, the church tower of St Servatius stands out.
The church is nestled in a pretty square with traditional shops around it.
The colour scheme on the outside is continued on the inside. A simple contrast between white and brick with carved saints along the sides.
What is less obvious to the casual observer is that the church of St Servatius is now home to one of the most important collections of medieval religious relics in Germany. Archbishop Anno II of Cologne (whose relics remain in the abbey) started the collection.
Following dissolution of the abbey in 1803 and increasing secularisation, many precious shrines with relics were being robbed. The residents of Siegburg were protective of their treasures and ensured they remained in the town. They are now on display on the southern gallery of the church.
From 1994 to 2017 a conservation project documented and restored many objects. One of the rooms off the gallery was air-conditioned during that project to preserve some of the more delicate items.
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