Princess Franziska Christine Foundation
The Fürstin-Franziska-Christine-Stiftung is an orphanage founded in 1764 by the princess Franziska Christine von Pfalz-Sulzbach in what is now the Steele district of Essen .
history
The foundation stone for the building in the Baroque style was laid in 1764. The client was the abbess Franziska Christine , who initially had the two-winged complex built by court architect Kees and, after his dismissal, by Johann Georg Leydel , which was then completed in 1769. The realization was in the hands of the Düsseldorf contractor Joseph Judas . On December 4th of this year the first children could be accepted. Two reasons led to the construction of the complex, on the one hand out of the hardship of the time, on the other hand the tradition of a princely residence in Steele should continue in the western wing. Because in the then town of Steele there had been a princely residence since the 17th century. With brief interruptions, between 1655 and 1709, Steele was even the permanent residence of the Essen prince abbesses, and state parliaments of the Essen monastery were also held in Steele. Because of this bond, Steele received numerous privileges and favors over the years. Christian charity for orphaned children was not a matter of course at that time, but the princess was able to secure the permanent existence of the institution through a clever testamentary order, which is still not legally contestable today. That is why it survived the secularization of 1803, as well as the abolition of the Essen monastery in 1806. The abbess supported the orphanage with all her private assets. To date, around 35,000 orphans have been given a better start in life through education and upbringing.
In the western wing of the building, which is not freely accessible today, there are still furnishings that date from the time of the princess. This includes a painting called Mohrenbild . A black man gave the picture its name. He is the valet Ignatius Fortuna and is shown here with the abbess in princely garb. This servant was closely connected to her, because she secured him financially after her death, so that after he died on November 24, 1789, he was buried below the tower in the residential chapel.
Residential chapel
The residence chapel with onion dome located between the two residential wings was consecrated in 1770 by the Werden abbot Anselm Sonius . The portal is adorned with the donor's coat of arms crowned by the Essen princely hat. Inside the church there are three baroque altar structures with figures by the artist Josef Feil from Münster , an employee of Johann Conrad Schlaun .
The paintings are by Januarius Zick , which depict the Assumption of Mary in the high altar, Saint Joseph in the left side altar and Saint Aloisius, the patron of youth, in the right. The founder, the penultimate abbess of the Essen monastery, who died on July 16, 1776, was buried in a crypt under the orphanage's chapel. The simple grave slab is in the center aisle.
Orphanage today
The former orphanage has now become a differentiated care offer for children. In addition to the rule groups for children, there are special educational groups as well as independent groups for young people aged 16 and over. The children's emergency room at Matthias-Sommer-Haus was taken over by the Fürstin-Franziska-Christine-Stiftung in October 2004. In addition to childcare, the Fürstin-Franziska-Christine-Stiftung offers apartments for senior citizens, full inpatient care, short-term care and day care .
The building complex was entered in the list of monuments of the city of Essen in 1985.
Web links
- Homepage of the Fürstin-Franziska-Christine-Foundation
- Architectural monument Fürstin-Franziska-Christine-Stiftung (PDF; 477 kB)
Individual evidence
- ^ Hermann Josef Mahlberg : The architect and sculptor Johann Georg Leydel. A contribution to the Rhenish architectural history of the 18th century , Cologne 1973, p. 88 ff.
Coordinates: 51 ° 27 ′ 1 ″ N , 7 ° 4 ′ 22 ″ E