Evangelical Church in Herrnhaag
The Evangelical Church in Herrnhaag with the surrounding cemetery is located in the former settlement of the Moravian Brethren on the Herrnhaag in the Wetterau district in Hesse .
history
A "Church at Houc" was mentioned as early as the 13th century. This was built in the Gothic style. The foundations of the church tower, a round tower, are located in front of the main entrance of the current church. The church was handed over to Cistercian women by Ludwig I of Ysenburg in 1264 . After the nuns moved to Marienborn, the monastery was torn down, but the church of the monastery remained for the worship services of the neighboring communities. In 1541 the monastery gave all rights to the church to the Counts of Büdingen. The patronage rights to the church and its occupation with a pastor remained in the possession of the house of Ysenburg.
In the 18th century the Moravian Brethren settled on the Herrnhaag and took over the church. The church was looted and destroyed several times at the beginning of the 19th century until it finally caught fire in a thunderstorm in February 1818 and burned down to the foundation walls. In the following years the services were held outdoors in summer and in the school buildings of the surrounding congregations in winter. On August 21, 1834, the construction of a new church by the Grand Ducal master builder Holzapfel von Friedberg began. The new church was consecrated on December 6, 1835.
Initially, the church managed without an organ and the services were framed with music. When the local music association dissolved, it was decided to build an organ. In 1845 the organ builder Ratzmann built the current organ for 565 guilders, which were raised through donations and grants from the local communities.
In 1867 a bell in the tower had to be replaced by Philipp Heinrich Bach because the old one had a crack. The older bell was dismantled and melted down during the First World War . In 1923 the interior of the church was renovated after long arguments. While the pastor was campaigning for the renovation, the community representatives preferred to invest the money in a new bell and a memorial for those who died in the First World War. The pastor prevailed and the church was given a new interior painting, doors and windows were renovated. In 1925 a second bell was bought again.
The church survived the Second World War almost unscathed. The church and the cemetery, which are owned by the surrounding parishes, were handed over to the parish in 1949, as the cities no longer wanted to pay for the financial obligations. In the same year the church was electrified and extensively renovated in 1951. In 1957 it was decided to purchase two new bells and to renovate the church tower. The new bells were cast in mind by the Rincker brothers , a metal bell cage was built and the tower was covered with slate.
Geographical location
The church and the cemetery are located around 200 m east of the Herrnhaag building ensemble at 197 meters above sea level on an agricultural ridge on the L 3193 between Diebach am Haag and Lorbach in the northwest part of the Vonhausen district .
architecture
The hall church was built in neoclassical style with a roof turret as a bell tower. It has three high arched windows on each side. The church is a listed building as part of the Herrnhaag building ensemble.
source
Coordinates: 50 ° 15 '53.2 " N , 9 ° 5' 24.1" E