Hamburg main churches
The five Evangelical Lutheran churches located within the historic city fortifications are traditionally referred to as main churches in Hamburg :
from left to right: St. Jacobi, St. Katharinen, St. Petri, St. Nikolai, Rathaus and St. Michaelis seen from the Outer Alster
- St. Petri (oldest old town center)
- St. Nikolai (originally in the Alsterschleife , today in Harvestehude )
- St. Katharinen (on the Elbe island Grimm )
- St. Jacobi (eastern urban expansion)
- St. Michaelis (in the Neustadt , known as "Michel")
The first pastor of each church has the title of chief pastor.
The three elders of each of Hamburg's main churches form the college of the senior elders , which up until the 19th century also played an important political role as the representative of the citizens before the council or senate.
history
In 1529 the Free Imperial City of Hamburg introduced a new church order with the help of Johannes Bugenhagen . It is considered the hour of birth of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Hamburg state . The Hamburg city constitution was closely linked to the church constitution. The parishes of the main churches formed the political structure of the city and the pastors were involved in the school supervision. The construction and maintenance of the city fortifications, fire extinguishing and care for the poor and infirm were also organized in the parishes, with every citizen being obliged to cooperate.
A verse from the middle of the 18th century describes the social subdivision of the five parishes at that time:
- Saint Petri de Rieken
- Desglieken Sankt Nikolai
- Saint Catharinen de Sturen
- Saint Jakobi de Buren
- Saint Michaelis de Armen
- May God have mercy on this
On July 28, 1943, the St. Nikolai Church in the old town was badly damaged by aerial bombs. In 1951 the nave was demolished. The parish of St. Nikolai had decided to leave its traditional area, in which there were now hardly any apartments, and to build a new church building in the Harvestehude residential area . The new St. Nikolai Church was built in 1962 at the Klosterstern in Harvestehude.
- The towers of the main churches
Tower of the former main church St. Nikolai
See also
- List of Hamburg's main pastors
- For more on the history, see article Religions in Hamburg , Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Hamburg State , North Elbian Evangelical Lutheran Church
- St. Trinitatis was the main church in Altona , it is not Hamburg's main church.