Michaelskirche (Kürnbach)
The Protestant Michaelskirche in Kürnbach in the district of Karlsruhe in Baden-Württemberg goes back to a church that already existed around the year 800 and was rebuilt around 1725 after being destroyed in the Thirty Years War. The most important work of art in the church is the ornate Renaissance tomb for Bernhard von Sternenfels and his wife.
history
In Kürnbach there is said to have been the first, at that time still wooden, church, which is mentioned as basilica ad Quirinbach in the Carolingian property of the Weißenburg monastery . In the Romanesque era , this wooden basilica was replaced by a massive stone building, from which the substructure of the church tower (today's sacristy ) still comes.
The church was complained about as dilapidated as early as 1443, but a new building was delayed by more than 50 years, as there was initially a dispute between the diocese of Speyer , the Teutonic Order and the municipality of Kürnbach about the obligation to build. From 1499 to 1501 the church was renovated in the late Gothic style, with the building obligation being divided between the three disputed parties: the diocese of Speyer built the nave , the Teutonic Order the choir and the congregation the half- timbered tower structure.
The church was consecrated to Archangel Michael in the Middle Ages , was named Liebfrauenkirche after 1297 and was later given its original name again - probably during the Reformation . The keystones of the elaborate net vault of the choir from 1501 show both the German heraldic coat of arms and the craftsman's mark, both the Archangel Michael and Maria as the crowned Queen of Heaven .
The church was badly damaged in the Thirty Years War , the roof and the tower are said to be completely burned out. Between 1721 and 1726 the church was restored in its present form with a barrel-shaped ceiling and an octagonal tower structure.
Significant renovations in modern times were carried out in the years 1962 to 1964, 1995/96 (church tower), 1998 (exterior renovation) and 2000/01 (interior renovation).
Art treasures
The most important art treasure of St. Michael's Church is the Renaissance tomb of Bernhard III. von Sternenfels and his wife Maria Agatha von Weitershausen. Bernhard III. von Sternenfels († January 10, 1598) was the last representative of the Kürnbach local nobility. After his death, but during the lifetime of his widow, whose death date († 1602) is missing, the tomb was made from sandstone by an unknown artist and shows the couple in life-size statues, which stand in niches formed by pilasters decorated with coats of arms . The tomb is 5 meters high and 2.65 meters wide and is also decorated with relief-like Bible scenes and verses.
In the choir, in the nave and on the outer walls of the church tower there are more grave slabs of the Kürnbach nobility.
The wooden carved and colored painted crucifix in the choir dates from the second half of the 16th century and is 2.30 meters high.
The listed organ of the church in the gallery was built in 1834 by the Heidelberg organ builder Wilhelm Jacob Overmann. The organ has 26 registers and was extensively renovated in 1965 and 2000.
Reticulated vault of the choir
Crucifix in the choir
Grave slab in the choir
Organ from 1834
Bells
Michaelskirche has three bells, the oldest and smallest from 1886. In the First and Second World Wars, the historic bells had to be handed in to be melted down, except for the smallest. The two larger bells of the present day were therefore newly procured in 1949. The bells weigh 250, 470 and 870 kg. The smallest bell is tuned to c sharp and bears the inscription: "Teach us, honor God". The middle bell is tuned to a ' and it says: “So now be awake at all times and pray!”. The largest bell is tuned to Fis' and bears the inscription: "Land, Land, Land, hear the word of the LORD!"
literature
- Evangelical Church Community Kürnbach: Interesting facts about the Evangelical Michael Church in Kürnbach
Web links
Coordinates: 49 ° 4 ′ 41.9 ″ N , 8 ° 50 ′ 42.4 ″ E