Evangelical Church (Ruchsen)
The Evangelical Church in Ruchsen , a district of the town of Möckmühl in the Heilbronn district in northern Baden-Württemberg , was first mentioned in 1331. While the nave was renewed in 1823, the choir tower is essentially the oldest building in the town.
history
The oldest building in the village must surely be the lowest part of the church tower . This was first mentioned in 1331 in connection with a chapel . The nave was originally not wider than the church tower, but still not unadorned, as can be seen from the cross vault and the keystone . Ruchsen was a branch church of Möckmühl, in the middle of the 15th century the Mosbach Abbey had the right of patronage over the Ruchsen parish . Despite Mainz local rule, the Electoral Palatinate appointed a Protestant (later Reformed) pastor in 1559 and carried out the Reformation . A church building is mentioned in 1728, which must have been a renovation of the church.
The community owed voluntary donations in 1738 for the installation of the organ, which is still in the church today . The willingness to donate was so overwhelming that there was even a surplus of the foundation amount that was used for other things in the church. The small bell dates from 1565 and was cast by Heinrich Rotenberger in Heilbronn . According to a legend in the village, one of the two bells is said to come from the Schöntal Monastery , but this cannot be proven.
In 1823 the church was almost rebuilt because the old nave had become dilapidated . The lower part of the tower was preserved, the nave was significantly widened and the tower, which was originally no higher than the nave and had a floor made of wood, was expanded to its present height made of stone.
In 1951/1952 the church was rebuilt. The board wall covering the choir was removed. Valuable medieval wall paintings came to light in the choir room and on the walls of the choir . In the vaults, the paintings show the four evangelist symbols on a blue background in large figures . On the walls you can see pictures from the Passion of Jesus and on the east side the Last Judgment with Jesus Christ in the mandorla . The pulpit was moved to the south side of the choir arch, and the organ had to move from the middle to the south gallery . A new stone altar was set up in the choir room .
1968 to 1972 the outside area of the church was redesigned. The church property was replanted, one of the two staircases was removed and given natural stones. Two linden trees that blocked the view of the church were felled. The old windows have been replaced by new ones, the roof of the nave has been re-covered and attempts have been made to remove moisture damage to the tower and in the choir room by means of insulation. 1982 to 1983 the old, no longer needed rectory was sold. With the proceeds, the church was brought up to date with the latest technology and a small annex was built to serve as a parish hall. The northern longitudinal gallery was removed so that more light could get into the interior of the church. The pulpit was moved from the south side to the north side of the choir arch, and the church received modern heating (underfloor and bench heating). The electrical systems were also reinstalled and the lighting redesigned. The old crucifix , which had been removed from the church at an unknown point in time, was returned to its old place behind the altar after it was restored in Abstatt in 1987. The church received the old baptismal font from the year 1450 as a gift from the parish of Möckmühl , which stood in the Möckmühl town church until 1898 and was no longer needed after the new building at that time.
Church front
Choir vault
Old organ
South view
Coordinates: 49 ° 19 ′ 7 ″ N , 9 ° 22 ′ 51 ″ E