Christ Church (Meran)

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Historical photo of the Christ Church (1900 or earlier)

The Christ Church (Carducci-Straße 31) is located on the Passer promenade in Merano and belongs to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Italy . The neo-Gothic building was built between 1883 and 1885 according to plans by Johannes Vollmer and has been a listed building since 1980 .

history

In the course of the growing spa business in Merano, the beginnings of the Protestant church in the city were formed. In 1861 a prayer house and a parish apartment were founded at Hallergasse 24 in the upper Steinachviertel and a Protestant cemetery was set up at the hospital church . The first permanent pastor was appointed in 1870. The Lutheran congregation of Merans was legally founded in 1876 (as a congregation of the Evangelical Church AB in Austria ). The neo-Gothic Christ Church was built according to plans by the German architect Johannes Vollmer in the years 1883-1884 and inaugurated in 1885. It was the first Protestant church building in Tyrol . In 1896 the new evangelical cemetery was laid out on Greutendamm (today Marlinger Straße). In 1904 a Protestant elementary school was opened in Weingartenstrasse in Untermais .

Mary and Martha with Christ, stained glass window in the nave

local community

Originally the evangelical congregation of Merano comprised the whole area of ​​today's South Tyrol . In 1908 Bolzano had its own church, the Christ Church , with its own congregation. The area of ​​the Evangelical Church of Merano is still very large. It extends from the Reschenpass to the north shore of Lake Garda , with the borderline to the Bozen municipality in the east running from the Jaufenpass to the mouth of the Sarca in Lake Garda. From the end of the First World War until 2008 Meran was independent, since then the congregation has belonged to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Italy. The Trinity Church in Arco and the Evangelical Chapel in Sulden also belong to the municipality of Merano . The community currently has around 320 members. Numerous vacationers are also looked after during the summer months. The language of worship is German.

Church building

Inside, looking towards the east

The Christ Church is located in a garden between Carducci Street and Passer Promenade. The facade tower of the neo-Gothic building is crowned by a pointed helmet. In the middle is a large figure of Christ giving blessings. This was made from Lasa marble according to a design by Bertel Thorvaldsen in 1897 . The nave adjoins a vestibule, which is accentuated on the outside by cross gables and pointed arch windows. The choir is polygonal.

The crucifix on the altar and the four reliefs on the pulpit and altar were made by Franz Xaver Pendl .

There are stained glass windows in the choir and in the nave. The organ from 1885 comes from GF Steinmeyer & Co.

To the west of the church is the free-standing rectory, which is also listed. The three-storey, neo-classical house was built in 1896 according to plans by Coelestin Recla . The central projection, corner bay window and stair tower are striking.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Bozner Zeitung of December 14, 1885 p.2
  2. ↑ https://www.chiesaluterana.it/de/comunita/merano/
  3. ↑ Merano parish office
  4. ↑ Merano parish office

Web links

Commons : Christ Church (Meran)  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Coordinates: 46 ° 40 ′ 11.3 "  N , 11 ° 9 ′ 25.6"  E