Reformed church in Bremgarten near Bern

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Bremgarten church in winter 2012

The Reformed Church of St. Michael Bremgarten in Bremgarten near Bern has been part of the Mathäus parish of Bern since 1960. The unadorned building was probably built in the 10th century instead of a previous building from the Celtic-Roman period on the Aare peninsula and was later rebuilt and expanded several times.

history

Rectory and Church, 1827

Archaeological finds prove Bremgarten's important location on the way to the Aare crossing to the Celtic-Roman settlement on the Engeh peninsula . Presumably instead of a Roman consecration of Mercury, already in the 4th – 5th The first church dedicated to Archangel Michael was built in the 19th century. The Aare formed the border between the diocese of Constance, created in the 7th century, and the diocese of Lausanne, which further enhanced the value of the church on the peninsula. After the decline of Carolingian rule, Bremgarten was founded in the 10th century. Baron Burkhard I and his son attended the celebrations for the founding of the Johanniter Commandery of Münchenbuchsee . Their castle was the predecessor of today's baroque palace in Bremgarten . The present church was built in the 10th century. Originally a simple, 14.5 by 7 meter, Romanesque hall building with an apse and small arched windows, probably equipped with a flat ceiling and a gable roof with a ridge turret. In the 12./13. In the 18th century, during the heyday of the Freiherrschaft, the nave was extended to the west by 4.5 meters and the tower was added. The visible masonry of the tower consists largely of tuff and is covered with a cheese bite roof.

After the battle in the Jammertal against Habsburg, the up-and-coming city of Bern took the rule of Bremgarten in 1298 and sold it in 1306 to the Order of St. John Münchenbuchsee. During their reign, in the 14th and 15th centuries, the semicircular Romanesque apse of the church was replaced by a Gothic choir, which towers above the nave. The sacristy and the Gothic windows on the south side of the nave also date from this period. After the Reformation and the dissolution of the Johanniterkloster, the rule with the church came to the city of Bern. Because of the poverty of the surrounding population, the end of the parish threatened in the following centuries. Only Albrecht Frisching , the last overlord of Bremgarten, achieved a new boost and in 1798 Bremgarten was given a seat in the choir court. In the 19th century, the church lost more and more importance in the political environment and its structural condition deteriorated due to moisture and the infestation with dry rot. In 1925 there was an overall renovation that still shapes the appearance today.

Furnishing

With the renovation in 1925, the church received the three new glass windows in the choir by Louis Moilliet, as well as the striking color of the woodwork based on Moilliet's design, which is buried here in the family grave in the cemetery. The architect Karl Indermühle directed the extensive renovation . The last complete restoration from 1978/79 enabled the exposed masonry to be exposed and an insight into the history of the building. Wall painting fragments were made visible in the choir and the walled niches were opened. The grave slab of the knight Rudolf von Erlach , the victor at Laupen, is placed above the sacristy door and more are set up in the sacristy. The sandstone baptismal font was stripped of paint and the pulpit was moved to the north side of the choir arch. With the installation of floor heating and the new lighting, the church is now adapted to the needs of today.

Organs

The Goll organ with 12 registers from 1905, with a prospectus after Karl Indermühle, was replaced in 1951 by a new instrument with 14 registers by R. Ziegler from Geneva and again in 2002 by the new Metzler organ , which was inaugurated at Easter 2002.

I main work C – f 3
1. Viola d'Amore 8th'
2. Flauto 8th'
3. Vivara 8th'
4th Principal 4 ′
5. Gemshorn 4 ′
6th Octave 2 ′
7th mixture 1 1 ⁄ 3  ′
8th. Dulcian 8th'
II Positive C – f 3
9. Dumped 8th'
10. Wooden flute 4 ′
11. Nazard 2 2 ⁄ 3  ′
12. Forest flute 2 ′
13. third 1 3 ⁄ 5  ′
Tremulant
Zimbelstern
Birdsong
Pedals C – f 1
14th Sub bass 16 ′
15th Octavbass 8th'
16. trombone 8th'

Web links

Commons : Reformed Church, Bremgarten near Bern  - collection of images, videos and audio files

literature

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Organ of the Church

Coordinates: 46 ° 58 '35.4 "  N , 7 ° 26' 42.6"  E ; CH1903:  600497  /  202825