Protestant Church (Wollmesheim)

Protestant church Wollmesheim formerly St. Mauritius, west tower 1094–1105, corner cuboid also Romanesque

The Protestant Church in Wollmesheim is the oldest church building in the Palatinate. It was consecrated to the Holy Cross in 1040 and received the patronage of St. Mauritius . A Simultaneum existed until a Catholic church was built in 1932 .

history

In place of a wooden church mentioned in 991, today's village church was built around 1030. Extensive parts of the wall of the nave, especially the corner edges made of ashlar, have been preserved to this day. On August 18, 1040, it was consecrated by the Speyer Bishop Sigibodo in honor of our Lord Jesus Christ, his glorious cross and the Holy Virgin Mary, the Mother of God . The 24 m high tower was built between 1095 and 1105 and has been completely preserved. The wooden beams are from the time it was built. It offers space for a three-part chime (gis′-h′-cis ″), the middle bell of which was cast by Master Thomas in Trier at the end of the 13th century and is one of the three oldest bells in the Palatinate. In the 18th century the nave was extended and raised to the east. In addition, in keeping with the Baroque era, the church received large, arched windows and a Baroque portal on the south side. For the church's 950th anniversary in 1990, the church underwent a thorough exterior renovation, with two Salic sandstone sarcophagi from around 1025/1030 and two baptismal fonts being excavated. The original west portal on the tower was also opened. In 1994 one of the buried baptismal fonts was placed in the church's altar area.