Frankendom

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Frankendom in Wölchingen
Look at the choir

The Frankendom (also Evangelical Church Wölchingen , Johanniterkirche and Johanniterkommende ) in Wölchingen , a district of Boxberg in the Main-Tauber district in Baden-Württemberg , is a Romanesque church building from the 13th century. The church is part of the parish Boxberg-Wölchingen , which is assigned to the Protestant church district Adelsheim-Boxberg .

history

The church was probably built between 1220 and 1270 by the Order of St. John in conjunction with the local nobles of Boxberg. The Order of St. John had received goods from Kraft von Boxberg in 1192. The first written mention of the church dates back to 1287, when the Order of St. John also acquired Boxberg Castle . In 1381 the property came to the Knights of Rosenberg , who carried out the Reformation in Boxberg in 1559 , after which the church became a Protestant church. At first it only served the community in Wölchingen, and since the 19th century also the community in Boxberg. The originally towerless structure was given an octagonal tower on the crossing in 1878/79. The last extensive renovations took place in 1961/63 and 1996/97.

description

architecture

Crypt under the choir apse
Knight tombs in the south aisle

The church is a three-aisled pillar basilica with a transept in front of the choir , so that a cross-shaped floor plan results. Central and cross vessel are each of three approximately square Jochen spans, the chorus of one. The side aisles are each spanned by six roughly square bays, the length of which is half as long as that of the central nave bays. The east-facing choir is closed by a semicircular apse over the entire width of the front side, the transept also has semicircular apses to the east. The church has predominantly Romanesque style features , with only a few early Gothic elements.

Under the choir apse is a round crypt , the ceiling of which is supported by a central column with an octagonal capital. The crypt was probably laid out as a holy grave , as indicated by a wall niche for storing a symbolic body of Christ.

The west facade with the main portal is structured by pilaster strips that indicate the division of the aisles inside, also from the outside. The left pilaster strip has a noticeable kink at the base of the side aisle gable. The round-arched portal in the west gable is stepped and flanked on the side by chalice cube capitals. A round arch frieze with grimaces, animal figures and various symbols runs along the gable. Corresponding architectural decorations can also be found on the south portal and on the east side of the church.

Valentin Feuerstein from Neckarsteinach created the stained glass windows of the church between 1961 and 1963. They show scenes from the Old and New Testaments. The main window in the choir apse shows a crucifixion surrounded by the entombment of Christ and the women at the empty tomb. In the rose window above the apse arch, Christ is enthroned as the ruler of the world amid evangelist symbols .

Tombs

There are several historical tombs in the church. The oldest tombs are those in the niches of the right transept and date from the late 13th century. Both tombs show pronounced ribbon and braided ornaments. In the south aisle are the tombs of Arnold von Rosenberg († 1447) and Eberhard X. von Rosenberg († 1449), in between a double tomb of an unspecified knightly couple, all depicted as life-size relief sculptures. One of the two Rosenberg tombs has a German inscription and is considered the oldest tomb with a German inscription in the wider area. Another tomb with a knight statue is located in the north aisle.

Bicycle path church

The Frankendom is designated as a cycle path church.

Web links

Commons : Evangelical Church Boxberg-Wölchingen  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Monasteries BW.de: Johanniter Coming Wölchingen - History . Online at www.kloester-bw.de. Retrieved December 23, 2016.
  2. ↑ Tourism Association Liebliches Taubertal (Ed.): Cycle Path Churches . Brochure. 12 pages. District Office Main-Tauber-Kreis, Tauberbischofsheim, p. 8.

Coordinates: 49 ° 29 ′ 6.1 ″  N , 9 ° 37 ′ 55.1 ″  E