St. Viktor Church (Schwerte)

St. Viktor Church

Inner direction of the choir

portal

The St. Viktor Church is a Protestant church in Schwerte and the city's landmark.

history

The St. Viktor Church goes back to a donation from the Cappenberg matron Reinmod, who gave the Schwerte farm to the Viktor Stift in Xanten in 1032 . In 1050 St. Viktor was built as a subsidiary church of the monastery. About a hundred years later, the central nave was built, the oldest construction section still preserved today. In the 13th century, St. Viktor was expanded into a Romanesque basilica .

Schwerte achieved prosperity as a Hanseatic city in the 15th century and St. Viktor was expanded to a three-aisled Gothic hall church . In addition, craftsmen built the church tower in front of it , which in the 21st century is a recognizable “leaning tower”, a trademark of the sword.

After the Reformation , St. Viktor became a Lutheran church.

Furnishing

The heart of the church is the Antwerp reredos , also known as the Golden Altar , created by painters and sculptors from the Antwerp Guild of Saint Luke . The approximately 8.5-meter-high altarpiece from oak was erected at Easter 1,523th The central shrine shows 15 scenes from the childhood of Jesus , the Passion , St. Gregory's Mass and the Mater Dolorosa . The pairs of wings are artfully decorated with 72 painted scenes. A relic of St. Viktor is embedded . The figure of the baby Jesus was lost over 100 years ago. It was remade by a sculptor in 2015. In 2018 the altar was restored.

The previous altar, the Seven Painful Altar from 1518, is no longer completely preserved. It is one of the few known altars that a Westphalian master created. A predella from this altar with the figures of the apostles was taken over in the Antwerp carved altar.

A crucifixion fresco, also by a Westphalian master, which shows Jesus together with Mary and the disciple Johannes , survived until 1943 . It dates back to 1310.

The pulpit in baroque style from 1666 shows the four evangelists on the pulpit. Martin Luther with a Bible in hand is shown at the entrance gate, on the sound cover of the pulpit Paul symbolizes God's word.

organ

The organ was built in 2014 by the organ building company Alfred Kern & Sons ( Strasbourg ), has 27 sounding registers , including 3 extended registers in the pedal , on two manuals and pedal. The game action is mechanical, the stop action is electric. The instrument has the following disposition :

I main work C–

1.

Bourdon

16 ′

2.

Principal

08th'

3.

Gamba

08th'

4th

Bourdon

08th'

5.

Praestant

04 ′

6th

Fifth

02 ² ⁄ ₃  ′

7th

Cornet V (from g ⁰ )

8th.

octave

02 ′

9.

Mixture IV

10.

Trumpets

08th'

Tremulant

II Swell C–

11.

Flute traverse

8th'

12.

Salicional

8th'

13.

Vox Coelestis

8th'

14th

Principal

4 ′

15th

Flute Octaviante

4 ′

16.

Nazard

2 ² ⁄ ₃  ′

17th

Octavine

2 ′

18th

Tierce

1 ³ ⁄ ₅  ′

19th

Mixture III

20th

Basson et Hautbois

8th'

21st

Voix Humaine

8th'

tremolo

Pedals C–

22nd

Soubasse

16 ′

23.

Principal Basse

08th'

24.

Bourdon (Ext. No. 22)

08th'

25th

Flute (Ext. No. 22)

04 ′

26th

Bombard

16 ′

27.

Trumpet (Ext. No. 26)

08th'

Coupling : II / I, I / P, II / P, octave coupling
Secondary register: 2 tremulants
Playing aids : setter , storage for wind stabilization

Bells

In the 21st century, the west tower carries a three-part chill cast iron bell from the Ulrich & Weule foundry from 1920, tuned to the tones c sharp ', e' and g '. The bells are named "Peace", "Justice" and "Joy". A bronze clock chiming bell from 1523 hangs on the outside of the tower, which strikes the hour. The little bell "Joy" strikes the quarter and calls three times a day to prayer.