Erasmus Chapel (Kempten)

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The underground showroom "Erasmus Chapel"

The Erasmus Chapel was a Catholic cemetery chapel built in the 13th century and temporarily set up as a double chapel . Until it was demolished in 1857, it stood next to the St. Mang Church in Kempten (Allgäu), which had been used by the Reformed community since the 16th century . The first floor of the chapel was dedicated to the Archangel Michael , the basement as a former ossuary was dedicated to St. Erasmus .

In the years 2003 and 2008 to 2010 about 500 grave sites of a former cemetery were uncovered in the course of archaeological investigations on St. Mang-Platz . The archaeologists were able to interpret and explain the connections between the early days of urban settlement. The preserved parts of the ground monument were opened to the public in 2010 and have been a sight since then . In this showroom, the history of the sacred building and that of the city is explained in a multimedia presentation.

history

Historians divide the history of the building and development of today's ground monument into seven phases. The first describes the construction towards the end of the 13th or, from the point of view of building research, more likely in the 14th century, the second the renovation after a fire, the third and fourth construction phases the expansion. In the fifth phase the chapel was profaned and in the sixth an extension was added. The seventh phase of the demolition of the above-ground part of the chapel in 1857.

The foundations and foundation walls were rediscovered in the Second World War when a splinter trench was created and masonry was broken through. They came to public attention again at the beginning of the 21st century in connection with the first plans for the renovation of St. Mang-Platz.

The attempt to assign the Erasmus and Michaelskapelle as a crypt chapel of a monastery in place of the St. Mang Church failed after archeology and historical research refuted the existence of a monastery at that point.

Construction as an ossuary and fire

Initially, the Karner Chapel of St. Michael was probably built as part of a cemetery expansion . The ground floor formed the church interior, the basement with its own entrance served as an ossuary, where the bones that came to light when new graves were laid were stacked. The external dimensions were about 12.7 × 7.7 meters. This chapel was first mentioned in writing in 1313. In the 14th century, the building was badly damaged by fire and then rebuilt. In the western part, the former wooden structure was replaced by a barrel vault made of bricks , which was more fire-proof. The fire left the rock in the basement permanently red.

Enlargements to the emergency church

At the beginning of the 15th century there were many structural changes. Both chapels were extended by a few meters. In the basement, groin vaults with belt straps were created to the east and west . In the larger part, the eastern room, the vaulted arches met a sandstone column in the middle. This column was later placed in a mount of olives behind St. Mang's Church . For the opening of the showroom, it was placed back in its old location.

The crosses of the apostles on the left and right of today's entrance are proof of the religious use of the basement, they are very similar to those of St. Mang's Church. The Michaelskapelle received a polygonal choir in the east , which increased the external length to 24 meters. This expansion could be related to the expansion and reconstruction of the Romanesque neighboring church St. Mang in the Gothic style in 1426. In the multi-year renovation and expansion phase, there was probably no space to celebrate church services. Therefore, the double chapel was presumably used as an emergency church at times.

There were two ridge turrets with bells on the ridge . These had a different sound so that the population knew whether the bell was ringing for the Erasmus or Michael chapel.

Profanation and conversion to a functional building

Broadened finish in the north

In 1527 the imperial city of Kempten joined the Reformation , but the chapel remained the property of the Catholic Episcopal Church of Augsburg . Due to a lack of space in the church district, the cemetery was relocated to the slope of the Burghalde in 1535 : the Evangelical Cemetery was created . In 1557 the secular building became the property of the imperial city. This had the ground floor converted into a screen show house , and a drinking room with a wine cellar was set up in the basement . In the canvas show house, the linen produced by weavers from Kempten was checked for quality and given lead marks.

In order to be able to roll out the linen even in damp weather, a wooden portico was added south of the ground floor . The interior was given a false ceiling to increase the usable area; the paintings in the basement were painted over. The entrance in the north was partially widened so that the wine barrels did not get stuck in the door jambs. A city view from 1628 shows the secluded chapel with both roof turrets, which means that they were preserved during the renovation work.

Extension of the Schmalzwaaghaus and demolition

The chapel in the 19th century as a goods control house with the new extension on the west side. The polygonal end in the east is the last reference to the former ecclesiastical use of the building. Behind it the St. Mang Church.

In 1664 the Schmalzwaaghaus was added as an extension in the west. Its ground floor was significantly higher in relation to the rest of the building and enabled the entry of high horse carts . In this house, greases for the manufacture of soaps, ointments, lubricants and fuels were checked for their quality. The extension was very likely a half-timbered construction . During the archaeological excavations, no foundation walls of this extension were found.

In 1857 it was decided to demolish the now dilapidated building. The upper room of the Michaelskapelle was torn down despite protests from history-conscious Kempten residents, the vault of the Erasmus Chapel was smashed underneath and the hole filled with rubble. The dimensions given at the time of demolition were: length 23.35 meters, width 5.55 meters, height 5.84 and 7 meters. The walls were three feet thick. The crypt or the old vault was 16.6 meters long and 5.25 meters wide. The wall paintings found at that time were painted and documented by Joseph Buck .

Second World War

It was not until the Second World War that the walls remaining in the ground were discovered by chance. During the construction of an earth bunker and trench on St. Mang Square, the western wall of the underground ruin was broken through. Excavations in 2010 revealed live ammunition, including tracer bullets with white phosphorus for the German Mauser System 98 military carbine and a cartridge for an Italian Carcano rifle .

Excavations and first plans for the showroom

The remains of the wall of the Erasmus Chapel during the archaeological excavations, behind the St. Mang's fountain .

Before the planned redesign of St. Mang Square, archaeological preliminary investigations were necessary. As early as 1988 it was known through probes that there were not very deep under the exposed aggregate concrete slab paving of the 1960s, the medieval graves of the cemetery, which was abandoned in 1535. However, no extensive, large-scale excavations have been carried out. In 2003 further probes were carried out on a different area. From 2008 to 2010, an extensive rescue excavation took place on a large part of the square to examine the graves of the cemetery and the foundations of the chapel. Over 500 Christian burials were found. The oldest skeleton dates from the 7th century and proves that Christian burials took place here 50 to 100 years before the alleged arrival of the "Allgäu apostle " Magnus von Füssen , which is now interpreted as a legend. Further discoveries were made in more profound excavations. The foundation walls were preserved to a greater depth than had long been assumed; Window niches, plastered surfaces, door openings and vaults were still visible. The excavation of the rubble from the interior was necessary for safety reasons in order to protect the building above ground from possible cavities.

Due to the regional reports in daily and weekly newspapers, interested visitors flocked to the excavations, which became part of city tours. There were well-attended excavation tours through the walls. Because the investigations lasted two winters , a beer tent was built over the walls to protect them from environmental influences .

During the archaeological work, the desire was expressed several times to make the Erasmus Chapel permanently accessible. The city council and its committees examined ways to preserve the finds. Instead of filling the foundation walls with gravel again after documentation and conservation for around 350,000 euros, the underground part of the building was expanded into today's showroom for 1.4 million euros. With this measure, the city council agreed with a majority in March 2009 to the desire of the population to make the space accessible.

Construction and opening of the showroom

Information board in front of the entrance to the chapel

In order to secure the walls firmly on the fine-grain alluvial sand of the Kempten subsoil, they were underpinned with a concrete foundation . The prestressed concrete slabs of the ceiling do not rest on the historical masonry, but are supported by bored piles. The stairs and the floor of the showroom were cast from fine concrete. After the concrete ceiling had been laid, the finishing of the surface and the interior design of the showroom could begin.

The work was completed on September 18, 2010 with the opening of the Erasmus Chapel showroom . Since then, it has been the city's new attraction.

The costs for the overall project “Redesign of St. Mang Square with an archaeological showroom in the Erasmus Chapel” amounted to 1.7 million euros. The project was funded, among other things, by the Federal Government's Economic Stimulus Package II .

Description of the showroom

On St.-Mang-Platz, the outline of Michael’s Chapel is embedded as a bronze band with an inscription. A square bronze plate with an inscription indicates the new “crypt” with the skeletons. In addition to historical information about the chapel, a memento mori can be read as a memento from Karner: “Sum quod eris, quod es fui” (What I am, you will be, what you are, I have been).

For the new entrance to the showroom, the original exit was not used, but a piece of the original wall was sawn out so that a cross-section of the building material used can be seen. The difference in material is explained by the connection between the original building and the younger extension. On the right, the burned bones were buried again at the site where they were found. A light projection with text indicates the bone fragments. Two new technical rooms were set up to the southwest of it.

Inside, a monitor table awaits the visitor. It serves to maintain the atmosphere in the showroom, since there are no display cases. Various finds from certain phases of the chapel are displayed in small windows on the table. The sliding flat screen provides more detailed explanations of each find.

Below the bronze plate of the crypt, an ossuary with 50 bones is set up in the newly created room behind the choir. The bones housed in open metal baskets are visible through two openings that were made during the demolition. These have three functions: as a depot for city archeology, as a scientific magazine for the Bavarian State Collection for Anthropology and Paleoanatomy at the Ludwig Maximilians University in Munich, and as a crypt that was consecrated by pastors of the two Christian denominations.

The history of the twin cities of Kempten , which began with the Roman Cambodunum , is presented through several projectors and speakers . The different construction phases of the chapel are also discussed. The projectors project images and markings onto the walls, the ceiling and the sandstone column . They explain the finds or what has been preserved. For example, bells for Mass are ringing, Apostle crosses are illuminated on the walls, the fire in the 14th century chapel is remembered, the patterned tiled floor is laid or wine barrels are brought in. The display is supported by color-matched lighting.

  • Outline of the chapel as a bronze ribbon

  • Bronze plaque with inscription on the new "crypt"

  • New entrance

  • Bones behind an opening

  • Projection on the walls

Earlier equipment

In the few written records on the equipment of today's ground monument, it is only known that an altar was present. During the first demolition work in 1857, the workers found pieces of wall painting. The city of Kempten then commissioned the painter Joseph Buck to document the remains of these paintings that had been preserved. Previously, the finds were freed from overlying layers of paint. The former Kempten city archives director Friedrich Zollhoefer (1897–1975, serving 1947–1969) suspected that these frescos were first whitewashed during the Reformation iconoclasm in the 16th century. Like other drawings from his hand, Buck's watercolor pen drawings are important documents of the artistic and architectural characteristics of the double chapel.

For the title page of the documentation, Buck painted the vault construction with the column in the basement, which has been rebuilt today. His scaled-down reconstructions of the pictures made it possible to divide the paintings into three groups from different times. A more precise timing is hardly possible, as the drawings are not exact images of the original paintings. The monument conservator Michael Petzet rated the traditional frescoes in his 1959 brief inventory of the town and district of Kempten as important.

Archaeological finds

Flat paternoster rings made from beef bones

During the two more extensive excavations in 2003 and 2008 to 2010, several objects were found. These were loose finds, but also preserved wall paintings. This includes the only figurative representation of a face in the east wall. In the upper part of the foundation walls, rubble had preserved Apostle crosses.

Loose objects testified to people's lives. In 2003 eight late Roman coins from the reign of Emperor Constantine (year of issue 322/323 AD) to Gratian (year of issue 367-383 AD) were found. During the most recent excavations, the archaeologists came across a silver-plated robe clasp and a fragment of an amphorae handle. The high Middle Ages are represented by two loop handles on pot lids. A fragment of a wall painting testifies to the Karner chapel and its creation.

The fire in the 14th century melted glass and covered a stone with a layer of green glass. Shards from tallow lamps could be an indication of the cause of this fire. Iron nails show that some of the deceased were buried in wooden coffins. Paternoster ropes were given to these dead in the grave. From these forerunners of the rosary remained flat rings made of bovine bones.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c Azer Arasli: Staff Unit - Building Research. In: Yearbook of the Bavarian Monument Preservation. No. 62/63, 2008/09, ISBN 978-3-422-06985-5 , p. 261 ff.
  2. ↑ Birgit Kata: The Erasmus Chapel showroom in Kempten (Allgäu). 1st edition. Kunstverlag Josef Fink, Lindenberg im Allgäu 2011, ISBN 978-3-89870-706-0 , pp. 10-19.
  3. ↑ Birgit Kata, Gerhard Weber: "More than 1000 years ..." The Kempten Abbey between founding and closing 752-1802. In: Birgit Kata, Volker Laube, Markus Naumann, Wolfgang Petz (Hrsg.): Allgäu research on archeology and history . 1st edition. tape 1 . Likias-Verlag, Friedberg 2006, ISBN 3-9807628-6-6 , Archaeological findings in the area of ​​the Kempten residence: Late Roman and early medieval finds in the Kempten Illertal.
  4. ↑ a b Birgit Kata: The Erasmus Chapel showroom in Kempten (Allgäu). 1st edition. Kunstverlag Josef Fink, Lindenberg im Allgäu 2011, ISBN 978-3-89870-706-0 , p. 18f.
  5. ^ A b c Michael Petzet : City and district of Kempten. (= Bavarian art monuments. Vol. 5), 1st edition. Deutscher Kunstverlag, Munich 1959, DNB 453751636 , p. 24 ..
  6. ↑ a b Birgit Kata: The Erasmus Chapel showroom in Kempten (Allgäu). 1st edition. Kunstverlag Josef Fink, Lindenberg im Allgäu 2011, ISBN 978-3-89870-706-0 , p. 12f.
  7. ↑ Birgit Kata: The Erasmus Chapel showroom in Kempten (Allgäu). 1st edition. Kunstverlag Josef Fink, Lindenberg im Allgäu 2011, ISBN 978-3-89870-706-0 , p. 23ff.
  8. ↑ a b Harald Derschka, Elke Weinhardt, Roger Mayrock, Azer Arasli, Ernst Sontheim: The St. Mang-Platz and its history . Ed .: City of Kempten: Sikko Neupert, Birgit Kata. Kempten (Allgäu) 2010, p. 11 .
  9. ↑ a b c Birgit Kata: The Erasmus Chapel showroom in Kempten (Allgäu). 1st edition. Kunstverlag Josef Fink, Lindenberg im Allgäu 2011, ISBN 978-3-89870-706-0 , p. 16f.
  10. ↑ a b Azer Arasli: Staff Unit - Building Research. In: Yearbook of the Bavarian Monument Preservation. No. 62/63, 2008/09, ISBN 978-3-422-06985-5 , p. 263 ff.
  11. ↑ Harald Derschka, Elke Weinhardt, Roger Mayrock, Azer Arasli, Ernst Sontheim: The St. Mang-Platz and its history . Ed .: City of Kempten: Sikko Neupert, Birgit Kata. Kempten (Allgäu) 2010, p. 12 ff .
  12. ↑ a b c d e Friedrich Zollhoefer: The frescoes in the former St. Michaelskapelle on St. Mangplatz in Kempten. In: Allgäu history friend. 70, 1970, p. 31ff.
  13. ↑ Harald Derschka, Elke Weinhardt, Roger Mayrock, Azer Arasli, Ernst Sontheim: The St. Mang-Platz and its history . Ed .: City of Kempten: Sikko Neupert, Birgit Kata. Kempten (Allgäu) 2010, p. 14th f .
  14. ↑ Information flyer from the city of Kempten (PDF, accessed on June 12, 2012; 419 kB)
  15. ↑ Birgit Kata: The Erasmus Chapel showroom in Kempten (Allgäu). 1st edition. Kunstverlag Josef Fink, Lindenberg im Allgäu 2011, ISBN 978-3-89870-706-0 , p. 30.
  16. ↑ Birgit Kata: The Erasmus Chapel showroom in Kempten (Allgäu). 1st edition. Kunstverlag Josef Fink, Lindenberg im Allgäu 2011, ISBN 978-3-89870-706-0 , p. 3.
  17. ↑ Erasmus Chapel Showroom, Kempten. In: allgaeu-erleben.com. (accessed on June 12, 2012)
  18. ↑ Birgit Kata: The Erasmus Chapel showroom in Kempten (Allgäu). 1st edition. Kunstverlag Josef Fink, Lindenberg im Allgäu 2011, ISBN 978-3-89870-706-0 , p. 5ff.
  19. ↑ a b Birgit Kata: The Erasmus Chapel showroom in Kempten (Allgäu). 1st edition. Kunstverlag Josef Fink, Lindenberg im Allgäu 2011, ISBN 978-3-89870-706-0 , p. 8ff.
  20. ↑ Birgit Kata: The Erasmus Chapel showroom in Kempten (Allgäu). 1st edition. Kunstverlag Josef Fink, Lindenberg im Allgäu 2011, ISBN 978-3-89870-706-0 , p. 34f.
  21. ↑ Redesign of St. Mang-Platz with an archaeological showroom in the Erasmus Chapel. In: kempten.de. (accessed on June 12, 2012) or Harald Derschka, Elke Weinhardt, Roger Mayrock, Azer Arasli, Ernst Sontheim: The St. Mang-Platz and its history . Ed .: City of Kempten: Sikko Neupert, Birgit Kata. Kempten (Allgäu) 2010, p. 16-21 .
  22. ↑ augsburger-Allgemeine: Underground skeleton museum opened. September 17, 2010, Kempten. (accessed on June 12, 2012)
  23. ↑ Birgit Kata: The Erasmus Chapel showroom in Kempten (Allgäu). 1st edition. Kunstverlag Josef Fink, Lindenberg im Allgäu 2011, ISBN 978-3-89870-706-0 , p. 45.
  24. ↑ Birgit Kata: The Erasmus Chapel showroom in Kempten (Allgäu). 1st edition. Kunstverlag Josef Fink, Lindenberg im Allgäu 2011, ISBN 978-3-89870-706-0 , p. 32f.
  25. ↑ Birgit Kata: The Erasmus Chapel showroom in Kempten (Allgäu). 1st edition. Kunstverlag Josef Fink, Lindenberg im Allgäu 2011, ISBN 978-3-89870-706-0 , p. 35.
  26. ↑ a b c d Birgit Kata: The Erasmus Chapel showroom in Kempten (Allgäu). 1st edition. Kunstverlag Josef Fink, Lindenberg im Allgäu 2011, ISBN 978-3-89870-706-0 , pp. 37–41.
  27. ↑ Birgit Kata: The Erasmus Chapel showroom in Kempten (Allgäu). 1st edition. Kunstverlag Josef Fink, Lindenberg im Allgäu 2011, ISBN 978-3-89870-706-0 , p. 36.
  28. ↑ Birgit Kata: The Erasmus Chapel showroom in Kempten (Allgäu). 1st edition. Kunstverlag Josef Fink, Lindenberg im Allgäu 2011, ISBN 978-3-89870-706-0 , p. 42f.
  29. ^ Philipp Jacob Karrer: Faithful and complete description and history of the old town of Kempten. Kempten 1828.
  30. ^ Wolfgang Haberl: Allgäu, Ausserfern, Kleinwalsertal, Bregenzerwald. Lexicon of the Euregio via salina. Tobias Dannheimer publishing house, Kempten, 2002, ISBN 3-888-81038-8 , p. 416f.
  31. ↑ Birgit Kata: The Erasmus Chapel showroom in Kempten (Allgäu). 1st edition. Kunstverlag Josef Fink, Lindenberg im Allgäu 2011, ISBN 978-3-89870-706-0 , p. 31.
  32. ↑ Birgit Kata, Gerhard Weber: "More than 1000 years ..." The Kempten Abbey between founding and closing 752-1802. In: Birgit Kata, Volker Laube, Markus Naumann, Wolfgang Petz (Hrsg.): Allgäu research on archeology and history . 1st edition. tape 1 . Likias-Verlag, Friedberg 2006, ISBN 3-9807628-6-6 , Archaeological findings in the area of ​​the Kempten residence: Late Roman and early medieval finds in the Kempten Illertal, p. 47 ff .

literature

  • Birgit Kata: The Erasmus Chapel showroom in Kempten (Allgäu). 1st edition. Kunstverlag Josef Fink, Lindenberg im Allgäu 2011, ISBN 978-3-89870-706-0 .
  • Harald Derschka , Elke Weinhardt, Roger Mayrock, Azer Arasli, Ernst Sontheim: St. Mang-Platz and its history . Ed .: City of Kempten: Sikko Neupert, Birgit Kata. Kempten (Allgäu) 2010.
  • Azer Arasli: Staff Unit - Building Research. In: Yearbook of the Bavarian Monument Preservation. No. 62/63, 2008/09, ISBN 978-3-422-06985-5 , pp. 261-266.
  • Ernst Sontheim: excavations at St.-Mang-Platz. In: The old town letter. 2003, Volume 24, No. 30, pp. 10-13.
  • Friedrich Zollhoefer: The frescoes in the former St. Michaelskapelle on St. Mangplatz in Kempten. In: Allgäu history friend. 70, 1970, pp. 31-38.
  • Michael Petzet : City and District of Kempten. (= Bavarian art monuments. Vol. 5), 1st edition. Deutscher Kunstverlag, Munich 1959, DNB 453751636 , p. 24.

Web links

Commons : Erasmus Chapel  - Collection of Pictures

Coordinates: 47 ° 43 ′ 31.1 ″  N , 10 ° 19 ′ 10.4 ″  E

This version was added to the list of articles worth reading on July 24, 2014 .