St. Maria im Kapitol is the largest of the 12 Romanesque churches in Cologne. Built over the site of a Roman temple, the 11th-century church is based on the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem.In 50 AD, the Emperor Claudius granted city status to Colonia (today's Cologne). Shortly thereafter, a Roman temple was built on this site in honor of the Capitoline Triad - Jupiter, Juno and Minerva. The temple was roughly square-shaped, 30m on a side, and had three cella. Some of the foundations of this temple survive today.Roman pagan religion was outlawed by the end of the 4th century, and the temple would have fallen into disrepair. According to 12th-century sources, a church was first built over the temple site around 710 AD by Plektrudis (d.717 AD).This first church seems to have been a long hall church with rectangular foundations, probably using remnants of the temple, dedicated to the Virgin Mary. It was likely intended as a private foundation, and Plektrudis was buried there.