Kreuzkapelle (Kitzingen)
The Kreuzkapelle ( Chapel of the Holy Cross , Holy Cross ) is a small baroque Catholic church in the Etwashausen district of the city of Kitzingen . It was built from 1741 according to the plans of Balthasar Neumann and ceremoniously consecrated in 1745.
The originality and the level of Neumann's architecture are remarkable for a village church and need not shy away from comparison to its other sacred buildings.
Client
The client was the Würzburg prince-bishop Friedrich Carl von Schönborn . Heilig-Kreuz is Neumann's most elaborate village church, as it should be a significant counterpart to the Evangelical Church of St. Michael, which was built in the immediate vicinity with Schönborn's permission. The prince-bishop wanted to demonstrate liberality on the one hand and the absolute primacy of the Catholic Church on the other. The result was one of Neumann's most unadorned buildings, which were entirely focused on architecture.
architecture
The floor plan of Heilig-Kreuz corresponds to the façade tower type widespread in Franconia, which - according to the patronage - develops from the shape of the Latin cross. The building material is Franconian sandstone, the roof was covered with slate. The facade is rounded and centered almost entirely on the central axis from which the relatively low tower with onion dome and four bells grows. Because of the risk of fire, the prince-bishop wanted a solid vault.
Neumann's original plans were for an optimal rotunda in the crossing area. By rounding off the corners, the crossing was expanded in its base area before it was completed in 1745. The fillets run over a common base circle, the rotunda can already be seen in the outer wall. The crossing rotunda is a four-arcade rotunda with pairs of columns, which is schematically based on the construction of the Schönborn chapel of the Würzburg cathedral. Compared to this, however, the pillars are detached from the back, so that a connection is created between the wall parts and the pillars. The room always appears to be in motion, as room openings and views are formed and the light is refracted by the pillars. In addition, the arch sits directly on the pillars. The cylindrical gusset walls are missing, which is why the arched arcades in the original concept cut back into the vaulted shell and the whole thing becomes so low that a uniform vaulted zone is created. The internal structure gains transparency and space. The pairs of columns and the arching arches form the inner shell of the rotunda, the outer one is created by the rounded pieces of wall of the quadrangle corners, which are placed concentrically around the inner rotunda. It forms the reserve for the pairs of pillars. Neumann also used the effect of surrounding a room by room (envelope effect) for the design of the choir and gallery. He separated the end of the choir from the choir yoke by a three arcade of Tuscan order. The counterpart is a similar arcature , now with pilasters, in the entrance and gallery area.
Neumann's plans with regard to the vault, however, overwhelmed the local construction management. The builder therefore replaced arched arcades and intermediate vaults with four stitch caps. You now cut deeply into the vaulted shell in a pointed triangular shape, which only consists of narrow feet and a flat crown. The rotunda idea of the substructure is thus turned into its opposite. The originally planned elegant arching is replaced in the arching by a hardness and bulkiness of the appearance.
Due to the low emphasis on the long arm in relation to the other three cross arms, the room appears concentrated on the crossing and thus as a central room . The intersection forms an unequal octagon with a deep dome vault.
Furnishing
The interior has no painting or stucco, it is just painted white. According to the client's wishes, the altars and pulpit are also designed with restraint.
The altar has a structure with angel figures and was probably created by a master close to Johann Peter Wagner . It was donated by Johann Caspar Barthel (1697 to 1771), Dean of Haug Monastery in Würzburg and Regens of the Seminary. A cross with Mary Magdalene rises on the back wall. Figures of Mary and John are enthroned above the entrances, in the windows of the side arms Peter and Paul of the former high altar of the parish church of St. John. The pulpit from 1799 was made by Heinrich Nickel, a student of Johann Peter Wagner.
Consecration
The church consecration took place on October 17th in 1745, exactly 1000 years after the consecration of the Benedictine monastery in Kitzingen in 745. According to tradition, the celebrations were unusually large and lavish, at least for the village conditions of Etwashausen.
To commemorate the inauguration of the Kreuzkapelle, the Etwashauser Kirchweih ( Ebshäuser Kerm ) takes place every year on the second or third Sunday in October. The four-day celebrations are known far beyond the city limits of Kitzingen and not only the festive procession with marching bands, carriages decorated with vegetables and dignitaries attracts many visitors and spectators.
For the Etwashaus, the parish fair also fulfills the purpose of the harvest festival. As a rule, an ecumenical service is celebrated in the Kreuzkapelle on Monday.
additional
- The Kreuzkapelle is a protected cultural asset according to the Hague Conventions .
- In the summer months the mass is currently held every Sunday at 7:00 p.m. The chapel cannot be adequately heated in the cold months.
- The floor plan of the Kreuzkapelle, a Latin cross , was shown between 1991 and 2002 on the back of the 50 DM note that was then in circulation .
swell
- ↑ a b [1] ( Page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , As of October 11, 2007, with the kind permission and support of the Diocese of Würzburg (press office, building and art department) of October 11, 2007
literature
- Max H. von Freeden: Balthasar Neumann. Life and work . Deutscher Kunstverlag, Munich 1981, ISBN 3-422-00118-2
Web links
Coordinates: 49 ° 44 ′ 29 ″ N , 10 ° 10 ′ 1.8 ″ E