St. Johannis Church (Bad Schandau)
The St. Johannis Church is the Evangelical Lutheran town church in Bad Schandau . The church currently on the market dates from the 18th century and houses in its interior a valuable altar from the Renaissance , originally for the Dresdner Cross Church was created.
history
As early as 1445, old records speak of a kyrchlehn zu Schandaw . At that time there was a small chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary in Bad Schandau , which was a branch church of Lichtenhain until 1459 . Since 1459 (with the exception of the years 1544/45) it formed its own parish , which over time took over responsibility for Rathmannsdorf , Wendischfähre , Ostrau , Postelwitz and Schmilka .
The small chapel was expanded in 1557. As early as 1570 there were plans to replace the wooden bell tower, which had been damaged several times by floods, and a nationwide collection took place in 1610 . But it was not until 1645 that a massive stone bell tower was built on the west side of the church, with a square cross-section in the lower section and an octagonal cross-section in the upper section. The tower was also intended to serve as a refuge for the Bad Schandau residents (the construction period fell in the middle of the Thirty Years War ). The idea of the escape tower came from the pastor of the community, who came from Transylvania at the time , and who had borrowed it from the fortified churches of his homeland. The community received a loan of 300 guilders from the Dresden Kreuzkirche for the construction .
The population growth that began after the end of the Thirty Years' War also required a structural expansion of the nave , which was rebuilt in 1668–1671 in its current size. Elector Johann Georg III also took part in the new church . Participated in church services in 1683 and 1686 when he was hunting in Saxon Switzerland . A devastating city fire on June 8, 1704 destroyed 102 houses as well as the St. John's Church. The rebuilding of the nave was completed in 1709 and that of the tower in 1711. When the tower was rebuilt, it was given a baroque dome crowned with lanterns . Postelwitz sandstone was used as building material for the entire church . The external structural design of the church has largely remained unchanged since the reconstruction.
The interior, however, was damaged by severe floods from the Elbe in 1784, 1799 and 1845 (see also Floods and Natural Disasters in Saxony ). When the Elbe floods in 1845 , the water was up to the upper edge of the pulpit parapet. A comprehensive redesign of the interior was carried out in 1876/77 to remove the flood damage. The north portal was walled up and a wooden coffered ceiling , one-story galleries and colored windows were installed in the chancel. The renovation costs amounted to almost 50,000 gold marks .
A thorough renovation of the tower took place in 1978–1980. The church underwent the last renovations after the Elbe flood in 2002 , when the water was just below the gallery. The old wooden benches, which were firmly mounted on pedestals, were replaced by mobile chairs, and as far as possible, the technology was installed in the tower at the height of the galleries to be flood-proof. When the Elbe floods in 2006 , the water was 30 cm high in the church. In June 2013 the apex was about one meter lower than 11 years earlier. The furniture of the church and on the ground floor of the rectory could be cleared in time for the approaching flood.
Building description
altar
The two-storey of sandstone carved with marble and semi-precious stones decorated Renaissance altarpiece created Hans Walther II. 1574-1579 for the Dresdner Cross Church . After the church was destroyed in the Seven Years' War (1760) , the altar was moved to the rebuilt St. Anne's Church in 1768 , where it remained until 1902. In 1927 he was taken to Bad Schandau.
The floors are supported by Corinthian and Ionic columns . The main field shows reliefs of the Lord's Supper and the Passover meal . The upper floor shows the crucified Jesus Christ and two angels with a scourge column and cross , over Christ God the Father spreads his blessing arms. The Roman numerals I to X are reminiscent of the Ten Commandments . The four seated evangelists flank God the Father. To the left and right of the altar there are depictions of John the Baptist and the Apostle Paul .
pulpit
The baroque pulpit was carved out of a piece of sandstone. In 1705 it replaced the pulpit which had been destroyed in the fire the previous year. It is carried by Moses with the tablets of the law. On the parapet there are depictions of Christ, the globe and the four evangelists. The pulpit was a gift from the escort and raft scribe Gottfried Conrad and bears his name, monogram and the family coat of arms. Conrad had already donated a new pulpit when the nave was extended in 1668–1671.
Man of Sorrows
The Man of Sorrows is a valuable late Gothic carving from the 15th century. It depicts the resting Christ and is located on the left of the high altar between the left choir window and gallery on a console.
organ
St. John's Church received its first organ in 1627 in connection with the installation of a new choir . Only 20 years later it was replaced by a new organ worth 200 guilders, which was destroyed in the fire in 1704. Replacement was delivered in 1719 by the organ builder Tamitius from Zittau (cost: 475 thalers). In the course of the interior renovation in 1876/77, a new organ from the Eule company from Bautzen valued at 6,700 gold marks was installed. Today's organ was supplied by Jehmlich Orgelbau Dresden in 1927 . The organ has a pneumatic action and a free pipe prospect .
High altar by Hans Walther II.
Main field of the high altar
Moses as the support of the pulpit
Detail on the parapet of the pulpit
Resting Christ as Man of Sorrows
Detail on the lower left choir window
High water marks
In the nave, high water marks have marked the Elbe floods since 1784. During the renovation of the interior in 1876/77, a sloping sandstone floor was installed, which allows the water to drain off better, and the interior was veneered with thin sandstone slabs up to a height of 2 meters for flood protection.
literature
- Georg Buchwald: New Saxon Church Gallery: Ephorie Pirna. Arwed Strauch publishing house, Leipzig 1904.
- Walter Hentschel: Dresden sculptor of the 16th and 17th centuries . Hermann Böhlaus Nachf., Weimar 1966, pp. 50–52; 127–128 (to the altar).
- Alfred Meiche: Historical-topographical description of the Pirna administration. Publishing house of the von Baensch Foundation, Dresden 1927.
- Dietmar Möschner: Churches in Saxon-Bohemian Switzerland. Bad Schandau 2002, ISBN 3-9806841-0-5 .
- without author: Saxony's church gallery. Fourth volume, fifth section: The Pirna, Altenberg and Dippoldiswalda inspections. Hermann Schmidt publishing house, Dresden around 1840.
- Gerhardt Schmidt: The churches in Saxon Switzerland. Evangelical Publishing House, Berlin 1990.
Web links
Coordinates: 50 ° 55 ′ 2 ″ N , 14 ° 9 ′ 16.7 ″ E