Rysumer Church

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Rysumer Church
Worship room, 2015

The Evangelical Reformed Rysum Church stands on the highest point of the round throws in the East Frisian town of Rysum in the Krummhörn . The structure of today's church dates back to the 12th century and probably had several previous buildings. The furnishings of the church are of national art historical importance. Mention should be made here of the oldest still playable organ in Northern Europe , which has been preserved in its basic inventory, from 1457.

history

Exposed consecration cross
Painted pillar

The village wharf of Rysum was laid out in the early Middle Ages. Its apex is around six meters above sea level. After Christianization , the first wooden church was probably built on the highest point of the terp in the 11th century at the latest. The village dance had previously been held at this point . In addition, the area served as a meeting point for cattle during storm surges. Fething still preserved today testifies to this importance . In earlier times it served as a freshwater reservoir when the terp was surrounded by sea water.

In the 12th century the church was replaced by a stone structure.

In the 14th century, a brick tower was built in place of the old choir tower . At the beginning of the 15th century, the old nave of the church was replaced by a rectangular hall building and added to the tower. The tufa that was used as building material for the old church was reused to build the lower part of the new church. According to an inscription, the church tower was completely renovated in 1585. The tower lost its top in 1686. The interior of the church is simply designed, in it is a pulpit that was built in 1801.

A church restoration lasting several years was completed in 2009. The mirror ceiling from the 19th century was removed so that the church now has a uniform medieval beam ceiling again. Romanesque structures were uncovered in the tower (east choir) , remains of scriptures indicating a post-Reformation use as a sacrament room, consecration crosses from the 15th century throughout the church and a “grave of Christ”.

description

The organ from the 15th century.

The church was built from Dutch bricks and tuff , with the tuff material likely coming from a previous building. The building, including the tower, has a length of 35.4 meters and a height of 10.1 meters. Its masonry consists mainly of tuff up to a height of 4.5 meters, above that mainly of bricks.

The oldest component still preserved today is the tower made entirely of bricks, which was built in the 13th century and completely renovated in 1585. Inside it has a box choir from around 1270, which is of particular art historical importance. The tower is connected to the nave by a wide arch.

The nave was added to the west of the tower in the Gothic style in the 15th century , through which the building has been entered ever since. The west gable is structured by three ogival blind niches, underneath is the walled-up west portal. The nave has three large pointed arch windows on its north and south sides , which were formerly provided with brick central bars. A small window is attached in the north and south close to the east end of the ship, these are so-called hagioscopes .

The interior of the church is dominated by the rectangular hall of the nave . It is closed at the top with a wooden mirrored ceiling that merges into a wooden barrel in the west above the organ gallery.

By dividing the choir walls into groups of three windows with columns, the church is assigned to the Cologne-Rhenish building culture, which found its way into the Krummhörn and the neighboring Groningerland via the diocese of Münster .

The organ of the Rysum church was probably built around 1440 or in 1457 and is considered one of the oldest playable organs in the world.

See also

literature

  • Hans-Bernd Rödiger, Heinz Ramm: Frisian churches in Auricherland, Norderland, Brokmerland and in Krummhörn , volume 2. Verlag CL Mettcker & Söhne, Jever (2nd edition) 1983, p. 76.
  • Hermann Haiduck: The architecture of the medieval churches in the East Frisian coastal area . 2nd Edition. Ostfriesische Landschaftliche Verlags- und Vertriebs-GmbH, Aurich 2009, ISBN 978-3-940601-05-6 , p. 108 ff., 118, 160 .

Web links

Commons : Rysumer Kirche  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Holger Balder: The Rysumer Church - a newly discovered treasure , viewed on June 7, 2013.
  2. ↑ a b c Monika van Lengen: Ev.-ref. Church and organ in Rysum , viewed on September 16, 2012.
  3. ↑ a b c German Foundation for Monument Protection: Funding project Dorfkirche Rysum ( Memento from February 10, 2013 in the web archive archive.today )
  4. ↑ a b c d local chronicles of the East Frisian landscape: Rysum, municipality Krummhörn, district Aurich (PDF file; 36 kB), viewed on May 17, 2011.
  5. ^ Ingeborg Nöldeke: Hidden treasures in East Frisian village churches - hagioscopes, rood screens and sarcophagus lids - overlooked details from the Middle Ages . Isensee Verlag, Oldenburg 2014, ISBN 978-3-7308-1048-4 , p. 108 ff.

Coordinates: 53 ° 22 '46.3 "  N , 7 ° 2' 7.2"  E