St. Gallus (Lichtensteig)

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St. Gallus Church, tower
Aerial view from the north

The St. Gallus Church is the Roman Catholic church in Lichtensteig in the canton of St. Gallen . It was built by architect Walter M. Förderer on a hill above the old town.

history

History and naming

The place Lichtensteig is mentioned for the first time in a document from 1228 as a fortified place of the Counts of Toggenburg . It can be assumed that the small town already had a church at the time it was founded, which was looked after by the Wattwil parish . In 1425 the last Count of Toggenburg, Friedrich VII., And the inhabitants had collected money for the foundation of a parish church so that it could have been built. But this foundation was opposed to other requests: The mother parish Wattwil did not want to release Lichtensteig from the parish association, Abbot Eglolf of the St. Gallen monastery also claimed the right of appointment for the future parish of Lichtensteig, which is why the Count of Toggenburg should have waived the right of collage . After the Wattwil parish had been financially compensated and the count had been able to come to an agreement with the abbot, the foundation act for the Lichtensteig parish took place on October 17, 1435. In the 15th century the parish was expanded with the establishment of two chaplains ; at that time around 400 people lived in the parish area.

The Reformation also caused Lichtensteig to split the population into followers of the new faith and those of the old faith. Huldrych Zwingli , himself a Toggenburger , gained an important following through friends and relatives, but especially through the town clerk Heinrich Steiger. Joachim Zürcher and Schultheiss Forer supported the adherents of the old faith . However, these could not prevail, so that on August 23, 1528 the majority of the Lichtensteiger spoke out in favor of the change to the new faith. This was followed by the iconoclasm , the abolition of the chaplain fringe and the removal of the fund for the beneficiary houses , so that the abbot Franz von St. Gallen and Schwyz, as the place of protection of the monastery, brought an action in the Diet of Baden . The Second Kappel War and the Battle of the Gubel in 1531 ended positively for the Catholics, so that Catholic worship was allowed again in Lichtensteig. As a result, the local church served both the Catholics and the Reformed from 1531 to 1967 as an equal church.

In the post-Reformation period, the visit of St. Karl Borromeo was important, who stayed in Lichtensteig in Lichtensteig on his trip to his sister Hortensia, Countess zu Hohenems , from 25th to 26th August 1570 in the house of Bailiff Baltasar Tschudi. The Capuchins brought to Switzerland by Borromeo also began preaching in Lichtensteig. As a result, the desire arose to build a Capuchin monastery in Lichtensteig. However, the Capuchins refrained from doing this when it became known around 1615 that the monastery should have been supported by well-known donations from important personalities, but that the provision of the funds was not entirely guaranteed. In 1657, the translation of the relics of the martyr Marianus from Rome to Lichtensteig was celebrated as part of a procession and a baroque festival . His bones rest in today's church on the right side of the chancel . In 1678 Landvogt Hug Ludwig Reding von Biberegg and his wife Anna Maria von Roll founded a Loreto pilgrimage chapel . This replica of the holy house of Loreto was consecrated by Auxiliary Bishop Georg Sigismund of the Diocese of Constance on May 16, 1680.

  • Exterior view from the northwest

  • Church tower, close-up

  • Cornerstone

Development and construction history

The growing population of Lichtensteig led to cramped conditions and difficulties with the equal use of the old church of Lichtensteig. Although the two denominations had once again agreed in 1938 to use the church equally for another 30 years, the Catholics founded a church building fund with three donations and grants to prepare for the construction of their own church. In 1949 a Catholic church building association was founded, which promoted the establishment of the church building fund. Both denominations commissioned their authorities by means of a vote on March 18, 1962, to begin negotiations. The Catholics took over the existing church and paid out the Protestant parish, which started building a new church.

The church, which had previously been used equally, was rebuilt in the years 1866–1868. Its neo-Gothic style was considered unconvincing in the 20th century and the structure of the building suggested that the church should be rebuilt. On March 15, 1965, the Catholics made the decision to build a new building. The project competition that was subsequently carried out was judged by the architects Hermann Baur and Karl Higi , among others . On May 12, 1966, the jury awarded first prize to Walter M. Förderer's design entitled Campagne , ahead of the projects by Justus Dahinden and Ernest Brantschen. On July 5, 1967, the parish approved the loan for the building of the church.

The demolition of the old church began on April 22, 1968. The groundbreaking ceremony took place on May 23, 1968 , and the Bishop of St. Gallen , Josephus Hasler , consecrated the foundation stone on September 8, 1968 . Between 1968 and 1970, the St. Gallus Church was built according to plans by Walter M. Förderer. On December 6, 1969, Bishop Hasler consecrated the newly cast bells and on October 18, 1970 he consecrated the church .

Building description

Development process and characteristics

When designing his church buildings, Förderer adhered to a three-dimensional, three-dimensional approach that reflects his original training as a sculptor: he allowed his impressions of the landscape and the surrounding buildings to flow into the development of the spatial program and the appearance of his church. After the first sketches made with charcoal on sheets of drawings, Förderer continued to develop his ideas for church building on smaller and larger models . He photographed these from different angles and made corrections to the photos, after which he further developed the building model. Until the concrete formwork was created by the construction workers on site, Förderer continued to modify his ideas without changing the basic concept of his design. The result was no functional buildings, but, according to Brentini, "the large-scale implementation of a walkable and tangible sculpture that combines with the required function to create a new whole".

Architect Walter M. Förderer characterized his church buildings as follows: "My buildings are determined by the topography , the peculiarities of the site, the attitude of the client ... My building should work in all directions, contribute to an overall design." More important than the functionality of the church building was the implementation of his three-dimensional ideas. A main feature of his church buildings is the consistent use of concrete at the expense of other building materials such as marble or precious woods that were used in sacred buildings by other architects.

Steel bell from 1868

Exterior and bells

The architect included the location of the church on an exposed hill above the historic town and the relationship to the adjacent cemetery in the exterior of the St. Gallus Church. This created a striking church tower , inside of which not only the bell chamber is housed, but also rooms for parish life on three floors. On the one hand the church and on the other hand the parish center are grouped around the church tower, which with their dimensions create the optical transition to the steep hill and cemetery.

A steep path leads from the town to the church hill. Förderer created the facade and the roof sections of the church building, including the church tower, in analogy to the hilly surroundings by angling them in various ways. The church is designed as a stacked, cubic architecture, which contracts from the wide vascular ring of the gallery to the top of the tower. The outer walls of the church are plastered , the roof surrounds and the foundations as well as the church tower, on the other hand, were made of exposed concrete. The tower is crowned by a typical cross designed for patron churches , which, as a clearly visible concrete sculpture, refers to the church's use of the building.

The church of St. Gallus has a six-part chime that matches the bells of the Evangelical Church in Lichtensteig as well as the two nearby chimes of the Reformed Church in Wattwil and the Catholic Church of St. Felix and Regula Wattwil . The 6 bells have a total weight of 11.5 tons and sound in the tone sequence G sharp ° - h ° - dis '- f sharp' - g sharp '- b'. They were cast by the bell foundry Eschmann , Rickenbach b. Wil SG and have the characteristic bitter «Eschmann sound». The largest bell was cast in 1968 and was Eschmann's 500th bell; bells 2–6 were cast in 1969.

The bells of the previous church were not made of bronze, but of steel and were made by the Bochumer Verein in 1868. The old big bell does not have the simple rings that were common at the time, but has a finely crafted grape ornament on the Wolm. In 1987 it was derusted, galvanized and anti-patinated and has stood in front of today's parish church with its weight of 1,800 kilograms. It bears the inscription: «From the world and time - to eternity! In death and life - devoted to God! Gloria in excelsis deo! "

inside view

Interior and artistic equipment

Walter M. Förderer based the dimensions of the church space on two parameters : The usage requirements determined the size of the floor space, the surroundings of the church determined the height of the building as well as the structure and design of the building. A special feature of the St. Gallus Lichtensteig Church among the 10 sponsor churches is the use of a lot of wood and the partial plastering of the exposed concrete surfaces that are otherwise typical for the architect sponsor . As a result, the interior of the St. Gallus Church is determined by the wooden ceiling rising towards the choir. A hanging central pillar floats down from the ceiling above the altar . On these through roof beams radially to which itself in turn the importance of the altar stress for the entire church. The altar area was designed as a sculptural ensemble by Förderer, who was himself a trained sculptor . The prominent position of the altar and ambo is emphasized by the fact that they stand on a wooden pedestal . Around the liturgical area, patrons put three to four sector benches facing the altar. The floor plan of the church is polygonal , there is no separation of the altar area and the main room, which underlines the post-Vatican character of the church.

The interior of the church has a way of the cross , the pictures of which were designed by the painter Krause from Karlsruhe . An altar sheet showing the Annunciation comes from the previous church and is located on the right side of the chancel. A Madonna with child , a figure of Joseph and the crosses of the apostles, which were designed by Walter M. Förderer, round off the artistic furnishings of the church.

Organ in the case of WM Förderer

organ

At the beginning of the 19th century, the parity church of Lichtensteig had a small organ with eight registers . When the neo-Gothic church was built in 1868, Eberhard Friedrich Walcker , Ludwigsburg, built an organ with 16 registers on two manuals and a pedal . In 1902 this organ was replaced by a pneumatic instrument from Carl Theodor Kuhn , Männedorf , with 19 stops on two manuals and a pedal, with the case and pipe material from the Walcker organ being reused. In 1941 the Kuhn company again built an organ with electric action . This instrument had 30 stops on three manuals and a pedal. When today's Catholic Church replaced the old, parity church on the hill above Lichtensteigs, the organ was moved to the Catholic Church from 1941. A revision took place in 1990; here the Voix céleste 8 'was installed in the swell. Since then the instrument has had 33 sounding registers plus two transmissions in the pedal. In 1991 the flute 8 'was replaced by the trumpet 8' in the main work.

As in all of Förderer’s churches, the organ and the singing area are located near the altar area. The wood-clad parapet separates the slightly raised organ and singer area from the rest of the church. The organ prospect is embedded in the back wall, which is set apart from the church interior as a niche.

The disposition of the organ:

I Hauptwerk C – g 3
Dumped 16 ′
Principal 8th'
Gemshorn 8th'
octave 4 ′
flute 4 ′
Super octave 2 ′
Mixture IV 1 1 ⁄ 3  ′
Trumpet 8th'
II Positive C-g 3
Night horn 8th'
Principal 4 ′
Pointed flute 4 ′
Fifth 2 2 ⁄ 3  ′
Sesquialter 2 2 ⁄ 3  ′ + 1 3 ⁄ 5  ′
Forest flute 2 ′
Cymbel III 1'
Krummhorn 8th'
III Swell C – g 3
Dumped 8th'
Salicional 8th'
Voix céleste 8th'
Fugard 4 ′
Night horn 4 ′
Nazard 2 2 ⁄ 3  ′
Flautino 2 ′
Plein jeu IV – V 1'
Basson 16 ′
Trompette harmonique 8th'
Clairon 4 ′
Tremulant
Pedal C – f 1
Praestant 16 ′
Sub bass 16 ′
Gedacktbass (Transm.) 16 ′
Octave bass 8th'
Gemshorn (Transm.) 8th'
octave 4 ′
trombone 16 ′
prong 8th'

  • Detail shot

  • crucifix

  • Apostle candles

literature

  • Parish Lichtensteig (ed.): Festschrift for the consecration of the church. Lichtensteig 1970.
  • Fabrizio Brentini: Building for the Church. Catholic church building of the 20th century in Switzerland. Lucerne 1994.

Web links

Commons : Catholic Church St. Gallus (Lichtensteig)  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Pfarrei Lichtensteig (ed.): Festschrift for the consecration of the church , pp. 16-17.
  2. ^ Website of the political community Lichtensteig, section history. Retrieved December 15, 2016.
  3. ^ Parish Lichtensteig (ed.): Festschrift for the consecration of the church , pp. 18-20.
  4. ^ Website of the political community, section Loreto Chapel. Retrieved December 15, 2016.
  5. ^ Parish Lichtensteig (ed.): Festschrift for the consecration of the church , pp. 14 and 26.
  6. ^ Fabrizio Brentini: Building for the Church. Catholic Church Buildings in Switzerland in the 20th Century , pp. 165–166.
  7. ^ Parish Lichtensteig (ed.): Festschrift for the consecration of the church , p. 28.
  8. ^ Fabrizio Brentini: Building for the Church. Catholic Church Buildings in Switzerland in the 20th Century , pp. 165–166 and 283.
  9. ^ Parish Lichtensteig (ed.): Festschrift for the consecration of the church , p. 28.
  10. ^ Fabrizio Brentini: Building for the Church. Catholic Church Buildings in Switzerland in the 20th Century , p. 166.
  11. ^ Fabrizio Brentini: Building for the Church. Catholic Church Buildings in Switzerland in the 20th Century , p. 174.
  12. ^ Fabrizio Brentini: Building for the Church. Catholic Church Buildings in Switzerland in the 20th Century , p. 174.
  13. ^ Fabrizio Brentini: Building for the Church. Catholic Church Buildings in Switzerland in the 20th Century , p. 175.
  14. ^ Fabrizio Brentini: Building for the Church. Catholic Church Buildings of the 20th Century in Switzerland , p. 173.
  15. ↑ Parish Lichtensteig (Ed.): Festschrift for the consecration of the church , p. 30.
  16. ^ Fabrizio Brentini: Building for the Church. Catholic Church Buildings of the 20th Century in Switzerland , p. 172.
  17. ^ Fabrizio Brentini: Building for the Church. Catholic Church Buildings of the 20th Century in Switzerland , p. 171.
  18. ↑ Parish Lichtensteig (ed.): Festschrift for the consecration of the church , pp. 12-13.
  19. ↑ Bells of the Church of St. Gallus on YouTube . Retrieved December 16, 2016.
  20. ↑ Big bell of the old church Lichtensteig on YouTube. Retrieved December 16, 2016.
  21. ^ Fabrizio Brentini: Building for the Church. Catholic Church Buildings of the 20th Century in Switzerland , p. 167.
  22. ^ Fabrizio Brentini: Building for the Church. Catholic Church Buildings of the 20th Century in Switzerland , pp. 168 and 173.
  23. ^ Fabrizio Brentini: Building for the Church. Catholic Church Buildings of the 20th Century in Switzerland , p. 167.
  24. ↑ Parish Lichtensteig (Ed.): Festschrift for the consecration of the church , p. 30.
  25. ^ Organ directory Switzerland and Liechtenstein, section Catholic Church St. Gallus Lichtensteig SG. Retrieved December 15, 2016.
  26. ^ Fabrizio Brentini: Building for the Church. Catholic Church Buildings of the 20th Century in Switzerland , p. 169.
  27. ^ Organ directory Switzerland and Liechtenstein, section Catholic Church St. Gallus Lichtensteig SG. Retrieved December 15, 2016.

Coordinates: 47 ° 19  '20.8 " N , 9 ° 5' 19.8"  E ; CH1903:  724,747  /  242597