St. Johann Church (Schaffhausen)
St. Johann is a Protestant church in the old town of Schaffhausen ( Canton Schaffhausen ). Construction began around 1000. In 1990, the last major renovation was completed.
Parish history
In the Middle Ages, St. Johann was under the patronage of the Benedictine monastery of Allerheiligen Schaffhausen. A “people priest” appointed by the abbot, one or more “helpers” and up to 13 chaplains were on duty, not only in St. Johann itself, but also in its branches. The main pastor at St.Johann was the city's chief pastor, Antistes, dean even before the Reformation.
In the light of the beginning of the Reformation movement, the city of Schaffhausen took over all the monastery properties from the last abbot Michael Eggenstorfer. In addition to the previous town church of St. Johann, the former monastery church, the minster, has now become the town's second main church. The Lord's Supper and baptisms were reserved for St John. From 1529 to 1852 all pastors and "helpers" ("Diacone") at St.Johann were elected by the Small Council, from 1852 to 1876 at least with the participation of a small delegation from the parish together with the government council.
The two main pastors of St. Johann and Münster formed together with the pastor at the hospital from 1536 to 1803 the committee of the "Dreier", also known as the triumvir. They were responsible for running the church under the supervision of the council. One of them, mostly the St.Johann-Pastor, was elected by the Small Council for Antistes, which was usually chosen by the
(Pastors) Synod was also elected dean and as such presided over the synod. It was not until the cantonal constitution of 1876 and ultimately the “church organization” of 1914 that the church gained independence and thus the equal rights of all pastors within the cantonal church and full parish suffrage for the parishes. Until 1984, the salary of both parish offices on St. Johann was paid by the state.
The parish was divided into the three parishes of Sankt Johann, Münster and Steig in 1842, but in 1915 it was reunited into one parish with the church districts of Sankt Johann, Münster, Steig and (since 1959) Zwinglikirche. Since 1973 they have formed four parishes of their own.
In the 21st century, as of 2020, it is a town parish shaped by the regional church with around 2,500 members, two pastors, a social deacon, a secretary, two organists, two mesmeresses, a catechist and a large number of volunteers. The parish and the pastorate lead the congregation together.
Dimensions
The five-aisled nave is irregular. Neither side is the same length as the other and neither is rectangular.
Central nave
The inner length of the central nave is 38.5 m, the widest point is 10.1 m, the height to the ceiling 16.5 m, above it to the ridge 7.1 m, a total of 23.6 m.
Longhouse
The widest part of the nave 31 m.
Choir
The choir is 15.7 m long and 8.2 m wide.
tower
The tower is 68 m high.
Building history
The history of the origins of the Church of St. Johann
In 1045 the city of Schaffhausen received the right to mint. “Scafhusun” is mentioned for the first time. It can be assumed that a first church already existed at this time. The excavations from 1983-1989 uncovered remains of the wall of a first small stone church 3.4 m below today's church floor. A simple hall with an adjacent rectangular choir.
The church was repeatedly adapted to the rapidly growing population. In the 12th century, the hall building, which had already been extended to 32.8 m in length, was supplemented by a 3.8 m wide aisle. The rectangular choir, a sacristy and a tower with the same footprint as the cathedral tower characterize this church. The walls are now marked in the paving around the choir.
12th Century
In 1248 the parish or parish church was directly subordinated to the abbot of All Saints. (Foundation of the monastery in 1049). Since the parish of Sankt Michael bei Büsingen was also subordinated to the abbot at the same time, it can be assumed that the Schaffhausen residents were part of the Büsingen church up to this point.
In the first mentions of the church we find in 1261 that the church was consecrated to John (ecclesia sancti Johannis). In 1295 the double patronage was supplemented, i.e. the consecration to John the Baptist and the Evangelist.
14th Century
At the end of the 14th century a new three-nave Gothic church was built. The floor was raised 2.7 m. The level of the adjoining cemetery rose over time due to the burials and made adjustments necessary. In the basement of the church, thanks to this elevation, we find the well-preserved remains of the Romanesque predecessor churches. In 1408, the city accounts mention the construction of a bay window on the tower as a guard house. 1409 Attachment of a striking clock made by a Rheinau monk with a dial on the south side of the tower. In 1420 the "big bell" was hung in the tower. A load of 200 bricks and 3000 shingles “on the turn” in 1445/46 suggest that a roof was being built on the tower. According to the Storm Order of 1445, a watchman had to be on the tower day and night.
1466-1472 Extension of the central nave and the inner aisles towards the west (to the Kronengässlein) by a yoke to the current length. The roof truss and upper cladding also date from this time. The portal in the west towards Vordergasse from 1467 has also been preserved.
15th century
1515 Widening of the church by adding the outer aisles to its present size.
At the end of the renovation, the new building, the ossuary and cemetery, was consecrated in 1517 by the auxiliary bishop of Basel on behalf of the Bishop of Constance. At that time there were 12 altars in the church. Only four years before the first iconoclasm in 1524, the frescoes were attached to the southern outer wall in 1520.
After the Reformation On September 30, 1529, one day after the Reformation was introduced, the pictures and altars were destroyed. The niche with the Madonna on the tower is bricked up and the organ demolished. In 1532 everything was completely unadorned. "Trimmings and tinsel were gone, the word alone was there in its power".
In 1541 the cemetery was moved to today's Mosergarten. The market previously located by the Fronwaagturm was now located in front of the church.
In 1597 the organ should be made playable again. As a result of objection from the clergy, the decision was reversed and the pipes were poured into wine jugs.
16./17. century
In 1612 the council decided to erect a stone bench of shame for "useless and dissolute people" on the lower steps of the church.
In 1733/34 the church was whitewashed again and the old wooden ceiling was completely removed. The baroque stucco ceilings of the central nave and the inner aisles are by Johann Jakob Schärer (1667-1746). Above the choir arch, where the “Last Judgment” once lay, the coat of arms of the state and the state with the slogan “Deus spes nostra est” (God is our hope) was placed.
18th century
1835/36 During this interior renovation, the bricked, Gothic rood screen (first mentioned in 1436) was removed and the pulpit moved. The sales booths around the choir and apse outside the church were removed in 1842. In 1851 the choir was separated with a transom wall to serve as a heated church service room.
1879 The romantic organ by Johann Nepomuk Kuhn was at the center of the renovations. It was on an iron gallery that was removed in 1985. The transom wall to the choir was removed again and gas heating and lighting were installed throughout the church. Two rose windows were used on the west side.
Latest time
1983 - 1990 total renovation: demolition of the gallery and installation of a hydraulic concert stage. New seating with sliding benches for 1040 seats, which can be aligned with both the choir and the stage. Restoration and renewal of the organ. Construction of underground musician's rooms and technical rooms with consideration for archaeological excavation results.
March 1990 After 7 years of excavation work and total restoration for 12 million francs, inauguration of the renewed church. Priority was given to the preservation of the monument as a place of worship, taking into account the fact that famous conductors and musicians have valued the sound development and acoustics of the large church area since 1870. (After a concert on October 17, 1928, Albert Schweitzer praised the organ's particularly "soft and fine tone".) Since 1946, the International Bach Festivals have been known far and wide.
“Inside, the task was to remedy the gloomy, restricted effect and to allow the entire space, which was fundamentally Gothic, with baroque ceilings and probably uniquely beautifully structured, to become an experience in its entire size, while at the same time taking into account the needs of church and concert use to wear. ” (Meinrad Scherrer and Peter Hartung, architects).
organ
The church has a romantic organ that was built by Orgelbau Kuhn in 1879 . The instrument was revised in 1929 and 1990 and today has 67 stops on three manuals and pedal . A special feature is the clarinet in manual II. It is located in a separate swell box .
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- Coupling: II / I, III / I, III / II, I / P, II / P, III / P
Further use
Orchestra and choir concerts are performed in the church.
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b Schaffhauserland: Parish Church St. Johann ( Memento of the original from November 29, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , accessed November 17, 2014.
- ^ City of Schaffhausen: St. Johann , accessed on November 17, 2014.
- ^ Parish history, Evang.-ref. Parish of St Johann-Münster. Accessed January 30, 2020 .
- ↑ St. John Dimensions, Evang.-ref. Parish of St Johann-Münster. Accessed January 30, 2020 .
- ↑ https://www.ref-sh.ch/kg/sjm/stj_baugeschichte
- ↑ Portrait of the instrument at the organ building company, accessed on April 17, 2011.
literature
- Cornelia Stäheli, Hans Lieb, Kurt Bänteli: The town church of Sankt Johann in Schaffhausen. (Swiss Art Guide, No. 548). Ed. Society for Swiss Art History GSK. Bern 1994, ISBN 978-3-85782-548-4 .
Web links
Coordinates: 47 ° 41 '47.3 " N , 8 ° 38' 9.6" E ; CH1903: 689882 / two hundred eighty-three thousand five hundred fifty-nine