The former Stiftskirche and today's provost church St. Patrokli, also called "Dom" in Soest, still impressively dominates the center of Soest's Altstadt together with the St. Petri church. In 965 Bruno, Archbishop of Cologne, decreed in his will the foundation of a collegiate foundation. He had already had the relics of Saint Patroclus of Troyes transferred to Soest. Today, the church, the cloister, the refectory and some collegiate curiae are still preserved from the original monastery. Today's provost church is a three-nave pillar basilica of the 11th and 12th centuries. The building sequence was clarified by excavations in the 1970s. The main consecration was performed on July 5, 1166 by the Archbishop of Cologne, Rainald von Dassel. Particularly impressive is the mighty west work with the massive tower, which also bears the nickname "Tower of Westphalia". This monument of European rank, including the helmet, dates from the 12th and 13th centuries.
The interior of the church makes an impression with its simple austerity and monumentality. The relic of St. Patroclus belongs to the worth seeing furnishings. Unfortunately, the precious old shrine from 1313 was sold "in times of great need" in 1848 for 3000 thalers to the Royal Mint in Berlin and melted down. The present reliquary was built in 1871. The "Westphalian Nativity" is especially worth seeing during the Christmas season. The Christmas story is depicted here in a Westphalian landscape.